California Ecology and Conservation is an intensive field program which transforms students into scientists. The course is specifically tailored for students contemplating a career in ecology, conservation biology, or a related field. This fall will mark our 23rd run. Since its inception in 2015, over 500 undergraduates from across the UC system have participated. Check out this video to get a glimpse of what students are calling the most rewarding experience in their undergraduate careers. We have been running the program successfully for the last year with comprehensive Covid protocols in place.
For 50 days, 27 undergraduates from across the UC system participate in hands-on learning, gaining a familiarity with some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes the state has to offer. Students complete a series of independent research studies while learning to notice natural patterns, frame questions into feasible research projects, and practice standard field techniques. At the conclusion of each project, students analyze their data and present their findings in oral presentations and written reports. All the while, students grow as leaders, teammates, and members of a diverse and enthusiastic community of scholars.
More information is available on the course website; applications for the Fall 2022 offering are due on April 25, 2022. Applications can be found here.