Progress 08/01/03 to 07/31/07
Outputs
The main goal proposed for this project was to promote the Undergraduate BS in ES our Campus and to advance the ES Profession. During the four year duratnion of the project 108 students received stipends either as a new student or internship. This assistance served students needs and made possible their participation in field trips and academic activities such as symposia and conferences, trips to forest reserves and wildlife refuges. The Internship assistance expand the student ability and options by covering related expenses such as transportation. We reached a high school audience both through the Annual Conference on Natural Resource Management as well as the lectures in schools throughout the duration of the project. Information through lectures and exhibitions in the annual conferences was very enlightening not only for our students but to professionals, government employees, teachers and students from other institutions. A fourth Conference will take place
November of this year about Management of Coastal Lagoons on the Island. A brochure and poster with information about the program and environmental scientist profession were designed and published, more than 2,000 brochures and 800 posters were distributed. We developed a working relation with school counselors and teachers. The program and project director participated in a regional effort to create an Association of Biologists and Environmental Scientist to promote the standardization and recognition of these professionals. To evaluate needs for retention in the ES Program we surveyed among students and graduates. We identified a demand for online courses. Two courses will be offered experimentally on-line: Environmental Health is currently being taught and Environmental Policy, Laws and Regulations will be offered next semester. We also are studying the viability of a BS in ES for Spanish speaking students as a distant learning option. During this project there was an increase of
20 percent in students. We expected a higher increase but realized this is a slow process where students graduated become our best promotion. During this project there was a significant increase in the number of graduates, 9 to 10 students graduated from the program in 2007 in comparison to 1 to 2 students per year before the project in 2002. In conclusion the project was successful in projecting the ES Program as a solid academic option in the region and increasing retention and increasing the number of graduates and partially successful in increasing the total number of students in the program. The academic program must be reinforced by increasing field work and research. A proposal was submitted last year to the CSREES to improve our environmental and natural resource management field work capability and experience, students experiential learning. Although it wasnt approved we will continue exploring other alternatives to achieve these goals.
PRODUCTS: The major products of this project were: Eighty one students received stipends to environmental Science program major students during the first and second year, twenty students on average per year at least for one semester. Twenty nine students received stipends to environmental science high level students doing their internships. Twenty four of them were 500.00 stipends and five 800.00. Twenty nine students participated in an Internship Program in government Agencies, Non-for profit NGOs and Industry. We celebrated four annual conferences about Natural Resource Management topics and issues. These conferences had a good assistance A program brochure listing courses, information about the program and a list of technical work possibilities in the environmental profession (prepared with the Partnership for Environmental Technology Defining Environmental Technology publication. A program Poster featuring pictures of technical work in the environmental profession Twenty five
visits to schools most of them offering workshops or lectures about the environmental profession or an environmental or natural resource management topic An Environmental Science Program Website (http://ponce.inter.edu/acad/cursos/ciencia/ca/MAIN.htm)
OUTCOMES: Program participants were students in the Environmental Science Program. A direct positive effect was the opportunity to participate in internships in several government agencies, natural refuges and forest reserves and the private companies and industries. This hands-on experience have been very positive for many students and resulted in some of them finding a job related to that experience. Another outcome was the experience of students participating in educational activities representing the Environmental Science Program as a condition for students receiving fellowships. Students also had the opportunity of participating in the organization and listeners in lectures and workshops at the Natural Resource Management Annual Symposia organize with grant funds. During the last year two students were offered jobs in their internship locations. The on-site supervisor evaluation of students doing internships has been over 90 percent. Sixty percent of our graduates are working in
environmental science, health and safety, science related positions or doing graduate studies.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: In the coordination of Internships we have formed partnerships with many private companies and public agencies: Department of Natural Resources: Caja de Muertos Wildlife Refuge, Guanica Forest Reserve, Toro Negro Forest Reserve, Terrestrial Ecology Program of the University of Puerto Rico NOAA: Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Municipality of Ponce DISUR- Southern Integrated Development Committee Conservation Trust (non-for profit non governmental) DEMACO Corporation Ecoelectrica Inc. Copper Vision- Ocular Science Checkpoint Caribbean LTD. Zimmer Inc. USSC Puerto Rico Inc. Tyco Healthcare Vasallo Industries Inc. Essilor Industries Cordis LLC- Johnson and Johnson
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Developed a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies for distance education Present a proposal for external funding to developed field work capability for the program Develop a student research program for mangrove restoration and metals in water phytoremediation Improve Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing Capacity
Impacts
The major impact of this project was to establish the Environmental Science Program at the Inter American University as a stable widely know academic opportunity in the southern area of Puerto Rico. This is partly a product of the exposition due to the Natural Resource Management Conferences, student internships in industry and government agencies and the distribution of brochures and posters with program information. We have identified a demand of on-line courses in environmental science. We have begun offering two courses and will be evaluating the possibility of designing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies to be as a Distant Education option with summer presence activities. At the same time we have identify areas where our program needs to be fortified. One of these is field work and research. We have submitted a proposal to fulfill this need. Our program has established as the main ES program in the southern region of Puerto Rico. Our students are well
qualified to work in the environmental field and understand the need and mechanisms to improve the quality of the environment by integrating into evaluation, planning and implementation working groups in different contexts government, industry, non-governmental.
Publications
- Colon Karen, 2005. Information pamphlet about Caja de Muerto Dry Forest Refuge in Ponce
- Rios, Angel, 2004. Environmental Science Program Promotional Brochure
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Progress 08/01/05 to 07/30/06
Outputs
A No-Cost extension was approved for this grant. During this year we evaluated and selected recipients of the HSI stipends. Thirty Environmental Science students qualified to received stipends. Seventeen received 750.00, ten received 375.00 and two students received internship stipends of 500.00 for a total of $17,875.00 dollars in student aid funded by this Grant. To continue our education efforts 7 lectures were offered by the PI or students in high or primary schools in our area. Presented students results of scientific research in lectures coordinated by the PI in our campus included: Puerto Rico endemic birds by Dr. Adrianne Tossas, Analysis of twenty years of Environmental NGO's by Professor Herminia Zayas, Role of Epiphytes in the nutrient cycling of the Venezuelan Andes cloud forest by Dr. Robin Walker, Shade Coffee Growing: nitrogen symbiotic fixation and its effect on biodiversity by Dr. Eduardo Schroder. All these are out of the campus researchers invited
to offer lectures to expose our students to some environmental research being done in other universities of the island. Exposed students receiving stipends to scientific research: Rafael Galarza (Lead and Cadmium phytoremmediation potential by two aquatic plants), Nydia Gonzalez (Description of perception of impact on health and quality of life of serpentine quarrying activities in San German) Exposed students to scholarly work through participation in Symposia (Sea Grant First applied Research Symposium in the Mayaguez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico) and Annual Symposium of Island Ecology in the Metropolitan Campus of the Inter American University. Exposed students to Field work: Caja de Muertos Dry Forest Reserve, El Verde Rain and Cloud Forest, Las Salinas hyper saline coastal lagoon, Cabo Rojo Salt Flats, Guanica Dry Forest and Cartagena Eutrophic lagoon. As part of our environmental education and outreach efforts we offered a lecture in the Ponce Chamber of Commerce
Primary School Recycling competition Inauguration Activity. Recruitment efforts resulted in an increase in applications to the program. The number of students in the Environmental Science Program has increased 15 percent during the last three years. There have also been an increase in graduates from 10 students in the project three previous years to 20 students during the last three years.
PRODUCTS: Student stipends to 30 students as incentive to new students and for internships. An annual conference about Natural Resources Conservation and Management with participation by the EPA Caribbean Office Director Dr. Carl Soderberg. Eight educational activities with high or primary school students. An 15 percent increase in student registration and 100 percent increase in graduates. Exposition of students to scientific research, symposia and field work. Natural Resource Management Technologies Posters were prepared by fellow students. They covered topics such as Potential use of transgenics in conservation, Coral restoration, Hydroponics, Vegetative Barriers for Noise and Wind control, Erosion Control Techniques, Mangrove Forest Restoration etc. In total there were fourteen posters and these were exposed during the Natural Resource Conservation and management Annual Conference. New proposal for external funds was prepared by the Project Director. It was submitted to the HSI,
USDA. A poster and brochure prepared by two student interns finance by these proposal were presented and exhibited in our Campus Center for Information Access (Library) together with an exhibition of photographs by two Program Students taken during a project promoted field trip. The poster and brochure presented information about the Caja de Muertos Wildlife Refuge and the sea turtle nesting project there. We also coordinated endangered and exotic species exhibition by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Information table by the Environmental Quality Board and a lecture by the Refuge Management Officer.
OUTCOMES: During this year six students finished their Bachelor in Environmental Science Degree. Eighteen students were admitted to the program. Last year nine students graduated from the program. Because the number of students have stabilized we have been able to offer the students the courses required by the curriculum. Ten students have applied to the internship fellowship for the 2006-2007 academic year. An important outcome is that, since it is a condition for the stipends provided through this Grant, we have stressed the need to follow the program requirements as they appear in the sequential thus facilitating course planning and having enough registration to make it viable offering the course. We had an 80 percent retention rate. Participation in extracurricular activities have improved and we have establish collaborative links with government agencies such as the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and their Natural Reserves (Caja de Muerto, Guanica and Jobos
Bay), and the Ponce Municipality Land Use Planning Office Education, awareness of the college community about environmental issues such as solid waste disposal issues, recycling, global environmental problems (ozone depletion, global warming and water quality). Brochure about global environmental issues distributed during the United Nations organization annual festival. Recycling awareness and participation evaluation among faculty on campus. Published and distributed a Recycling brochure.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: We continue our dissemination of information about the Program and Profession of Environmental Sciences and this project though the distribution of more than 500 brochures directly to high school students in the geographical area we serve. We have also visit 7 schools and offered orientations at various activities such as the Ponce Chamber of Commerce Annual Recycling Competition Kick off Activity. We also did two Radio Interviews and coordinated two newspaper articles covering our activities.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: We are in the process of applying to new external fund sources to increase research and field work activities in the Environmental Science courses. We planned on developing and Environmental Studies Bachelor to be offered in the distance education modality.
Impacts
Exposure that allows the program to transform into a recognized alternative for environmental training in the area. Collaborative links with government agencies, industries, professional organizations and other entities that help us exposed our students to research, management activities and in general application of theoretical concepts in government and industry. This exposure and recognition helps to increase our students employability. We are in the process of developing a questionnaire of employability of our graduates. We know that at least 5 of our 6 graduates last summer are either working in the professional field or doing graduate studies. This funding provides the Project director time to coordinate academic activities, serve as Student Organization advisor, establishing collaborations and search for Our major impact is that we are producing well trained professional serve in the pollution control and natural resource management fields. We are doing this
developing in these students an awareness of the need to work with communities to protect health and quality of life as well as productivity. The long term impact will be a better environmental quality, adequate resource use and conservation and improved life quality in our area.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 08/01/04 to 07/30/05
Outputs
During this past year we funded first and second year students, students in interships, celebrated the Second Annual Conference about Natural Resources. Our efforts included visits to schools, contacts with high school counselors, study visits to natural reserves, and internship coordination. We also work in curriculum revision and develop a proposal with that objective. On April 27 we celebrated the Second Annual Natural Resources Conference. Main topic was Ecological Restoration: Land, Forest and Corals. We had three main topics: Soil conservation, Tropical Forest Ecology and Corals Conservation and Ecology. One hundred eighty two persons signed the registry list including: 123 college students, ten professors, and 49 visitors. During this year we have develop a series of educational extracurricular activities with the program students mostly though the Student Association, Environmental Science Student Association. Caja de Muertos Reserve- students assessed general
health and planed future initiatives for the description and restoration Toro Negro Reserve- to study a sample of humid forests in the Center of the Island the Maricao Reserve and the fish hatchery- bird observation and identification in this humid tropical forest reserve. Visited fish hatchery Recycling education Activity- The objective was to motivate faculty to participate and disseminate among their students information about the Paper recycling project in Campus. Bird watching and inventories workshop- to train students in bird population assessments. Covered the theoretical basics of bird watching and documentation and practice bird observation and identification in the field. Guanica Dry Forest and Laguna Cartagena Reserves in the Southwestern Lajas Valley- Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve to study and analyze the management problems of this Reserve that serves as habitat to at least five endangered species including the Caribbean manatee. Dissemination of Program
information at the New students First Orientation Scientec- Science and Math Upward Bound Annual Conference. The project director offered a lecture about Environmental Technology and the Environmental Science Program We visited and offered lectures at five high schools reaching 480 students with information posters and brochures. Educational and Promotional materials (brochures and posters) were distributed by mail to 12 schools from the region we serve. During academic year 2004-2005 thirteen students received an stipend of 750.00, 10 students received 350.00 and six students were awarded an internship stipend of 500.00. That is a total of 16,500 dollars in student aid that was awarded to 29 students Six students received internship stipends. This financial aid help these students develop their internship in different institutions and forest reserves.
PRODUCTS: An annual conference about Natural Resources Conservation and Management. One hundred eighty two persons signed the registry list. We celebrated seven educational activities (field trips and workshops) with the program students mostly though the Student Association, Environmental Science Student Association. We coordinated several field and study trips for students in the project. These exposed students to different ecosystems, process, methodologies and tools. These were: Caja de Muertos Reserve (Dry forest and Coral Reef), Toro Negro Reserve (humid forest), the Maricao Reserve and the fish hatchery (wet forest, bird identification on the field workshop Guanica Dry Forest and Laguna Cartagena Reserves in the Southwestern Lajas Valley, and the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve to study and analyze the management problems. Other activities: Recycling education Activity- A brochure was prepared and distributed to motivate faculty and students to participate in the
Paper recycling project in Campus. Bird watching and inventories workshop to train students in bird population assessments. We offered information and brochures at the new students First Orientation Scientec- Science and Math Upward Bound Annual Conference. The project director offered a lecture about Environmental Technology and the Environmental Science Program Escuela Superior de Guanica- Professions and college day, poster and brochure distribution Escuela Vocacional de Ponce- Poster and brochure distribution Escuela Vocacional de Coamo- Poster and brochure distribution Instituto Tecnologico de Ponce- Poster and brochure distribution Educational and Promotional materials (brochures and posters) were distributed by mail to 12 schools from the region we serve. STIPENDS During academic year 2004-2005 twenty nine students receive stipends. USDA stipend assisted six students to participate in external non-paid internships. These are: Elvin Ramos and Karen Colon research and inventories
in the Caja de Muertos Island Dry Forest Reserve off the coast in Ponce. These worked in the Sea turtle conservation project. Mr. Fernando Collazo worked in the Toa Vaca Lake Reforestation Project. In this project Fernando worked in propagation, planting design, species identification, and supervising and documenting mitigation projects being done in the area. The student also develop the first bird inventory for that reserve. Ms. Glorivee Malave work in the DNER Regional Office. There Glorivee assisted the technical staff in their three cutting and land cover removal permit processing, energy conservation educational activities and regulatory violations investigations in the field. Mr. Manuel Rivera did his internship in the NOAAs Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve located in the southern coastal towns of Salinas and Guayama. The DNER manages this area at Jobos Bay which is one few coastal reserves in Puerto Rico. Manuel worked as a Research Assistant in the water quality
monitoring and analysis. Ms. Lizmar Silvestrini worked in the El Verde Experimental Station. Lizmar did research on biofilm organic matter transformation and its effect in the river fauna.
OUTCOMES: During this year eight students finish their Bachelor in Environmental Science Degree. Last year nine students graduated from the program. These two years we observe an increase from 3 students graduated in previous years. Seven of the eight students that finished their degree, received internship grants. As a condition to continue receiving financial support students are progressing in their curricula. We had an 80 percent retention rate. Participation in extracurricular activities have improved and we have establish collaborative links with goverment agencies such as the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources in three of their Natural Reserves (Caja de Muerto, Guanica and Jobos Bay), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, and the University of Puerto Rico and the Forest Service in El Verde Experimental Station, DNER in the Toa Vaca Reforestation Project, DNER Regional Office in Ponce and the Ponce Municipality Land Use Planning Office
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: We have been able to continue our dissemination of information about the Program of Environmental Sciences and this project though the distribution of more than 1,000 brochures directly to high school students in the geographical area we serve. We have also visit 5 schools and offered orientations at various activities such as the Upward Bound Science and Technology Annual Conference.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: We are in the process of reviewing our curriculum to make it more adequate to todays competitive employment opportunities To increase the field work and research opportunities offered to our students. This year we expect to present a new proposal to improve our field work capability.
Impacts
Exposure that allows the program to transform into a recognized alternative for environmental training in the area. This exposure is helping us establish collaborative links with government agencies, industries, professional organizations and other entities. This exposure and recognition seems to be helping to increase our students employability. During this next year we will be working in an evaluation of the program to accurately describe this. The permanence of this academic program depends on the establishment of the foundations for external funding and collaborative arrangements that allow us to offer the student a rounded professional experience. The time dedicated by the project director and participating students to this objective will be crucial to the academic program success. Educational tendencies determines the need to transform our program to a more student active program through field studies and research. The Project Director is identifying funding
sources and working on a proposal for this. A major impact is that we are producing well trained professional that will elevate the environmental awareness of the working and community environ in which they develop. The long term impact is better environmental quality, adequate resource use and conservation and improved life quality in our area.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 08/01/03 to 07/31/04
Outputs
During this first year 9 new students received 750.00 annual stipends and another 9 students received the 500.00 internship stipends. In part as a result of this financial aid nine students finished graduated with the Bachelor Degree in Environmental Science (3 students graduated in the previous year). An annual Conference in Natural Resource Management was held on April 21 2004. This year conference topic was Conservation Tools. One hundred seventy persons, among university-high school students and faculty, and general public including government agencies personnel participated in this conference. We had four panelist including the Director of the National Estuarine Reserve in Jobos talking about Management Plans, a sea grant program researcher talking about shoreline problems and protection, a USGS geologist talking about ground water status and problems in Puerto Rico and a community leader together with Natural Resource Department biologist talking about
Co-management of resources. In this conference we also had government agencies such as NOAA, Land Use Planning Office, Natural Resource Department Endangered Species, Energy conservation and Reforestation projects, and Community organizations exhibitions. Information and educational materials including NOAA's video about Coral Conservation was distributed to high school faculty. Trees were also distributed to participants by the Natural Resource Department. A lecture about Ecological and Peaceful use of Resources was presented to the Natural Resources Conservation Course Students funded by the program. A Program presentation about the Environmental field, the profession and the ES Program in Power point was prepared by the PD. Lectures about the Environmental Science Field and profession were offered by the PD in five public high schools, Penuelas, Guayanilla, Yauco, Yauco Vocacional y Guanica. A poster was designed and printed with proposal funds. About three hundred has been
distributed to high schools, counseling offices and faculty. A program information brochure was developed and printed. So far approximately 1,500 copies have been distributed to high schools in visits to counseling offices and through the mail. The poster and brochures were designed to serve not only as a program promotional tool but to educate about what are the extent of the Environmental Scientist Profession
PRODUCTS: A Profession awareness and Program Poster was designed and printed (1000 copies in full color 11 x 17) A Program Brochure was created and so far we have print 1,600 color copies. The First Conference on Natural Resource Conservation was held in our Campus in April 2004. A lecture about Ecological and Peaceful Use of Resources was offer in May 2004. Nine students received 500 dollars internships stipends. Nine new students in the Environmental Science Bachelor Program also received 750.00 dollars stipends.
OUTCOMES: The internship stipend had an impact in students completing their degree. This experience have offer students the opportunity to be in real occupational scenarios in government agencies and/or environmental related companies. We had nine students that finished their bachelors an increase from previous years. There has been a small increase in student applications to the ES Program for the 2004-2005 academic year. Increasing number of students in our program make it feasible to maintain it as a viable offer with all the positive impacts that having professionals better prepared in environmental science and technology has in our society. These professionals will participate in future conservation, restoration, waste and pollution control and planning efforts and will have the knowledge and skills necessary to do it effectively. The students that have been in lectures are better informed of what is the Environmental Scientist Profession and how it can help protect health and
quality of life. The students and general public that participated in the Annual conference had a forum where conservation ideas, needs, mechanisms and efforts were discussed by experts. Educational materials were distributed and exposed.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: A newspaper article was published in a local newspaper about the program, this grant project and the stipends being offered. A poster and brochure were created, printed and distributed mainly to high schools counseling offices and students. A professional has been hired to developed a homepage that will be posted with information about the Program and the Profession. Information about the conference, the program and the student financial aid has been published in Eco-Isla, a environmentalist electronic mail list.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: We expect to increase the number of students in the Environmental Science Program Develop a graduate program in Environmental Science Work on other external funding to improve lab and field work capability Work colaboratively with the Ponce Municipality in the Laguna Las Salinas Conservation Efforts and other projects
Impacts
We expect that the long term impact is that the Environmental Science Program at the Inter American University, Ponce Campus will be recognized as a good science education alternative in the geographical area we serve and students applications will increase to guaranty the programs permanency. Increasing the number of students will justify developing other projects such as: a. increasing our field work capability b. developing research projects c. developing a teachers certificate program d. constructing a greenhouse e. hire a lab technician
Publications
- Environmental Science Brochure,2003
- Article in the local paper "La Perla", 2004
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