Academic News

The past two weeks have seen the completion of Case Study I, including four course examinations.  The focus of Case Study I was to develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of resource management, fisheries biology, stock assessment and integrated approaches to coastal management, with special emphasis on small island states such as the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).  Specifically, Case Study I was aimed at assessing the current status of marine resources important to the ecological and socioeconomic well-being of the TCI.  The TCI economy is highly dependant on natural resources, both from a tourism and fisheries perspective.  Thus, during the Case Study our students were provided with a local perspective on how marine resources are managed and the difficulties managers face when trying to balance resource conservation with extraction.  The Case Study drew upon perspectives from marine ecology, environmental policy and resource management to frame local environmental problems and focus our directed research efforts.  The Case Study was supported by a total of nine guest speakers who delivered a total of 11 lectures as part of the new British West Indies Culture and Society course.  Dave Wilson, Ph.D, Center Director

Student News

With break just around the corner and Tropical Storm Alpha gone the students have been busy finishing up Case Study I.  However, exams and papers have not stopped the activities down here in South Caicos.  Our Wednesday mornings at the Primary School continue to be a success.  The four students working in the K1, K2 and first grades are now teaching the weekly letter.  In other classes, storytelling and math workbooks keep everyone's minds working hard.  The principal has asked us to assist building a new playground for the school.  As soon as the foundation is in, SFS staff and students will be hard at work on that new project.  We continue our visits to the Disabled Center on Saturdays and are also visiting the elderly residents that live at the Wellness Center, an assisted living house.  We had a guest lecture this past week on traditional basket weaving of the Turks and Caicos Islands.  The students enjoyed her talk and demonstration so much that we are starting weaving classes after the break.  Carrie Simon, Student Affairs Manager

Student Reflections

The light at the end of the tunnel has arrived: We are done with our mid- term exams and we leave for our mini-vacation tomorrow.  Some students are traveling to Provo, others are going to the Dominican Republic. Either place should be filled with fun and relaxation.  We definitely need some relaxation because the exam period was most stressful.  The usual studying, coffee and Q&A sessions occurred, but with intensity I've never seen before.  There were many different study groups each with their own style as everyone frantically tried to learn the exam material.  Now that it has passed, we all are looking forward to some fun in the sun with our new friends.  Elizabeth Parillo, Connecticut College

Starting our Directed Research projects has been a nice break from the classroom routine.  My project deals with diver and snorkeler impacts on coral reefs. I get to go snorkeling twice a day which allows me to see nurse sharks, sting rays and of course beautiful fish!  I also look forward to every Wednesday morning when I spend time at the local elementary school tutoring second graders.  All in all, the combination of an amazing environment and friendly South Caicos community has made my semester quite the adventure so far!  Rachael Loucks, Michigan State University

Well, we're officially halfway done with our time here.  It is strange to think about, as it seems we both just arrived yesterday and that we've been here forever.  Quite a few exciting things have been going on here lately.  The most exciting of all, of course, is all the exams and papers we just had due.  Thankfully most of them are done, but there was one week in there where I don't think many people got their usual amount of sleep.  We have also finally started our Directed Research project, which is a lot of fun.  My group is studying the salinas in the middle of the island.  The salinas are large salt ponds that were used for evaporating salt when the main industry on South Caicos was salt production.  The salinas group has by far the most fun and dangerous job of all the Directed Research groups.  While catching and measuring sharks may sound like the riskiest venture here, we wrestle with mosquitoes and measure dangerous juvenile fish while trying to avoid being fried like a chicken by the sun.  We are also the only group that gets to walk three miles to the site we work at.  It's an exciting and risky venture.  Aside from the fish, the salinas are home to an extensive collection of birds, including flamingos, egrets and the largest amount of herons I've ever seen in one place.  It is by far my favorite part of the island, which is probably why I chose working with it for my project, even though I don't get to play in the ocean every day.  Mary Meier, University of Wisconsin- Madison

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