E-Canopy Header

e-canopy header image
September 2010

IN THIS ISSUE
Undergraduate Deadlines
Chicago Area Event
Student Paper Award
REU Student Recognized
Nicaragua Trip
REDD Video
Canopy Cameras
Auction Items
Bat Research Scholarship
AIBS Survey
Forward to a Friend Join Our Mailing List

4-Star Rating
Undergraduate Application Deadlines

Tropical Biology on a Changing Planet
Spring 2011: Jan 24 - May 10 DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 1
Fall 2011: Aug 29 - Dec 13 DEADLINE: APRIL 1

Recruiting Staff Welcomes New Admissions Counselor

Kala Wolfe begins her work as an admissions counselor at OTS this fall.  She graduated in May 2009 from the Master of Environmental Management program at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke.  While in that program Kala traveled to El Salvador to work with a non-profit conservation organization called SalvaNATURA.  There she was lucky enough to accompany local biologists on trips into the field and see much of the country and Central America.  For her Master's project she analyzed 5 years of bird population data from El Salvador's first ever permanent monitoring program.  Her undergraduate background at Penn State is in ecology; specifically doing research on small bird breeding biology.  Kala is from rural Appalachian Pennsylvania, but loves Durham and has made it her home.  Some of her passions outside of conservation and environmental issues are local theater and baking delicious and pretty treats.

divider leaf
Attention Chicago!
Join Us for a Tropics Topics Chat
  
ChicagoCome share your passion for the tropics with a diverse group of scientists from the OTS Board of Directors, University of Chicago, the Shedd Aquarium, The Field Museum and other like-minded individuals for a free-flowing chat about emerging issues in tropical biology and conservation.
 
Join us for good appetizers, good conversation and, of course, good food for thought!


October 1, 2010
6:00 p.m.

Gioco Restaurant
(Speakeasy Room)
1312 S. Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL

RSVP
Cathleen Lemoine


***

Next Stop... Seattle!

We are heading to Seattle in mid-October and are planning an informal chat in the University area. Make sure you stay up-to-date by emailing Cathleen Lemoine.
divider leaf
Student Paper Award Deadline October 15

The OTS Membership Committee inviting nominations for a $500 cash prize for excellence in research via an outstanding publication in tropical biology by a student. 

ELIGIBILITY AND NOMINATION
 
Tropical Biology StudentsAt the time of the nomination deadline, the paper must be published in a peer-reviewed journal and the work completed within the tropics. To be eligible, the author must have been a student (undergraduate or graduate) when the research was completed, and must be an OTS alum or have completed the work at an OTS research station (La Selva, Las Cruces, Palo Verde) or be a student at an OTS member institution (click here for a list of current institutional members) The nominee must be first author and the paper must be on a topic directly related to their research in tropical biology and published in the 18 months before the award deadline. Nominations by research advisors or colleagues are welcomed.

SELECTION CRITERIA 
 
Applications will be reviewed by an Awards Committee formed by a subcommittee of the AoD Membership Committee. Papers will be judged based upon the paper's contribution to the field including originality, study design and impact. 

The nomination packets should include:
  • A copy of the paper
  • A brief letter describing the impact of the paper on the field. 
  • A CV from the nominee
SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS
Send nomination packet electronically as a pdf to the chair of the Awards Committee, Elisabeth Ar�valo.
If you have questions, please email Dr. Ar�valo.

Announcement of Award Recipient will be made at OTS Assembly of Delegates Meeting March 11-12, 2011 and will be published in Biotropica.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 15th, 2010
divider leaf

Costa Rican REU Student Recognized by Association of Field Ornithologists 

Luis Vargas
Luis E. Vargas, a Costa Rican participant of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, sponsored by the CRUSA Foundation, was recognized last month at the Association of Field Ornithologists (AFO) 2010 Annual Meeting held at Weber State University. Luis won the Best Undergraduate Poster award for his presentation of his project "Forest structure and territory size relationship in the neotropical understory insectivore White-breasted Wood-wren Henicorhina leucosticte". This project was developed during his participation in the REU program at La Selva. With funding from the CRUSA Foundation, this program provides a unique, intensive opportunity for field research to Costa Rican undergraduate students. The study was conducted at La Selva Biological Station under the guidance of his mentor, Dr. Gerardo Avalos. To view the abstract, click here.

CRUSA logoCongratulations Luis!

.
divider leaf
Nicaragua....Home of Lakes, Volcanoes and Poets
March 13 - 19, 2011


NicaraguaJoin us on excursion into Nicaragua to explore its abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems. There is a reason Nicaragua has designated nearly one fifth of its territory as protected areas, such as national parks, nature reserves, and biological reserves, and we will experience much of this scenic beauty during our time together.  Day One, we will drive up from Liberia, Costa Rica stopping at Rivas, Nicaragua for lunch, before departing to Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua and our overnight destination of Hacienda Merida.  Day Two we will hike the Merida Volcano as well as visit the Petro glyphs in the afternoon.  Day Three, it's onward to the colonial town of Granada, founded in 1524 by Conqueror Francisco Hern�ndez de C�rdoba, where we will lodge the rest of our time in Nicaragua.  Of course, we will tour Granada, including its beautiful cathedral, before departing on Day Four for the Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve and the Las Isletas!  Day Five it's off to Masaya National Park with its famous caves and volcano and the town of Masaya and its handcrafts market.  Day Six we visit the capital city of Managua, as well as tour the city of Leon, home of one of Nicaragua's most important universities as well as the birthplace of poet, Ruben Dario. Day Seven it is a quick trip back to Liberia, Costa Rica for a late afternoon flight or to relax by a pool before flying home the next day.

This BioCurso is a 6-day, 7-night educational, but fun-fill trip to Nicaragua, where we will learn different aspects related to the geological, ecological, biological, historical, cultural, social and political wonders of this important country north of Costa Rica. We will bird watch, study unique plants to the region, as well as tour historical sites and nature reserves.


Join the BioCursos faculty, senior OTS staff member, Jonathan Giles, and the members of the OTS Board of Visitors in a unique opportunity to experience the biological splendor of Nicaragua. 


INCULDED:
  • Transportation (Private with air-conditioning)
  • Accommodations: Hotel La Pacifica (1), Hacienda Merida (2), Hotel Granada (4)
  • Meals:  7 Breakfast, 6 lunches, 3 dinners
  • Visit to Madera Volcano
  • Visit to the Petroglyphs
  • Visit to Mombacho Volcano
  • Visit to Mazaya Volcano
  • Visit to Las Isletas
  • Visit to Leon University
  • Visit to Masayas market
  • Visit to La Verbena cultural night
  • OTS Coordinator/Educational materials
  • Travel insurance within Costa Rica
  • Participation Certificate
NOT INCULDED:
  • Tips/Personal expenses
  • Dinner the night of the 16th, 17th and 18th of March
  • Lunch on March 19
  • Tax Departure from Costa Rica and/ or Nicaragua
  • Medical international coverage
  • Airfare to Costa Rica (Liberia recommended)
For more information, please email Jonathan Giles or call him at 919-684-6188.

.
divider leaf
REDD Workshop Video

As a part of its U.S. Environmental Decision Maker Series, OTS partnered with the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions (NI) of Duke University to offer a series of courses and roundtables on the scientific, technical, economic, and political concepts behind REDD, and the ramification of international forest carbon policies to the United States and to the tropics.

REDD WorkshopLast year, two 4-day courses were held at La Selva Biological Station for Senate and House staff and officials from the Congressional Research Service, Department of Agriculture, Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, Forest Service, and Congressional Budget Office. The courses included lectures from international experts, in-the-field visits to ongoing rainforest research and conservation projects, hands-on practical exercises, and discussion sessions. Because researchers have been investing the forest-carbon cycle at La Selva in Costa Rica for decades, the station was the perfect venue to provide exposure to many of the scientific issues of forest-carbon cycling and forest monitoring through remote sensing. Moreover, as Costa Rica has pioneered many of the innovative environmental service payment programs in the tropics, participants had the opportunity to meet land owners and investigate first-hand the successes and shortfalls of such programs.

An video highlighting the work and outcomes of these workshops is now available on the OTS YouTube Channel:

You Tubehttp://www.youtube.com/TropicalStudies#p/u/0/k1vSuG84tBY

These activities were made possible through generous support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation LogoPackard Foundation Logo

divider leaf
You're in Control ... of the Canopy Cameras!

This MRI camera image was captured on Sept 8 at 9:30 am from the OTS North American office in Durham, NC.
Canopy Towers Image
The La Selva MRI Towers have multiple sensors installed on them, including cameras which can give users the ability to view the canopy in real-time from anywhere in the world via computer.   For a limited time, you we have opened this ability to the general public to showcase this exciting technology.

Link: http://bit.ly/ceuqpJ
User name and password: visitante

Once logged on, you will be able to control the camera on the towers and pan to see live images from the top of the towers for 90 seconds. No harness required!

Hint: Don't click too quickly, give the camera a few seconds to respond.

divider leaf
Auction Items

The 3rd Annual OTS Online Auction is scheduled for late November, just in time for holiday shopping. The auction will include a number of fun and unique items to raise money for our core programs -- undergraduate and graduate programs -- and the more items we have the more money we can raise, so we're asking for your help. Auction Bid

Give a little and get a lot in return.
Whether you have 1 item or 100 to contribute, your participation is an invaluable part of our fundraising efforts. By donating an item or service directly online, you'll be helping to raise money for students and researchers.

We are looking for items that would be of interest to the OTS community at large:

  • travel opportunities
  • one-of-a-kind experiences (i.e. a dinner with a special guest)
  • artwork
  • jewelry
  • collectibles
As a non-profit organization, all auction donations are tax-deductible.  If you have an item you are considering donating to the auction, please click here or contact Cathleen Lemoine at 919.684.6969 or [email protected].

divider leaf
Student Research Scholarship Program Announcement



Bat Conservation International is now accepting applications its 2011 BCI Student Research Scholarships. 15-20 grants of up to $5,000 each will be awarded for the 2011-12 academic year. Grants will be awarded for research that is directly related to bat conservation, with an emphasis on research that documents roosting and feeding habitat requirements of bats, their ecological and economic roles or their conservation needs. About 10 of these scholarships are supported by the U.S. Forest Service International Programs specifically for research conducted in developing countries.

Students enrolled in any college or university worldwide are eligible to apply for BCI scholarships. Applications are competitive and will be reviewed by bat scientists outside BCI.

The application deadline for 2011 scholarships is December 15, 2010. Information and the online application form are available at www.batcon.org/scholarships


divider leaf
AIBS Seeks Survey Participation

AIBS (American Institute of Biological Sciences) is requesting the participation of individual biologists in a short survey . The Professionals in Biology Survey contains 20 questions and should take less than 15 minutes to complete.  Once you begin, you will be able to save your answers and return.

The survey will close Friday, September 24.

The link to the open access survey is:
http://surveys.aibs.org/index.php?sid=85199〈=en



Social Networks