Students are responsible for designing, conducting and writing-up two independent research projects. Emphasis is placed on rigorously testing specific hypotheses in the field.
Students work closely with instructors during the first three days of the course.
During this initial period, students must also refine their own hypotheses. It is important to have identified several potential ecological problems to investigate prior to arriving at the research station. Instructors are available to discuss the feasibility of projects before the start of the field course. One of the projects must have a significant plant component. The remaining ten days of the course are spent in the field collecting data.