UWF students immerse into the culture and history of Galapagos Islands during study abroad

Aug. 13, 2024

More than two dozen University of West Florida students were recently given the opportunity to spend part of their summer participating in a high-impact study abroad class in the Galapagos Islands. From monitoring tortoises, to snorkeling with penguins and sea lions, and connecting with locals, UWF students immersed themselves in the history and culture of the islands. Located off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are considered one of the world's best destinations for wildlife-viewing. Heather Stewart, an anthropology major, said the one-of-a-kind experience changed her perspective on life.

“My study abroad allowed me to do things I wouldn’t be able to experience anywhere else,” Stewart said. “I was given the opportunity to look a Galapagos tortoise in the eye, swim alongside sea lion pups, dance with locals at the Inti Raymi (which made my anthropology heart very happy), and make many friends along the way. It was an experience I will never forget!”

Dr. Alexis Janosik, professor and graduate program coordinator, led the first cohort of 14 students in June and Chasidy Hobbs, instructor of earth and environmental science and director of conservation, led a second cohort of 14 students in July.

“As a molecular ecologist and because of the unique animals that have evolved there over millions of years in isolation, the Galapagos Islands have always been a place that piqued my interest,” Janosik said. “We encountered striking organisms, connected with unique people, experienced a hostile and beautiful landscape, and learned an immense amount about the geological and evolutionary history of the islands.”

UWF marine biology, biology, anthropology, acting & Bachelor of Fine Arts students visited the islands of Santa Cruise and Isabella while learning about the ecology and evolution of the Galapagos. They collected microplastics on Galapagos beaches, learned about Ecuador’s “Rights of Nature”, as well as geology and biodiversity of the islands and spent time studying at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Honors students received some scholarship support from the Kugelman Honors Program.

“My experience in the Galapagos was otherworldly,” said Zoe Salandy, a marine biology major. “One of my favorite parts of the entire trip is that we were immersed into the culture. The trip was not just about the animals or the plants. It was truly experiencing the Galapagos as a whole. We were immersed into the culture, the land, and the people.”

Sarafina Mowe, a marine biology major said it was a dream come true to be fully immersed within such a historical and diverse area.

“Being surrounded by giant tortoises, sea lions, and penguins, I was overwhelmed by the beauty that our world has to share with us,” Mowe said. “And never before did I realize that a group of students would later turn out to be some of the most amazing people. Not only did I leave learning more about Darwinism and the importance of sustainability, but in just the week we were there, I learned more about myself and why I want to go into research and continue to work in this wonderful field.”