Academic Update
Although the Southern Hemisphere winter has arrived here at The Center for Rainforest Studies with chilly nights, the days have continued to be sunny. Spirits among staff and students are high, health is good, and the programs have been running smoothly. Interactions between staff and students have been excellent, as has been the presentation of the course and the participation by students. Early last week we had to say farewell several students, who returned to America after completing the first summer session. It was a sad occasion for all of us because not only did these students excel academically but they also had fine personalities and were excellent ambassadors for their country. I am sure that they will take home many new experiences, much new knowledge, and countless memories.

The highlight of the last weeks of the first summer semester was a trip to the Daintree rainforests. Not only were students able to experience and study these highly diverse World Heritage rainforests, but we also spotted three cassowaries, the third largest birds that sometimes reach up to 80 inches in height. In addition, students were able to observe and learn about the fire-prone savannah vegetation of Australia, when we camped overnight at a settlement of the Congoo clan (a tribe of Australian native people).

After completing the assessment and grading of students’ academic performance in the first summer semester, we are now looking forward to the second summer semester. Currently we are working hard and preparing well for this semester to ensure that it will become an exceptional educational and social experience that will leave students with abundant knowledge, essential academic skills, and unforgettable memories.
- Dr. Gunnar Kappel, Tropical Forest Management


Student Reflection
Waking up in possibly the most biologically diverse region of the Australian continent is sometimes overwhelming. With highly exotic (and chatty) birds that act as your alarm clock in the morning, and the rush of eager students at the breakfast table awaiting a day’s adventure, it almost seems too good to be true. Lectures and training compose most of the morning, followed by hands-on fieldwork throughout the evening. Although rare, free time is often best spent hiking through the nearby jungles or journeying to the closest town to do some souvenir shopping.

The Center for Rainforest Studies is surrounded by pristine, lush rainforests, and acts as a gateway to the unique ecosystem that encompasses Northern Queensland. I got a first-hand view of the region’s diversity on a bushwalk less than a week into the program. While spotlighting at night, our group discovered a prehistoric looking lizard called Boyd’s Forest dragon, complete with dinosaur-like spines and eyes that spanned the majority of its head. After encountering other creatures such as pademelons and bandicoots, I made another stunning find. A juvenile small-eyed snake (yes the highly venomous variety) found itself burrowing under our laboratory to avoid the cold. Upon seeing that little beauty I felt as if my trip was complete, and my 24-hour plane ride was vindicated.

Although Australia may seem dangerous and inhospitable at times, there is one thing always keeping our program together: the staff. I cannot completely explain the helpfulness and generosity of the faculty, while simultaneously creating an atmosphere conducive to learning. In less than a week, The School for Field Studies has irreversibly changed me for the better.
- Mike Jaskot, Ohio State University

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