SFS PANAMA: TROPICAL ISLAND BIODIVERSITY STUDIES (SEMESTER)

PROGRAM DETAILS

• Terms: Fall, Spring
• Credits: 18 semester-hour credits
• Prerequisites: One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science; 18 years of age
• Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Early applications encouraged
• Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans

OVERVIEW

Bocas del Toro, Panama is home to a stunning diversity of life, from underwater reef ecosystems to rich green rainforests, and the culture of Bocas is as unique as its environments. Go behind the scenes in this “paradise” and study the impacts of tourism and development on the archipelago. Take a look at local and national environmental policies, explore the island ecosystems, and interview residents as part of an in-depth field research project on sustainability issues.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

• Snorkel in the waters of the archipelago to explore coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds as you study sea stars, turtles, rays, dolphins, and schools of tropical fish.
• Visit the Pacific coast and the mountains of Boquete: Explore the Gulf of Chiriquí National Marine Park, take a canopy walk through cloud forest, and tour a sustainable coffee farm.
• Spend a day in Ngäbe communities: Speak with local Indigenous leaders, visit a women’s co-op, and take a forest walk with a local guide.

SFS students live and study at the Center for Tropical Island Biodiversity Studies, once a beachfront hotel that sits among the slender palms and warm sands of Isla Colón lies the Center. You’ll take your classes over the waves of the Caribbean and among the surrounding rainforests and reefs. The laidback tourist hub of Bocas Town is a short taxi ride away, with access to shops, restaurants, and a vibrant culture that is as unique as the mix of people who live here.

RESEARCH THEMES

• Climate change impacts
• Marine protected areas
• Rainforest biodiversity
• Tourism impacts
• Ecosystem health
• Community livelihoods and perceptions

 

CORE SKILLS

• Species identification
• Underwater transects and quadrats
• Tourism impact assessment
• Scientific writing and communication
• Basic Spanish language
• Research design and implementation
• Data collection and analysis
• Research presentation

 

LEARN MORE

REQUEST INFORMATION

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CONNECT WITH SFS

Visit the SFS website
Call the Admissions Hotline at 800.989.4418
Email admissions@fieldstudies.org
Read updates from the field on the SFS Blog
Follow SFS on Instagram and Facebook
Watch student videos on YouTube and Vimeo
 


***PLEASE NOTE***
All biology majors seeking credit for their major from courses completed in study abroad programs through the School for Field Studies (SFS) are strongly encouraged to also meet with Dr. Kevin Smith (kesmith@davidson.edu) in the biology department.

Davidson College is an affiliate school of the School for Field Studies. This relationship with SFS allows Davidson students to:

• Have priority acceptance to the various SFS semester and summer programs.
• Receive four Davidson biology course credits (BIO 184 and BIO 381-383) as pass/fail for attending a semester program and one Davidson biology course credit (BIO 385) as pass/fail for attending a summer program. Three of the SFS semester courses (BIO 381-383) and the SFS summer course (BIO 385) may count toward a major in Biology. SFS courses do not fulfill the Davidson core requirement for laboratory science. Note that seven of the courses required for the Biology major must be Davidson courses taught by Davidson College faculty. SFS courses do not count towards those seven courses.
• BIO 184 fulfills the cultural diversity credit

Premedical Students Applying To Medical School:
When entering your School for Field Studies courses on the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) document, be certain that you list the courses as Davidson courses with a grade of pass/fail. You should discuss the implications of how this may affect your AMCAS application with the Pre-Medical Director, Dr. Naila M. Mamoon.

**Start and end dates are tentative. Please verify them through the provider.**