During this winter-term study abroad course, upper-level Biology and ENS majors conduct research in different ecological contexts in Panama. During the fall preparatory course, students form groups and choose onw of two projects to focus on (Invertebrate diversity in the lowland jungle or Carbon sequestration in montane forests). Two groups focus on each project, and each group develops their own question, hypotheses, and predictions.

During fall, students read and summarize primary literature on their topic, are introduced to sampling methods that we will use during the WT course, and they write draft introductions for research papers that they will complete during the WT course. As we talk about data collection and doing research at biological field stations in Panama, we also discuss the colonial history of those field stations and the ethical questions associated with collecting data as a visiting scientist from the US.

During the travel portion of the course, students work as a class to collect quantitative data for both projects at field stations in the mountains and lowland jungle of Panama. Together with their faculty mentors, students work to proof, clean, and analyze their data, and we help them think about different ways to visualize their results. Students communicate their data-intensive work in oral and written form. They make formal, conference style research presentations of their findings to the class and also submit journal-style research papers to the instructors.

View BIO 3642 in the Academic Catalog

Approved for Data Intensive Course Designation starting Fall 2025.