Olivia Lopez

Conservation Related Experience:   In the Fall semester, I had to privilege of participating in a study abroad program through the School for Field Studies, an environmental education non-profit. I travelled to Bocas del Toro, an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Panama, where I studied tropical island biodiversity and conservation. I was enrolled in four courses that covered marine and terrestrial ecology, socio-economic values of the region, and Panamanian culture. I adored each one of these courses, because they were non-traditional and hands-on. I studied ecology under the canopy of rainforests, determined the health of coral reefs while snorkeling in the ocean, and better understood complex societal issues through interviews with local people. At the end of the semester, I completed a Directed Research project that analyzed the ways in which tourism affects Indigenous people of the archipelago. The connections I have made through this research have been strong, and I continue to collaborate and contribute to this project almost a year later. My experience abroad was not only important to my educational and professional goals, but it also allowed me to build relationships with local Panamanians, understand a culture different from my own, and strengthen my personal connection with nature in one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.

Connection to Conservation Biology:  I believe that this program, titled Tropical Island Biodiversity Studies, was perfectly suited for me as a student majoring in Conservation Biology. We actively learned about conservation strategies while visiting and observing the ecosystems in need of protection. Many of the projects that we completed better uncovered the complexities that come with creating and implementing conservation initiatives than any textbook could. I also appreciated the way in which this program focused on the biological, scientific aspects of conservation while leading us to realize that conservation is also very much a social issue that impacts groups of people in different ways. Through courses taken abroad, I was able to better understand the ways in which conservation itself is an umbrella term that encompasses numerous diverse subjects and ideas.