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October 18, 2012

海角社区 professor teaches turtle class in Spanish鈥攊n Cali, Colombia

University of Louisiana at Monroe biology professor Dr. John Carr helped teach a 10-day course on turtle biology at the Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8. He taught the course in Spanish.

Of this unique experience, he said, 鈥淭his service to the wider conservation community helps build the capacity of young biologists to engage in turtle ecology and conservation research,鈥� said Carr. 

鈥淚n helping teach the class, I was able to work closely with Colombian colleagues, all of whom are extremely capable and passionate about their work.  I鈥檝e always found it challenging, yet stimulating and rewarding to work with students while immersed in another culture and language." 

These kinds of teaching abroad experiences benefit Carr's students when he returns to his 海角社区 classroom.

"I want these professionally enriching experiences to translate into benefits for my own students who operate in an increasingly diverse and interdependent world.  As I learn through interacting with Colombian students and colleagues, that knowledge will carry over into my own teaching, whether it is turtle biology or human anatomy.鈥�

Carr serves as a research associate with the Animal Ecology Research Group in the Department of Biology at the Universidad del Valle.

The course, 鈥淣atural History and Conservation of Terrestrial and Freshwater Turtles of Colombia鈥� was offered by the Universidad del Valle Extension Office.

Lectures and labs were divided among six instructors and conducted at the Cali Zoo, and on the Universidad del Valle campus over six days.

Three subsequent days were devoted to field work on an island just off the Pacific coast west of Buenaventura.

There, researchers were able to demonstrate a variety of techniques used in turtle ecology, and those techniques relevant to the conservation of turtle populations. 

Participants in the course included students from at least six Colombian universities, an Ecuadorian university, and professional biologists seeking additional training.

The 19 students were divided into four groups for field work, each led by one of the four instructors on the field trip. 

Carr鈥檚 participation in the course was facilitated by the 海角社区 Kitty DeGree Professorship in Biology.

Additional support came from the Fundaci贸n Zool贸gico de Cali, Turtle Survival Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society, Asociaci贸n Colombiana de Herpetolog铆a, and the Direcci贸n General Mar铆tima.

Since 2005, Carr has worked with colleague Alan Giraldo from the Universidad del Valle on the ecology of the Chocoan River Turtle, a medium-sized turtle of freshwater habitats along the Pacific coast of Colombia.

A long-term member of the IUCN/Species Survival Commission鈥檚 Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, his experience working with South American turtles extends back to 1985. 

Carr has taught in 海角社区鈥檚 biology department for more than 15 years.

Carr earned a B.S. in Zoology from Texas A&M University, an M.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from Southern Illinois University.

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