Academic Update
The weather has been getting fairly hot recently, but the seas have been calm and at times the water is exceptionally clear. You can almost identify the fishes swimming around from the boat. Hopefully, this weather will last for the rest of the semester and help with the Directed Research projects. At the moment, the students are busy finishing off assignments and studying for their final exams next week, but after that, the Directed Research fieldwork begins. This is an intensive immersion into data collection in the field with projects on invasive lionfish, lobster nursery habitat, reef fishes and their habitats, dock landings of finfish and analyses of South Caicos livelihoods. A lot of these projects involve data collection underwater, but others involve gaining the cooperation of the local community for interviews and gaining the trust of fishermen who kindly let us look at the fish they have caught. The Directed Research projects give students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in class and they are a great experience for students and staff. Many students state that this field time is one of the top memories they have from their time on South Caicos. I have been running projects for almost five years and I still can’t wait.
-Dr. John Claydon, Center Director

Student Reflections
The saddest part about writing this update is the fact that it symbolizes that more than half of our time here in the TCI is up. It seems like just yesterday we were jumping off the dock for our first sea-bath. Regardless, we’ve done so much since being here, and countless adventures still await us! We are just about to finish up classes, which means that we will be getting started on our Directed Research projects. I will be involved in a project examining the topology of coral reefs and observing any correlations with fish populations, which will hopefully have results that would positively influence future conservation projects.

Outside of academics, we keep ourselves busy between day trips to beaches all over the island, swims to neighboring cays, and consuming as many bagels as humanly possible. I just completed my Advanced Diver Certification, which means I can dive deep, night dive, properly navigate, and fun things like that. We get to go on a bunch of dives this next week so I’m super pumped!

Last week we were all on spring break. Most of the students went to Provo for amenities such as hot showers and washing machines, but seven of us decided to go camping on North and Middle Caicos. It was SO beautiful, and being the dirtiest I have ever been in my lifetime was made up for by the spectacular views. These islands had such a different feel to them, both socially and the physical environment. Conch Bar on Middle Caicos should definitely be on your list of places to see in your lifetime. It’s good to be back at the Center on South, though, and I’m excited to see where the rest of the program leads me!
-Dana August, Fairfield University

This week we wrapped up our papers and assignments but also got the chance to remember how everything that we are working towards has global significance. We returned to the Center on Monday after having spring break that involved camping adventures, time with loved ones, and a lot more sun. The week was then spent writing papers, preparing group presentations, and exploring Coast Guard beach (located on the northern tip of the island). Saturday site clean-up and community engagement went off without a hitch and by Saturday night we had all checked a presentation and paper off of our final check-lists.

Saturday Elisa told us all about an international “Earth Hour” that was going to take place from 8:30-9:30 that night. Earth hour was started in 2007 when millions of homes and businesses in Australia took a stand against climate change by turning off their lights for one hour. The next year Earth Hour became a global movement and March 27^th, 2010 signified the fourth annual earth hour. At 8:30 on Saturday night we turned off all of the lights and electronics in the Center and gathered next to the bell. Some students and staff laid out candles in the shape of a 60 to symbolize the one hour of darkness. Earth Hour isn’t just about turning off our lights for one hour a year; it’s about awareness and striving to reduce our carbon footprint during the other 364 days a year as well. (For more information visit http://www.earthhour.org)
-Ashley Arayas, Dickinson College

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