Coral Reef Education Program                        

New College biology faculty work intensively with students during the summer in a coral reef setting. Students have accompanied faculty to American Samoa, Belize, Panama, Honduras, and the Florida Keys. Most recently, the program takes students and faculty to Roatan, Honduras to work at the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences.  We moved the program to Cayos Cochinos starting in summer of 2005 because of restrictions placed on undergraduate research groups by RIMS' association with AAUS.

You may be interested in reading Honduras:  Adventures in Nature by Gollin and Mader (1998, paperback available) to get a better sense of the types of habitats and organisms that you might encounter during your time at the Bay Islands.

The program in Honduras allows students to work with faculty mentor on faculty research or to work on their own research projects. Typically, students go to Honduras for two summers. During the first summer, students work with faculty on planned projects (summary of projects) to get a notion of the types of research that can be done on the reef and to learn about working at a remote field station. In the next year, students may choose to work on independent study projects or on senior thesis research. Some students opt to continue work on faculty projects to gain skills in lab and field techniques.

This is not a vacation. Students must work very hard to make this program a success both in Sarasota and in Honduras. Preparation for the program includes not only coursework but also cooperative fund raising. Coursework varies with project, but generally students should take coral reef ecology as a base activity. Some organismal level of work concerning the reef such as fish biology or invertebrate zoology is encouraged. For students working on neurobiology and behavioral projects, work in brain behavior and evolution, neurobiology, and animal behavior should be considered. Generally, faculty will request that students take a tutorial in the Spring specifically related to the work in Honduras to prepare for field studies. The schedule is a tough one. Students should note that it is a good idea to start working on fitness. Field studies are strenuous both physically and mentally.

Fund-raising activities start in the Fall. Students are asked to participate in activities to provide funding and to build team skills. This year, faculty and students are developing a calendar based on photos taken from previous trips to Honduras. These will be sold to the general public to generate funds and to advertise the program. Other fund raising activities will be developed by faculty and students as the year begins. If you think that you are interested in the summer expedition, please participate in the fund raising.

Grant Support for Student Research and Academic Travel

A New College Foundation scholarship grant could fund your thesis or other research. Or, it could fund your travel to a specialized library or academic conference. To be eligible, you must be enrolled in the current semester and have completed at least one semester at New College. Proposal forms are available from any divisional office, Housing, Dean and Warden's Office, or Records. BECAUSE YOU NEED TO HAVE A FACULTY LETTER, PLAN EARLY.  Grants are awarded twice a year, mid-fall and mid-spring. Deadlines for Fall and Spring are: proposals due by 5:00pm, the last Friday of Module I.

Suggestions to proposal writers

Read the application carefully. Many proposals fail because the writer did not follow instructions. Note that late submissions are not accepted.

• Start working on your proposal early. You cannot write a competitive proposal at the last minute.
• Consult closely with faculty, making revisions based on advisor input. Proposals are turned down when the faculty advisor cannot express strong confidence in the proposal. If you approach a faculty member at the last minute with a proposal that is written poorly, do not be surprised if the faculty member refuses to support the plan. TALK WITH YOUR ADVISOR EARLY. YOUR ADVISOR WILL HAVE TO HAVE A LETTER WITH YOUR PROPOSAL FOR THE APPLICATION TO BE COMPLETE.
• State the research problem in the first sentences of your abstract. Then describe the research or travel you will undertake to address it. Place the problem in its intellectual context, citing key literature and giving evidence of its significance. If you are requesting funds for travel to a conference, describe the work to be presented and how the conference relates to your academic program. If you wish to attend a conference and not make a presentation, state the issues you hope to address through attendance and the relevance to your studies.

Successful proposals are well planned and work is well documented. Be aware that several good proposal are received and that only a small portion of these can be funded. You can use feedback from an unsuccessful proposal to strengthen a second request.

Further information about the grants are contained on the application forms. Get yours early so that you can prepare well.

 

SIGMA XI

We encourage advanced students to apply for Sigma Xi grants in support of research.  These grants allow you to receive funding for materials and supplies.  Some travel to field stations is allowed as well.  The deadlines for proposals are mid October and mid March.  You can read more about these grants at www.sigmaxi.org.