Marine and Island Ecology of The Bahamas
The application period is currently open
2020 Applications are due November 25, 2019.
For more information, contact Hilary Wind.
Dates
Classes are held on six Saturdays in March and April (March 7,14, 21, & 28, and April 18 & 25) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Shedd Aquarium. Field dates to the Bahamas: May 7-15 or May 15-23.
Price
Tuition is paid to your university at the current rate. An additional laboratory fee covers all supplies, plus room and board in the Bahamas. Airfare to Nassau, Bahamas is not included.
Program overview
Marine and Island Ecology of The Bahamas is an upper-level undergraduate course open to students currently enrolled in an ACCA school. This class covers basic ecological concepts as they pertain to subtropical marine and island ecosystems. Material covers general fish, invertebrate and plant ecology, with an emphasis on identification of key species and their roles in the ecosystem. Conservation management as it relates to island ecosystems is also covered. Field research methods are introduced and applied during a nine-day field research excursion to the Bahamas aboard Shedd’s research vessel, the R/V Coral Reef II.
Program description
Classes are held at Shedd Aquarium on six Saturdays in March and April. Classes consist of a combination of lectures and hands-on activities at the aquarium, utilizing the collections and expertise of Shedd. Lectures cover the major communities of subtropical marine and island ecosystems, and the interactions among these communities. There is a large emphasis on reading and understanding primary literature. Following the classroom component, students travel to the Exuma Cays, Bahamas, aboard the R/V Coral Reef II. The boat is our home and classroom as we travel from island to island, spending the days snorkeling and hiking and gaining hands-on field research experience.
Program outcomes
After taking this class, students will
- understand ecological dynamics of various tropical marine systems
- apply scientific knowledge in an authentic environment
- apply “system thinking” when studying marine ecology
- become familiar with reading and interpreting primary scientific literature
- learn taxonomy and scientific names of key tropical marine species