OVERVIEW THE UMEB PROGRAM: A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR FIU STUDENTS What are the goals of the program? - The short-term goal is to train upper-division undergraduate students in the subject of "Environmental Biology and Evolution of the Caribbean Basin." The intermediate goal is to encourage these students to develop their careers in the fields of environmental biology research, education, or management. The long-term goal is that these FIU alumni will make a difference for the people and the fragile environments of the Caribbean Basin, including South Florida. What is the structure of the program? - To achieve these three goals we have developed an interdisciplinary mentoring, research and teaching program on the environmental biology of the Caribbean Basin. FIU faculty from the Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Earth Sciences, Department of Environmental Studies, and the Southeast Environmental Research Center, together with educators from the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FTBG), will serve as mentors for the students. The program was funded for four years beginning with the fall 2001 semester. It has involved a total of 30 students, 22 of whom finished the program; 16 regular FIU faculty, and an FTBG education coordinator. return to main menu

BOCAS DEL TORO RESEARCH STATION: BEACH VIEW UMEB STUDENTS TOOK A FIELD COURSE ON CARIBBEAN ECOSYSTEMS