Field Studies in Biology: Panama
30 December 2006–10 January 2007
Below is the syllabus for the winter session course in Panama. The course is open to undergraduate and graduate students from all universities. Please contact Dr. Doan about how to apply if you are not a CCSU student.
Application Deadline: 13 October 2006
Scholarship Deadline for CCSU students: 2 October 2006
Professors:
Dr.
Tiffany M. Doan, Department of Biology, CCSU
(860) 832-2676 or e-mail DoanTiM@ccsu.edu
Dr.
Jack Tessier, Department of Biology, CCSU
(860)
832-1651 or e-mail TessierJ@ccsu.edu
Courses:
Biology 170: Introductory Field Studies in Biology: Panama, 3 credits; or
Biology 470: Field Studies in Biology: Panama, 3 credits; or
Biology 571: Advanced Field Studies in Biology: Panama, 3 credits
Prerequisites for BIO 170: Permission of instructor.
Prerequisites for BIO 470: Biology 200 or 202, or permission of department chair. Permission of instructor is required of all students.
Prerequisites for BIO 571: Graduate student standing, or permission of department chair. Permission of instructor is required of all students.
This course is a chance for students to gain an in-depth, hands-on experience in conducting biological research in the rainforest and coral reef habitats of Panama. The program was developed for introductory students who wish to increase their knowledge of field biology and ecology. The aim of the program is for students to learn about, practice, and conduct original biological research in one of the most species diverse areas of the world. Participants will study the tropical ecology of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
Participants will learn about tropical ecology through field and classroom work. On a typical day students will begin with lectures and discussions about rainforest and coral reef organisms, ecology, and methods for studying them. Students will then practice the methods in the field and conduct small group projects. As a final project students will design an original research project, conduct the observations and experimentation, analyze the data, and present their findings to the class in written and oral form. For the group projects introductory students will be teamed with biology majors. The biology majors will be in charge of creating most of the design of the group projects and will be the team leaders. The introductory students will be able to participate in the research as full members of the teams under the leadership of the biology majors and faculty.
The program will take place at the Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation (ITEC) research station in the Bocas del Toro Province northern Panama. The program is intended for those who enjoy hiking and being outdoors every day. Accommodations will be rustic and participants should be prepared for muddy and wet conditions while visiting the beautiful rainforests and coral reefs.
The final night of the program will be spent in Panama City, the capital of Panama. Students will spend that night experiencing the culture of Panama.
Costs: $1485 (plus tuition). The fee includes all transportation from Hartford, all accomodations, and meals while at the research station. Not included are meals while traveling (one day) and textbooks.
Grading: Students will be graded on a) participation and b) quality of the research projects (experimental design, conducting the project, analysis, written paper, and presentation).
Readings:
All students will be required to do readings out of the following book:
Kricher, J. 1997. A
Neotropical Companion, second edition. Princeton University Press,
Princeton, NJ.
Students will also have access to other literature for reference material.