Here is what some of the people who have attended the trip in previous years have said about the experience.
Russell A. Forsee, Graduate Student at UNK
When I first started the distant learning Masters Biology program at University of Nebraska at Kearney, I envisioned sitting behind a computer for a couple of hours a week taking tests, watching lectures, and contributing to discussion boards. I knew I would be giving up the important face-to-face advisor interaction and the hands on work at the Universities labs, but my full time work schedule afforded me no other option. My plan was to make the best of it by setting up my own lab in my garage and work closely with my advisor via email. The opportunity came up last year to go to Vieques Island and help assist Dr. Albrecht on a mangrove project. I was able to earn credits while actually meeting my advisor. Although the cost was reasonable, it was going to exceed my budget for education for the year. I did have some reservations. However, I convinced myself it would be an investment in my education and I bought my tickets.
My investment paid off on the first trip, and is currently the only investment I have with positive growth. The first trip we worked hard in the mangroves to gather critical data, we help in beach restoration, and rescued sea turtles eggs. We enjoyed a life changing evening in a bioluminescence bay floating in warm waters looking at the Southern Cross while covered in millions of glowing dinoflagellates. The best part of the trip…I found my research project. I knew then I had made the right choice. I am currently working with a species of giant land crab, Cardisoma guanhumi, which inhabits the island. I spent the next year reading everything I could find and started preliminary studies in my garage. When I returned this past summer, I was able to see a return on my investment with a contract from the Fish and Wildlife Service.
I am still very happy to be sitting in front of a computer working on lectures, discussion boards, and in my “low tech” garage lab. But thanks to my investment, I also have the face-to-face interaction with my advisor and hands on field research I never thought was possible. This is the best program out there. I have moved three times since I started this program and not missed a day. This would be impossible in a traditional program. I am very excited to be at Kearney and encourage everyone to make the investment by getting involved with a project like this...you can’t imagine what you will see and learn.