Biodiversity in the Land of the Arawaks
Study Abroad in Guyana
University of Missouri-St. Louis Faculty Led Program - Winter Intersession
Location: Madewini River, Guyana
Courses: 3 Credit Hours in
BIO 4905 Undergraduate Research in Biology or BIO 6905 Graduate Research in Biology
Program Dates: Jan. 1-Jan 14, 2012
Professor: Dr. Godfrey Bourne, Associate Professor of Evolutionary and Tropical Ecology at UMSL, will be leading the program with Karen Redden, Research Associate of Tropical Plant Systematics and Ecology.
EXTENDED Application Deadline: October 14, 2011
Course Description:Each student will be conducting visual and auditory censuses of animal and plant species in Guyana to produce a NG Research & Exploration-like article. Students individual research project will be developed in consultation with G. R. Bourne & K. Redden and will be executed at CEIBA Biological Center and Dubulay Ranch. Students must employ species diversity indices and natural history information to make sense of your discoveries. Examples of productive areas for exploration are animal community structure and diversity in microecosystems―pools in bromeliads and heliconia (lobster claw) bracts, ant-plant and ant-hopper interactions, plant communities, lichen communities, and the usual, dragonfly, butterfly, ant, fish, lizard, frog, bird communities. *
This course is not for everyone. Participants must be relatively healthy—expect living in close quarters, biting insects, encounters with spiders, snakes, mud, travel in motorized boats, some physical exertion, fascinating biodiversity, and bragging rights.
Limited to 3-15 participants who must have a digital camera and laptop computer.
Non-UMSL participants welcome!
Detailed program description and itinerary available!
Read a professional review of the location and program!
Housing:
Students will stay in primitive accommodations (i.e., living in huts in the rainforest, cold showers with black-water from a spring, using flushing outhouses etc.). This course is not for everyone. Participants must be relatively healthy—expect living in close quarters, biting insects, encounters with spiders, snakes, mud, travel in motorized dugout canoes, some physical exertion, fascinating biodiversity, and bragging rights.
Sample Itinerary (subject to change)
During October: Set up interviews with Bourne by calling his cell 314-709-9134; Oct 7 deadline/preregistration and $500 nonrefundable deposit due.
Bourne travels to Guyana to oversee logistics for course prior to student's arrival.
Day 1: Participants check on flight and upon arrival in Guyana will be met by Bourne for 20 minute drive to CEIBA Biological Center at Madewini; eat snack, get settled in and try to grab some ZZZZs.
Day 2: Breakfast @ 7:00am. Orientation @ 09:00am, lunch at Noon, practice censusing techniques 02:00-04:00pm, clean up 04:00-06:00pm, and dinner @ 06:00pm at CEIBA; Karen lectures about the ecological and evolutionary relationships of rainforest flowering plants after this there will be discussion of individual projects each night after dinner, 08:00pm night natural history walk.
Day 3: Breakfast @ 7:00am. Initiate biodiversity projects at CEIBA using visual and auditory methods; basics photographic workshop; talk to people about their use of biodiversity (medicines, food, fiber etc), subsistence farming, fishing and hunting, and schooling for their children.
Day 4: Continue projects at CEIBA; after lunch trip to Botanical Garden and National Zoo for photo ops; basics video workshop.
Day 5: Research activities at CEIBA.
Day 6: Research activities at CEIBA.
Day 7: Day trip to Kaieteur National Park – continue projects if it has nocturnal aspects.
Day 8: CEIBA – continue projects, and analyze data and prepare project as a PowerPoint Presentation.
Day 9: Depart CEIBA for Dubulay Ranch a coastal savanna site continue sampling your taxon(a) to round out your project; – continue to analyze data and prepare project as a PowerPoint Presentation.
Day 10: Dubulay Ranch – continue taxon census at Dubulay and continue building PowerPoint Presentation.
Day 11: Return to CEIBA in time for Dinner and finish PowerPoints.
Day 12: Wrap-up projects, finish PowerPoint Presentations.
Day 13: Make individual PowerPoint Presentations to entire class.
Day 14: Participants return to USA.
Upon Return: Mid January - Papers due to Dr. Bourne.
Dates:
January 1-14, 2012
Estimated Costs:
Program Fees: $1675 plus airfare and UMSL tuition & technology fees ($810.90/3 credits).
OR
Program Fee: $1675 plus Non-Credit Fee: $750
Program Fee includes airport exit tax from Guyana, primitive accommodations (see housing information), all meals, overland trip to savanna ecosystem (Dubulay Ranch) on the Berbice River, and a day trip to the spectacular 800 foor Kaieteur Falls in the oldest National Park in South America.
Not Included in the Fees •Airfare (estimated at $1150, see flight details lower on page), Personal Expenses(studnets should have a minimum $100 in cash) •Passport Costs
Important Dates:
Priority Application Deadline: September 23, 2011
Application and Deposit Deadline: October 7th, 2011 (extended to 10/14/11)
Acceptance Documents Deadline: October 21, 2011
Remaining Program Fee Deadline: October 21, 2011
Online Orientation Completion: October 30, 2011
Mandatory SA In Person Oriention: November 4, 2011
Mandatory Program Orientation: TBA
Tuition Payment Deadline: Non-UMSL Students must pay 2 weeks prior to departure
Program Dates: January 1 - January 4, 2012
For Additional Information:
Dr. Godfrey Bourne,
Associate Professor of Evolutionary and Tropical Ecology
(BourneG@umsl.edu 314-516-6674)
Amy Fillo, Study Abroad Coordinator (FilloA@umsl.edu, 314-516-6497)
Application Process:
Faculty Led Application Instructions: Students will need to submit the following documents to the Study Abroad Office. Forms are available online only. Space is limited and awarded on a first come - first served basis.
1. UMSL Study Abroad Faculty Led Application Form
2. Non-refundable** $500 deposit (due at time of application)
3. Scholarship application and scholarship essay (UMSL students only)
4. One ID sized photo
5. Non-UMSL students must also submit a letter of recommendation and transcript
We offer a priority deadline of Friday, September 23, 2011 for all Faculty-Led Winter Program Applications. This allows you to have priority reviews of your application or early acceptance. If possible, please return documents and fees before their deadline. The program fees are payable by check or money order payable to UMSL. UMSL Educational & IT fees will be billed to your student account.
Flight Information: Students will need to pay for and book their own flights soon after being accepted into the program. Estimated at $1150, students should book a round-trip coach flight from STL to MIA to GEO flying out on Sunday, January 1, 2011 and returning on Saturday, January 14.
Flight details: American Airlines AA 2515 St. Louis (STL) to Miami (MIA) & AA 2007 Miami (MIA) to St. Louis (STL) Caribbean Airlines BW 483/1415 Miami (MIA) to Georgetown (GEO), one stop in Trinidad (POS) flight then becomes BW 1415; and GEO to POS on BW 1414/484,. change plane in Trinidad to BW 484 to Miami
Interview/Mandatory Orientation:
In Oct., all students must set up interviews with Prof. Bourne by calling 314-709-9134. In addition, all students are required to complete the online orientation for the program as well as an in-person group orientation, organized by the Program Coordinator. More information, including the fall orientation date, will be announced shortly after your acceptance.
* UMSL reserves the right to revise the program fee if there are fluctuations in the exchange rate. Participants are responsible for any increase in rates.
*
Guyana program details and cost may change should more than 6 students enroll. See study abroad office for more details.
**Deposit will be refunded only if you are not selected to participate in the program.
What students are saying aboutthe Guyana Study Abroad Program:
"It's an outstanding opportunity to immerse yourself into a safe tropical environment and unique local cultures." 2011 Participant
"There's no doubt that anyone could have a bad time at CEIBA...unless they happen to hug a cashew tree..."
2011 Participant