You know the world is a small place when you can make a connection between the tropical rainforests of Panama and the dunes of the Central Coast, between the Panamanian golden frog and the California red-legged frog.
How the two places relate is what Nipomo student Joshua Sanchez had the opportunity to discover recently. He worked with Smithsonian researchers on a 10-day trip to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute as part of the Smithsonian’s Eco-Explorer program.
Sanchez, 17, traveled to Panama as part of a partnership between the Dunes Center and the Smithsonian, designed to introduce science and wildlife conservation to students who might not otherwise be exposed to the subject.
The Dunes Center sponsored Sanchez, who participated in the project led by Mario Castellanos, executive director of the Dunes Center and associate researcher for the Smithsonian.
For Sanchez, it was a trip of a lifetime.
“Having this opportunity come around, it was like, ‘Wow, I have to do this,’” he said.
The program Sanchez participated in has two parts: the trip itself and a learning component at home.
“We want the students to get excited about wildlife conservation,” Castellanos said. “The trip is just the carrot.”
The Dunes Center will mentor Sanchez as he continues his research locally and works with the public to disseminate his message. His local efforts will be built upon the skills and knowledge he acquired during his time in Panama.
Sanchez had plenty of one-of-a-kind moments on the trip, from spotting poison dart frogs, sloths, and spider monkeys in Panama’s tropical rainforest to interacting with Smithsonian researchers and participating in cutting edge research on the global amphibian crisis. Sanchez also got to learn how tropical ecosystems relate to local dune ecosystems.
The students traveled by boat every morning to the institute, where they took part in their own research.
“We talked to some of the scientists there, and it was really great to see some of the projects they were working on,” Sanchez said.
The students were also able to share their own research. While they were there, they had to give a presentation. Sanchez spoke about the warning colors of frogs. But his research didn’t stop there. He’ll discover how the amphibian research he was a part of in Panama relates to local amphibian populations, such as the red-legged frog. Through his research, he hopes to identify why the red-legged frog population is decreasing.
“The point is to hopefully preserve their habitat,” he said.
Sanchez also plans to present his research locally in the hopes of educating the public.
“The talks are going to be the hard part,” Castellanos said. “He has to give public talks, but he also has to get them to take action.”
The experience has given Sanchez, a Nipomo High School graduate, some perspective on his own plans. He said that he’ll attend Cuesta College in the fall.
“Before the trip, I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” he explained. “Now I know I want to do something in biology or environmental science.”
The trip and subsequent mentorship came about in part because of Castellanos’ affiliation with the Smithsonian. He’s tasked with establishing and maintaining outreach programs and acting as a Smithsonian liaison to community organizations.
His experience alone is enough to inspire a student. As a team member of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Conservation Directorate, Castellanos has created professional training modules for educators of all levels. He’s participated in outreach programs to the Peruvian Amazon. And he’s worked as a science content consultant on Nick Jr.’s Go, Diego, Go, the PBS show Postcards from Buster, and Discovery Network Web content.
Castellanos said that he hopes to offer the opportunity to another student next year, but he stressed that it’s more than a chance to have a good time and see some interesting sights. The experience is also meant to foster the leadership skills and drive that a student already possesses—especially in the mentoring program, through which students are encouraged to choose a research project that not only helps educate the public but that also inspires the next generation of students to think about wildlife conservation.
The Dunes Center, once again in partnership with the Smithsonian, will also offer a mentorship program in preparation for the Future Stars in Science program. Three students, two of whom are already participating in a summer program at the Dunes Center, will have the opportunity to spend two weeks participating in Smithsonian museum programs in Washington, D.C., and the Smithsonian’s Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Va.
Contact Arts Editor Shelly Cone at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 7-14, 2008.