Name: Samantha Zwicker
Class Standing: Senior
Major: Environmental Studies
Minors: Restoration Ecology, Environmental Science and Resource Management
Capstone Internship: Research Intern for the Woodland Park Zoo and WDFW
Capstone Project: Planning for Recovery: The Biology, Conservation, and Restoration of the Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata)
The development of my Capstone experience involved the collaboration between members of the Woodland Park Zoo and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. I wanted to focus my internship and research on endangered species conservation, and the the opportunity arose to study western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata).
I compiled an extensive literature review describing western pond turtle life history, geographic range, population structure, breeding system, reproduction, habitat and nest-site selection, current threats, recovery planning, restoration techniques, and future implications. My Capstone presentation will include personal contributions to research, such as methods for improved restoration, management, and increased awareness, as well as ideas for future research.
Learn more about Samantha’s Capstone and other Capstone projects at PoE’s upcoming Capstone Symposium!
If you answered yes to these questions, you should consider enrolling in the premier environmental studies program in the Middle East. My name is Brian Hoefgen and I had an incredible experience at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (AIES)! AIES is located on Kibbutz Ketura in the Southern Arava Valley of Israel, just 30 miles north of the Red Sea.
Here is the general breakdown of the student population at AIES: One third of the students are from North America, Europe and other countries outside the Middle East, a third from Israel (Arabs and Jews), and a third from Jordan, Palestine and other Middle Eastern countries. With students from all over the world bringing a diverse range of opinions, customs and knowledge to AIES, there is much to learn from each other and professors alike. The campus is open to the desert environment and is surrounded by inspiring landscapes. Field trips are part of the curriculum, and PoE Capstone projects can be designed and conducted through an independent study course. For my PoE capstone project, I had an Arabic translator travel with me to Jordan to interview people about water.