Location:

Cayman Islands, Caribbean

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Gap Year

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

For the first week of the program, you will participate in field trips each day to gain a better understanding of shallow marine, coastal, and coral reef habitats. Lectures and discussions will take place during the late afternoon and evening. The objective of the first week is to provide you with the marine biology and conservation understanding and skills needed to prepare them for the following three weeks of field work. The second and third weeks will involve research training and data collection. In the fourth week, students will analyze the data collected and prepare a final report and poster for presentation.

•Study coral identification and other advanced marine biological techniques under the direction of a professional researcher and marine biologist. •Take part in dives on some of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse reefs in the Caribbean. •Live and study at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI)’s newest tropical field station, the Little Cayman Research Centre.

Setting Description:

The Cayman Islands are one of the world’s centers of marine research and conservation, offering remarkable biodiversity both in and out of the water. They consist of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, which is of course the smallest. Despite its relative lack of size—it’s a mere 10 miles long by one mile wide—Little Cayman has superb diving at Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson’s Bight. Your residence at CCMI’s headquarters at Little Cayman will position you for some of the best field experiences in marine biology the ocean has to offer.

Cost:

Rutgers Students: $4,783 Non-Rutgers Students: $5,120 PROGRAM COST INCLUDES: •Tuition •Meals •Program Administration •HTH Health Insurance •Housing PROGRAM COST DOES NOT INCLUDE: •Travel to/from Little Cayman •DAN Diving Insurance •Major Medical Insurance •All Personal Expenses •Some Diving Equipment •Rutgers Summer Session Fee