BIOLOGY OF THE NEOTROPICS, COSTA RICA

Special interest: Biology, Tropical biology, field work

Adviser: Dr. Denise Finney (Biology)

The program is a field study of the rain forests of Costa Rica (five diverse biological stations in Costa Rica). Qualified students meet for 15 hours on campus in the fall semester and spend three weeks in the field over the winter break. Side trips include Tarcoles river, Nauyaca Waterfalls, and whale and dolphin watching.

In Costa Rica, students can immerse themselves in the stunning diverse ecosystem, which is comprised of a myriad of natural wonders, such as dense tropical forests, pristine sandy beaches, active volcanoes, and more.

During this 20-day program students will visit 5 different biological station and experience the diverse climates, From cold, misty mountains to hot, humid rainforest. The group will have the opportunity to take part in various activities such as bat netting, nature walks, tropical plant identification, bio forest and much more...

The program is offered every other year. 4 credit hours in ENV/BIO-320.

A special message for first-year students: We realize that it might be difficult for you – in your first semester on campus – to think seriously about something that won’t happen until 15 months later. But circumstances require that we plan this course far in advance, which means you need to decide one way or another by the time you return from Winter Break this Dec/Jan. Even though you are only in your first year now, you will be sophomores by the time the course actually runs. And this could be your one opportunity to take it. Although we try to run the course every two years – which means that you would have another shot as a senior – it isn’t always possible for us to do this. In fact, the last time we ran this course was three years ago. So – think seriously about it. Your sophomore year is a great time to take a course like this because, if you get really into it, the experience can influence the kinds of courses that you take as a junior and a senior and where you would apply to graduate school.

Look here for photos from the 2015/2016 course.