Costa-Rica-3-530.jpgCostaRica3.jpgStudents headed to the rainforest for Biodiversity, Brains and Behavior J-Term class.Biodiversity, Brains and Behavior in Costa Rica.CostaRica4.jpgCosta-Rica-Closeup4.jpgCostaRica1.jpgCostaRica2.jpg

J-Term 2011

Biodiversity, Brains, and Behavior in Costa Rica

By Kendra Koeppen, '13
May 5, 2011

As the arctic winds of Kenosha kept much of the Carthage community inside during J-Term 2011, some students traveled to warmer climates. Venturing south, Daniel Miller, professor of psychology and neuroscience, and Scott Hegrenes, associate professor of biology, led the J-Term course Biodiversity, Brains and Behavior in the tropical rainforest of Costa Rica.

The course began on campus. Students spent a couple of weeks studying brain anatomy and nervous system evolution. They also tracked how the evolution of these systems has shaped and changed other aspects of nature. Once the book work was complete, the class headed to Alajuela to stay overnight at the Hotel Mi Tierra. What followed was an experience that one student said was like no other he has had before.

"I would put Costa Rica as my top experience at Carthage," said music theatre major Dan Ermel, '11. "I've been in shows and gone to Europe, but they all pale in comparison to the time and experience I had in Costa Rica."

On the itinerary: Nesting turtles, bullet ants, Capuchin monkeys

Tortuguero Nacional Park is a conservation area off the Caribbean shore preserved for nesting turtles. It is also a popular tourist area where the students were able to enjoy sight-seeing and pick up a few souvenirs. Before moving on to their next destination, professors Miller and Hegrenes were worried that the incessant rain would put a damper on the trip's continuation.

"In the past when we have been to Costa Rica," Prof. Hegrenes said, "we had stretches of days where it rains and rains and rains. This time we did get that rain, but it was in the Tortuguero Nacional Park. ... Once we got to the biological station, it literally stopped raining for a week."

The LaSuerta Biological Field Station, the location site for students' orientation and exploration, resembled a former logging camp with cabins furnished with bunk beds. Students' objectives were to spend their days going for walks in the forest while observing and looking for biodiversity. One particular assignment was to collect, pin, and professionally curate insects. An impressive collection of multi-colored insects of various shapes and sizes were collected and put in a display case. They ranged from innocent looking grasshoppers to the dangerously sized bullet ant, whose name comes from the myth that its "bite feels like a bullet."

Each day provided interest and activity, with study focused on bugs one day and birds or plants the next.

While birdwatching one day, a group of students unexpectedly encountered several Capuchin monkeys. They had already seen Howler and Spider monkeys, and the Capuchin was the only species they had not seen yet. The group wanted to observe the monkeys more closely, and followed them until the monkeys bore their teeth at the group of curious students. After what was assumed to be a warning call let out by an alpha male, 12 to 15 Capuchins had surrounded the group.

Ermel remarked, "They were feeding on the fruits up in the trees watching us watch them. It was scary at one point because we realized that they were all aware of us and could easily just attack us. We laughed about it later because that would almost never happen, but it was amazing at the time how they all gathered directly above where we were standing."

Research and adjustment

Another requirement of the course was that students conduct their own study by developing a research question and pursuing that question with a partner. The students explored a wide range of subjects, including cultural ethno botany, poison dart frogs, and tropical stream fish surveying using digital videography.

"We used a waterproof video camera to record the fish in a river that runs through the forest," Prof. Miller said. "It was the first time we were able to positively identify all of the species."

However, the trip did not go without difficulties, as some students struggled to make a few adjustments.

"One of the more difficult aspects of the trip was not being able to communicate very much with my family back home," said Natasha Wilkins, '12, a neuroscience major. "Our cell phones didn't work down there, and we had access to the Internet maybe once a week. At first it was pretty difficult to adjust to not constantly being surrounded by technology, but by the end of the trip, I really came to enjoy the fact that my phone wasn’t ringing every couple of minutes."

Immersed in the culture

Students learned about more than just rainforest biodiversity. They also gained an understanding of the Costa Rican culture and perspective. "There was a very large emphasis on not wasting food you put on your plate, taking too long of showers, and turning off fans and lights whenever you leave a room," said Dan Ermel. "It was eye-opening coming back to the States, and it almost had elements of culture shock to it. Seeing trays of food with uneaten pieces, or friends and family taking 15-minute showers really put life into perspective about how conservative other nations are compared to us."

Despite the trip's biology and neuroscience focus, students with a wide range of majors were able to gain life-applicable knowledge and experiences. "Students in this class aren't all from biology or neuroscience, but yet they really got into science and answering questions in the field," Prof. Hegrenes said. "I was really impressed with this group of students, especially with the effort that they gave and how they helped one another with the work."

'Life-changing'

For graphic design major Jenna Apple, '13, the trip was life-altering — not only through her exposure to another culture and educational focus outside of her field, but also through the relationships she developed by working with people.

"This will sound cliché, but it was life-changing for me," she said. "This was my first time traveling outside of the country without family. This experience was one-of-a-kind. The group we went with was more like a family; we all helped one another out and intermingled with everyone. We did not have cliques. Another thing was the lifestyle of the locals. It really opened me up to more cultures and new things."

The trip concluded with the students presenting their research and exchanging unforgettable stories back in the Carthage classroom. The relaxed and celebratory atmosphere was a shared and satisfying feeling for everyone.

"I always see this trip as a good trip for anyone who has a sense of adventure and wants to experience something new," Prof. Hegrenes said. "The educational part means we are going to teach you about evolution, but we're going to make it so you think you aren't being taught anything; you are just being exposed to the rainforest. ... You're learning without realizing you're learning."

Past J-Term Stories

2011
J-Term 2011: A Time to Explore
Understanding AIDS
Crime in Media
Shakespeare in Rome
The Sociology of Adventure

2010
J-Term 2010: On-Campus Courses
Video: Nicaragua
An Opera in 3 1/2 weeks
Social Context of Knitting
Telescope Making
Aviation and Meteorology

2009
Art Meets Biology in Arizona
Forensic Science
Unearthing the Past in Omrit