Department of Biology To Host Ecology Studies Field Trip in Kenya, Africa
The program, led by Assistant Professors of Biology Andrea Liebl, Ph.D., and Christopher Anderson, Ph.D., will teach students crucial professional skills through performing biodiversity surveys, learning how conservation works, discussing their findings, and comparing and contrasting the different places they visit.
“We will travel around the country and visit six different parks. We will do biodiversity surveys – identifying different plants and animals we see – and behavioral observations,” Liebl said. “In the evenings, we will discuss what we saw, a specific behavior we observed and how conservation works in that particular area.”
The program’s goal emphasizes the development of hypotheses and the implementation of ecological research. Students will obtain practical experience with organismal identification, point counts, density estimates and population health, as well as learning and utilizing sampling methodologies. Attending students will also engage in a research project that promotes research skills, data analysis and discussion skills.
Former student Andy Dewitt, who participated on the trip in the past, shared why he believes the program is important. “The trip really was life-changing for me. I was able to take all that I have learned and see it in the real world," said Dewitt. "This trip is a large part of how I was able to get my current job at the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, because during my interview, I was able to discuss the animals they had in a real-world context.”
The program encompasses three separate courses – 417/517 Field Ecology & Lab, 792 TBA and 390 Honors: Culture and Conservation – all of which present the opportunity to earn a total of eight credit hours. The department tries to offer the Kenya course every other year.
“From my own experience, this trip really is life-changing for most students. Most have never left the country before, and Africa is a very impactful place,” Liebl said. “This will be my eighth time in Kenya. I know it well; it feels like a second home. But experiencing the initial excitement when the students see their first giraffe in the wild is very special. There’s nothing like it and it’s not something any of the students will soon forget.”
Funding for the trip is sourced from a combination of financial aid, scholarships and out of pocket expenses. USD helps facilitate trips like these through the Gallagher International Center on campus.
