This summer, Dr. Robert Lamb, Research Assistant Professor at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, led a group of undergraduate students on a month-long Research Tutorials Abroad (RTA) program in the Galapagos Islands. Supported by $6,000 in RTA funding, the program provided airfare, lodging, and per diem for two student participants: Melanie Gomez and Noah Stauch, both SFFGS Marine Science majors who worked in the lab and field during the trip.
The tutorial, Marine Ecology in the Galapagos Islands, offered students the chance to take part in hands-on field research in one of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems. Over the course of July and August 2025, students contributed to three major research objectives: modeling fish population dynamics in response to oceanographic variation, assessing fish health and diet across temperature gradients, and collecting water samples to detect rare species through environmental DNA.
Students worked alongside partners from the Galapagos National Park, the Charles Darwin Station, and UF wildlife disease specialists. In addition to field surveys and laboratory dissections, they participated in the Galapagos Science Symposium, gaining a deeper understanding of conservation management and research collaboration.
By the end of the expedition, students not only strengthened their technical research skills but also experienced firsthand the challenges and rewards of marine conservation in a globally significant natural laboratory.
In collaboration with the UF area studies centers, the RTA program provides an opportunity for UF faculty to take undergraduate students to their international field site for students to participate in their primary research project abroad. For additional information on RTA please visit here or contact Michael Kung, Director, Office for Global Research Engagement at the International Center.
Melanie Gomez Noah Stauch