Biology and geomorphology of tropical islands
Course Number: ESPM C107 or IB 158LF
Semester Taught: Fall 2023 Credits: 15 How to Enroll: Students must apply and interview. Location: Moorea, French Polynesia Home Base: UC Berkeley Gump Research Station The Application for Fall 2023 is now on-line in Google Form format. The course will be taught entirely off-campus with time in Moorea, 10 weeks, tentatively 10 Sept - 19 Nov. If you would like more information about the course, please email one of the professors for 2023 (click for links): Stephanie Carlson, Seth Finnegan, or professors for last year Cindy Looy, Jonathan Stillman, Albert Ruhi or George Roderick. Important DatesNote, starting in 2023, updated passports will be required before final admission will be approved. This is a Study Abroad policy. So, if you are planning to study abroad in 2023, please update your passport now and ask for expedited services, since it is taking longer than usual.
March 2023: Application now on-line. March 31, 2023, Applications due. Note new passport requirement above. Early April 2023: Potential interviews April 2023: Students notified of acceptance April 2023: Required course meeting |
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Introduction
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This course offers a transformative field research experience that many former students consider the capstone to their years at Berkeley. The course begins with some background work and preparation to provide the contextual framework for course (remotely). The students then depart for approximately 10 weeks at the Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station on Moorea in French Polynesia. While in Moorea, students design and execute their own independent research projects, starting with the initial preliminary studies and ending with statistical analyses and writing. The final weeks are spent remotely during which time students write up their findings, consult with GSIS, professors, and study groups, and prepare a professional seminar on their projects. The class size is limited to 25 students by the Gump dormitory facilities. Note about Fall 2022 and on-ward: this course is 100% off campus, with 10 weeks on Moorea and remote instruction before and after.
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Students learn about the biology, geology, evolution, and people of the South Pacific. They develop the fundamentals of field research and work with faculty members to develop an independent project on an island topic, such as marine or terrestrial ecology, volcanic geomorphology, biodiversity, invasion biology, animal behavior, or oceanography of reefs and islands. This is a field course based at a tropical field station that involves vigorous activities including hiking in forests and on steep trails and swimming and snorkeling in marine and fresh waters. The field station is rustic and lacks many of the amenities students may be accustomed to in dormitory life on campus. The cooking staff can accommodate a large number of diets, although the diversity of options for some diets may be limited at times. A Visitor’s Guide for what to expect is available on the Gump Station web site, http://moorea.berkeley.edu, which includes more complete information.
Interested students should complete the course application. Selected students are then interviewed by course instructors. Students from other UC's and CSU's may take this course, though preference is given to Berkeley students. Those selected for interviews will be called or emailed to arrange for an interview in April. This is a 15-unit course and enrollment is by application and interview only. In addition to Berkeley tuition and fees, additional costs include airfare, lodging, food, and research expenses. Financial assistance is available for qualified students through the Financial Aid Office. Air fare from the Bay Area varies depending on ticket source and time of purchase. A valid passport is required, and if you do not hold a US or EU passport, also a visa. With the delay in getting passports renewed, we encourage students thinking about taking this course in future years to update their passports now. ***Starting with the Fall 2023 class, current passports that extend 3 months after the course ends (i.e., March 2024) will be required before final admission will be approved.***
This Fall Moorea Class (ESPM C107/ IB 158LF) is a science-based, research course, designed for students in science majors and related disciplines. UC Berkeley is also offering a Spring Island Sustainability Semester (ESPM 109A-E), which was taught for the first time this Spring semester 2022. The Island Sustainability Semester is a set of co-requisite courses covering a range of interdisciplinary topics that encompass sustainability. This course is designed for students of all majors. If you would like more information, please see the site noted above. It is possible to take both courses. If you do take both, we would suggest taking the Spring island sustainability course first, and the Fall biology and geomorphology course second. Because of the integrated nature of course(s) in both semesters, reduced course load (RCL) is not possible for either course.
Interested students should complete the course application. Selected students are then interviewed by course instructors. Students from other UC's and CSU's may take this course, though preference is given to Berkeley students. Those selected for interviews will be called or emailed to arrange for an interview in April. This is a 15-unit course and enrollment is by application and interview only. In addition to Berkeley tuition and fees, additional costs include airfare, lodging, food, and research expenses. Financial assistance is available for qualified students through the Financial Aid Office. Air fare from the Bay Area varies depending on ticket source and time of purchase. A valid passport is required, and if you do not hold a US or EU passport, also a visa. With the delay in getting passports renewed, we encourage students thinking about taking this course in future years to update their passports now. ***Starting with the Fall 2023 class, current passports that extend 3 months after the course ends (i.e., March 2024) will be required before final admission will be approved.***
This Fall Moorea Class (ESPM C107/ IB 158LF) is a science-based, research course, designed for students in science majors and related disciplines. UC Berkeley is also offering a Spring Island Sustainability Semester (ESPM 109A-E), which was taught for the first time this Spring semester 2022. The Island Sustainability Semester is a set of co-requisite courses covering a range of interdisciplinary topics that encompass sustainability. This course is designed for students of all majors. If you would like more information, please see the site noted above. It is possible to take both courses. If you do take both, we would suggest taking the Spring island sustainability course first, and the Fall biology and geomorphology course second. Because of the integrated nature of course(s) in both semesters, reduced course load (RCL) is not possible for either course.