Neotropical Biology and Global Change
Research & Courses
Recent research efforts have focused on mammal behavior, biodiversity monitoring, and anthropogenic conservation threats in protected regions of Panama
Neotropical Biology and Global Change - 10 weeks
University-level introduction the geophysical factors contributing to the origins and development of Biological diversity in the Tropical Americas; Prerequisites: cell biology, environmental/earth science, physically able to hike 10km/day with weight. Activities include: fieldwork in aquatic, rainforest, and marine habitats; microbiological environmental sampling techniques and experimental design; bioremediation with microbes, day and night hikes
​
Topics include:
- Habitat Differentiation in Neotropical regions
​- Global Change
- Basic taxonomy and identification of biodiversity
- Environmental Ethics
- Animal Behavior/human behavior
- Soil and Nutrient Cycles
- Resource Consumption and Management
- Global Solutions and movements in resilience
​
Primary location: Tres Brazos Valley, Panama; secondary locations: Mamoni, Lake Gatun, Portobello
​
​
Energy and the Earth System - 10 weeks
University-level course covering energy and systems dynamics from the cell to the Earth System; heavy focus on petroleum industry, geopolitics of oil, and break-through applications in renewable energy; features 2 day intensive "Energy Transition" lectures by Dr. Pedro Van Meurs
​
Topics include:
​
Basic microbial metabolism
Bioremediation and microbes
Biofuels laboratory: biodiesel production; ethanol production
Biofuel history
Biofuel and your vehicle
Renewable Energy Developments
Nuclear Energy
Energy Storage
Hydrogen and E-fuels
Carbon Capture and Storage
Climate Change
Transformation of the Petroleum Industry
Energy Transition
Policies
Fiscal Systems
Petroleum Energy Arrangements
​
​
