Experience Ecosystems of the Dominican Republic

Beaches, freshwater lagoons, and tropical scrub forests…students explore all of these habitats when they enroll in CERC’s Summer Ecosystem Experience for Undergraduates (SEE-U) program in the Dominican Republic. Running from June 30 to August 4, 2012, the program offers students many enriching opportunities to engage in fieldwork and study biodiversity and ecosystems in their natural environments.

The SEE-U course in the Dominican Republic is hosted by the Fundación Ecológica Punta Cana at the Center for Biodiversity and Sustainability. This foundation was started by the owners of the Punta Cana Resort and Club and is situated by the town of Veron and the Ojos Indigenas (Indigenous Eyes) Preserve. Students explore and conduct outdoor fieldwork in the Preserve’s freshwater and forest territories, as well as neighboring former sugar plantations, botanical and agricultural gardens, and backcountry roads. Surrounding coastal areas are also home to coral reef ecosystems, beaches and seagrass beds.

Students travel beyond Punta Cana to the town of Miches, in Samana Bay. Miches offers the chance to study ecosystems not available in Punta Cana, such as large salt-water and fresh-water lagoons and mangroves.

The focus of the course is biodiversity. As in all SEE-U courses, students study fieldwork techniques and apply them to pursue independent research projects of their choice. The course is aimed to introduce students to fieldwork, so students of all majors can apply. An example of a prospective course syllabus can be found here.

To learn more about SEE-U Dominican Republic and other SEE-U courses available this summer, visit our website or contact CERC directly at cerc@columbia.edu or 212-854-0149.