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Faculty and students traveled to the Bahamas, Curaçao and Senegal during January, for study associated with University courses.

Associate Professor of Biology Brad Baldwin was awarded a Center for International and Intercultural Studies Fellowship, allowing him to take four biology research students to San Salvador in the Bahamas from January 7 through 16. The team, Baldwin says, "Conducted more research (building on what I've already done with past students) on fisheries species there (grouper, queen conch, lobster) as well as the ecological importance of a nursey lagoon to shelter and feed babies of these species. We also furthered our outreach with the islanders, conducting a field project on queen conch with the high school science club. We also helped organize a town meeting where we reported our research to an audience largely comprised of an environmental group called the Living Jewels Foundation. This group is new and is working to designate part of the island environs as a national park. We hope they will now work to include protection of the fisheries species in that nursey lagoon."

Student researchers - all Class of 2006 - were Deanna Ashline, of Peru, NY; Molly Gove, of Camden, ME; Kira Krumhansl, of Amherst, NH; and Victor Schmidt, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Visiting Instructor of Geology Sean Cornell and Visiting Instructor of Geology Matthew Strine brought students to the island of Curaçao for nine days for the course Geology 320B: Regional Field Methods, being taught in the spring 2006 semester. Information and data gathered by the students is being analyzed and studied for the course, which "gives students the opportunity to survey, investigate and describe the geologic systems of the southern Caribbean region, and in particular of Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. Historically, the complex interaction of lithospheric plates along the boundary between the South American and Caribbean Plates has resulted in the co-occurrence of deep sea deposits, volcanic systems, and a substantial record of reef carbonates on the island. In addition to plate tectonics, this region has also been impacted by oceanographic and climatic change since the end of the Mesozoic Era (~65 million years ago) both of which have imparted a significant influence on the environments and biotas of the region since that time."

Participating are Kim Bradshaw '07, Goucester, MA; Lauren Chrapowitzky '08, North Chatham, NY; Michael Como '07, Cold Spring Harbor, NY; Paul Congelton '07, Ogdensburg, NY; Sarah Fuller '08, Wilton, CT; Brian Hanson '07, White River Junction, VT; Emilee Mroz '07, Reisterstown, MD; Jo Palmer '09, East Meredith, NY; Hillary Siener '08, Greene, RI; and Trisha Smrecak '06, Munger, MI.

Ten students participated in the community-based learning course Senegalese Culture and Society, with Assistant Professor of Philosophy Erin McCarthy, from January 1 through 21. After cultural orientation in Dakar at Africa Consultants International/Baobab Center, students went directly to the field, participating in internship sites while housed with local families. Internships took place in a traditional-medicine hospital and school; an eco-tourism tortoise village; and a nursery school. Also as part of the course, students are collaborating on a multimedia presentation to the campus, scheduled for March 14 at 6 p.m. in the Winston Room of the Student Center.

Course participants are Jane Affleck '06, Wyndmoor, PA; Jeannette Corrow '07, Saranac Lake, NY; Melina Cruz '06, Bronx, NY; Eliza Doton '06, Woodstock, VT; John Gursky '07, Baldwinsville, NY; Cameron Heiser '06, Suncook, NH; Valerie Kelly '07, Holliston, MA; Harry Little '08, Bronx, NY; Jeffrey McCartney '07, West Winfield, NY; and Mallory Mumford '06, Lowville, NY.

Posted: March 1, 2006