SM
Sarah Mooney
  • Biology
  • Class of 2014
  • Coventry, CT

Eastern Student Sarah Mooney of Coventry Studies Biology in Costa Rica

2014 Dec 9

This past May, 14 students from Eastern Connecticut State University visited Costa Rica for 12 days to study tropical biology. The trip focused on the basic aspects of tropical rainforest ecology and the natural history of tropical organisms.

This course is among Eastern's most prominent "global field courses," and has been offered by the Biology Department since 1968. Among the participants was Biology major Sarah Mooney '14 of Coventry, CT.

During their field research, students worked in small groups to complete projects and discussed literature related to tropical rainforest ecosystems. Other topics covered during the trip included the peculiarities of tropical agriculture; the socioeconomic consequences of development in the tropics and tropical ecosystem conservation.

"The research completed this year was of the highest quality and reflects the academic excellence of participating students," said faculty advisor and Biology Professor Patricia Szcyzs.

The group also enjoyed a tour of Costa Rica, where they hiked the base of an active volcano, visited a pineapple plantation and an abandoned cacao (chocolate) plantation and toured the premier tropical biology research station in the Western Hemisphere -- La Selva Biological Research Station.

"Roughly half the students were seniors, and the experience served as a capstone to their Eastern careers," said Szczys.