This summer, 15 SUNY Oswego students traveled to Tanzania for the “Biodiversity and Conservation” study-abroad course led by biological sciences faculty members Susan Hammerly and Karen Sime, learning about the complex topic of conserving species while also partaking in an exciting adventure.
Hammerly said the learning objectives for the class include knowledge of flora and fauna in Tanzania; understanding issues and conflicts that present challenges to conservation anywhere, but particularly in Africa; appreciation of the diversity of human cultures and experiences; and grasping the complicated and interconnected nature of issues involving the preservation of species.
Tanzania is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, and immersing students in the environment and getting them out of their comfort zone is important, Sime noted. She added it’s not necessarily easy work, and can take a lot of patience, but the rewards are worth it.
“I love introducing students to new experiences,” Sime said. “I love their excitement when they first spot a lion, elephant or giraffe in the wild. I've done the trip five times now and it's still a great thrill to share this moment with them.”
Hammerly agreed that these first-time sightings are wonderful, as are the connections students make.
“Getting to know them and learn firsthand from them while in the field (we travel with two professors from Mweka) is one of the things that makes this trip outstanding and unique,” Hammerly said. “Their past students (of the other professors) are the experts we meet in the field and it really personalizes the trip. I love sharing the excitement of experiencing new things with the students – new landscapes, foods, cultures, and of course the biodiversity…especially the birds.”
“I learned more about culture, food and ways of life that would never have impacted me the same way if taught in a classroom,” said Isabella Avramov, one of the students who took the class, which traveled from May 16 to June 1.
“Getting to speak with professors at Mweka and rangers who are spending weeks at a time away from their families to protect endangered species” far surpassed what can be learned in a classroom, Avramov said. “Being able to experience it all first-hand, was exciting, humbling and an overall thoughtful experience that required me to think differently than in a traditional classroom setting.”
Sarah McCauliffe, another participating student, agreed that the immersive experience made learning more natural and fulfilling.
“I had a much easier time focusing while we were in the field or in the classrooms at Mweka than I would have if we were back at Oswego,” McCauliffe said. “We learned about the tribes and groups that lived in Northern Tanzania. We even got to see some of their bomas [enclosures] and got a tour inside one of them and in their huts. It was incredible. We also had a ranger explain to us how to ID a rhino, which was awesome. He also explained how the rangers protected the rhinos.”
Another student on the trip, Madison Getwright, said this introduced the ways scientists and conservationists do their work in ways beyond what one can find in a classroom.
“With this experience, we were camping and in the field for a good majority of the trip,” Getwright said. “I think this trip gave a good look into the fieldwork that biologists and zoologists do, especially in areas with diverse wildlife. This trip taught me how to work with the locals of the areas we were in as well. Learning from the experience they have in their fields was something I definitely could not have picked up in a classroom.“
Learning adventure
This kind of learning opportunity had fun moments but was far from a typical tourist experience.
“Unlike a tourist safari, our trip puts students behind the scenes, in a sense,” Sime said. “We work with local professors, students and conservation professionals, and get to know them and what their lives and jobs are like. As a result, the students take away a deep knowledge of how conservation works in Tanzania.”
“During their time in Tanzania, students learn about human-wildlife conflicts and see the real challenges of protecting biodiversity,” Hammerly noted.
Among these lessons and living in different ways, the students found much to cherish.
“My favorite part of the experience was definitely the camping,” McAuliffe said. “I love being outdoors, so I had a blast tenting. It was incredible. You could hear the hyenas whooping and the buffalo stomping around your tents. It was life-changing. I’ll never forget it, I think it has really ignited a spark for traveling for me.”
“My favorite part of the trip would have to have been going into the Ngorongoro Crater,” Getwright said. “While in the crater, we got to go into the ranger-restricted area that the rhinos are in. We got to meet with the rangers tasked specifically with protecting and monitoring the rhinos. We learned about the ways they identify the rhinos and the ways they protect and monitor them.”
“There were so many great moments where I was left in awe,” Avramov said. “One that sticks out to me in particular, however, was watching a herd of around 40 elephants pass by our camp one morning. It was a surreal experience to be able to eat my breakfast and watch them move through camp and for as large as they are, they don't make much sound as they walk through the bush …. to be able to stand so close while they were in their natural environment was a privilege and an unforgettable moment for me as a person and as a biologist.”
Getwright said that the trip was a reminder that studying abroad is an opportunity where students can do so much.
“I found it so rewarding and I think that it was an experience that will help in my future profession,” Getwright said. “By studying abroad, students can get more experience and knowledge in the fields they are going to school for and can expand their knowledge in a way that a classroom setting on its own won’t be able to provide.”
McCauliffe had “no regrets at all,” despite being nervous before going and knowing that the trip was going to be an investment of time and money.
“It was so totally worth it,” McCauliffe said. “I’ve been saving up this summer so that I have enough to go on the marine biology Honduras trip after I graduate this coming spring. So I definitely think that the Tanzania trip has awoken some sort of want to explore, more and I couldn’t be happier about it.”
Avramov’s advice to students is to take advantage of opportunities whenever possible.
“I would just say that if the opportunity to do something big and unique arrives, then do it!” Avramov said. “If you are feeling anxious about it, it means you should go all the more. That was the lesson I took away from this trip the most.”
And for even the faculty members, every trip is something different and exciting.
“I'm very much still learning alongside the students,” Sime said.
“Traveling is always an adventure!” Hammerly said. “Each trip is different and there is always more to learn and experience.”
For more information on study abroad opportunities, visit the Office of International Education and Programs’ Education Abroad website.