Ecuador, Tropical Conservation Semester Program -- Spring 2010
The Ecuador, Tropical Conservation Semester: Galapagos, Andes and Amazon program
is offered by International Academic Programs (IAP) at the University of WisconsinMadison in partnership with the Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation (CFTC).
CFTC also works with Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) in Ecuador.
Throughout the course of your study abroad experience you will be communicating with
both IAP and CFTC staff. It is essential that you pay close attention to all information
provided to you by both IAP and CFTC. This IAP Program Handbook supplements
handbook(s) or materials you receive from CFTC as well as the IAP Study Abroad
Handbook and provides you with the most up-to-date information and advice available at
the time of printing. Changes may occur before your departure or while you are abroad.
CFTC handles the program’s day-to-day operations. Generally, questions about aspects
of your program abroad should be directed to CFTC (i.e. program housing options,
program facilities abroad, cultural tours offered as part of the program, etc.) Questions
relating to your relationship with UW-Madison or your academics should be addressed to
International Academic Programs at UW-Madison (i.e. course credits, equivalents, UW
Madison registration, etc.)
This program handbook contains the following information:
Contact Information ........................................................................................................... 1
Program Dates .................................................................................................................. 2
Preparations Before Leaving ............................................................................................. 2
Travel and Arrival Information............................................................................................ 3
The Academic Program ..................................................................................................... 3
Living Abroad .................................................................................................................... 4
Contact Information
Overseas Contact Information
Dr. Joe Meisel, CFTC Instructor
CFTC Education Programs
2319 North Cleveland
Chicago, IL 60614
Email: jmeisel@ceiba.org
Ecuador Office Eugenio de Santillán N34-248 y Maurián
Quito, Ecuador
Tel: 593 2-243-2240, 243-2173
USFQ Office Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Cumbaya, Ecuador
Tel: 593 2-289-1773
Ecuador Cell: 593 8-414-2310
UW-Madison Contact Information
International Academic Programs (IAP)
Dr. Catherine Woodward, CFTC Instructor
CFTC Education Programs
2319 North Cleveland
Chicago, IL 60614
Email: cwoodward@ceiba.org
Ecuador Office Eugenio de Santillán N34-248 y Maurián
Quito, Ecuador
Tel: 593 2-243-2240, 243-2173
USFQ Office Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Cumbaya, Ecuador
Tel: 593 2-289-1773
Ecuador Cell: 593 9-502-3341
University of Wisconsin-Madison
250 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI 53706
Tel: (608) 265 6329
Fax: (608) 262 6998
Web: www.studyabroad.wisc.edu
For Program Advising & Grades:
Tammy Gibbs
IAP Student Study Abroad Advisor
Tel: 608-261-1020
E-mail: tjgibbs@bascom.wisc.edu
For Financial Matters:
Judy Humphrey
IAP Financial Specialist
Tel: 608-262-6785
E-mail: jhumphrey@bascom.wisc.edu
Emergency Contact Information
In case of an emergency, call the main IAP number (608) 262-2851 between 7:45 a.m.4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; after-hours or on weekends call the IAP staff on call at (608)
516-9440.
Embassy Registration
Program participants who are U.S. citizens must register at the U.S. Embassy before
departure as this will help in case of a lost passport or other mishap. You can register online at https://travelregistration.state.gov. If you are not a U.S. citizen, register at your
home country’s embassy or consulate.
U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador
Ave. Avigiras E12-170 y Ave. Eloy Alfaro (next to SOLCA)
Telephone during Business Hours: +593 2 256 2890 X4510.
Telephone for After-hours Emergencies: +593 2 256 1749
Fax: +593 2 256 1254.
Web: http://ecuador.usembassy.gov/
Program Dates
January 3, 2010 – Arrival date
January 4-5, 2010 – Orientation
January 6, 2010 – Classes begin
May 14, 2010 – Classes end
May 16, 2010 – Departure date
Preparations Before Leaving
Refer to the Pre-Departure Checklist on pages four and five of the IAP Study Abroad
Handbook for essential information.
Immigration Documents
Passport. A passport is needed to travel to Ecuador. Apply immediately for a passport if
you do not already have one. If you already have your passport, make sure it will be valid
for at least 6 months beyond the length of your stay abroad.
Visa All participants must obtain a student visa (12-V visa) for their semester of studies in
Ecuador. CFTC and USFQ will provide you with forms and instructions. Please note that
the visa process requires a variety of forms and supporting documents and also requires a
trip to the Ecuadorian consulate in Chicago.
Packing Participants are required to bring proof of yellow fever vaccination and valid
health insurance card with you to Ecuador. All students should also bring two photocopies
of their passport photo page (one for themselves in case their passport is lost or stolen
and one to be given to the course instructor). Consult the CFTC Course Information
Packet for a comprehensive list of recommendation items to pack.
Travel and Arrival Information
Participants will need to make their own travel arrangements for arriving in Ecuador by the
course start date. Participants will be met at the airport upon arrival in Quito by a member
of their host family and/or a program representative.
The Academic Program
General Information
This is an intensive, adventure-learning experience, providing in-depth training in ecology
and natural history of the tropics, practical experience in conservation and scientific
research, and immersion in Latin American culture. Please consult the CFTC Course
Information Packet (available at http://www.ceiba.org/documents/TCSpacket-web.pdf) for
further academic details.
Participants are required to bring the following texts with them to Ecuador as they are not
available for purchase in Ecuador:
Groom, M.J. et al. (eds.). 2006. Principles of Conservation Biology (3rd edition). Sinauer.
Jackson, M.H. 1997. Galapagos: A Natural History Guide. University of Calgary Press.
Kricher, J. 1999. A Neotropical Companion (2nd edition). Princeton University Press.
Nybakken, J.W. 2000. Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach (5th edition). Benjamin
Cummings.
Osborne, P. 2000. Tropical Ecosystems and Ecological Concepts. Cambridge University
Press.
A list of suggested readings is included in the CFTC Course Information Packet.
The course faculty and staff include Dr. Joe Meisel, Ph.D. in Zoology, and Dr. Catherine
Woodward, Ph.D. in Botany. Both have extensive international field research experience
and have previously led this program in Ecuador. Spanish language courses at
Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) will by taught by USFQ faculty.
Course Information
Courses
Program Course Title & Number of
credits
Spanish Language & Latin American
Cultural Immersion (3 credits)
UW-Madison Course Equivalent and
Number of credits
Next level in the Spanish language
sequence 101, 102, 203, 204, 226, 311,
323, 473 (3 credits)
Biological Conservation in the Neotropics (3 Conservation Biology (Botany/Zoology 651)
credits)
(3 credits)
Tropical Ecology I: Terrestrial Ecosystems
General Ecology (Botany/Zoology 460) (4
(4 credits)
credits)
Tropical Ecology II: Coastal & Marine
Marine Biology and Ecology (Zoology 475)
Ecosystems (4 credits)
(4 credits)
Internship of Research Experience in
Internships in Ecology (Zoology 677) (2
Conservation (2 credits)
credits)
Registration
Student placement for the Spanish language course is decided by a Spanish placement
test at USFQ. The Spanish placement exam is taken online in advance of arrival in
Ecuador. Instructions on how to take the exam will be included with the enrollment
materials. Registration is not needed for the other courses as all program participants take
the other four courses.
Equivalents and Course Equivalent Request Form (CERF)
Each course you take abroad must be assigned a UW-Madison “equivalent” course in
order for your grades and credits to be recorded on your UW-Madison transcript. In order
to establish UW-Madison course equivalents for your study abroad courses, you will
submit a Course Equivalent Request Form (CERF). Information on the UW course
equivalent process is available in the IAP Study Abroad Handbook.
Credits
Students will earn the following credits for the courses on this program:
Spanish - 3 credits
Biological Conservation - 3 credits
Tropical Ecology I - 4 credits
Tropical Ecology II - 4 credits
Internship – 2 credits
Limits and Load
UW participants will receive 16 credits for the semester.
Pass/Fail/Drop/Audit
Please refer to the IAP Study Abroad Handbook for Academic Policies.
Grades and Grade Conversions
These courses are for graded credit and will be posted on your UW transcript. Refer to
the grade scale provided in the IAP Study Abroad Handbook.
Living Abroad
Educate yourself about your host country. Read the Preparing to Live in Another Culture
section of the IAP Study Abroad Handbook. Consult the following resources as well as
travel books and program binders in the Study Abroad Resource Room (250 Bascom
Hall).
UW-Madison International Academic Programs (IAP):
http://www.studyabroad.wisc.edu
CFTC Program website:
http://www.ceiba.org/courses.htm
CFTC Home Page:
http://www.ceiba.org
U.S. State Department information:
http://travel.state.gov/
Center for Disease Control (CDC):
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/
Lonely Planet Guidebook:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com
U.S. State Department Students Abroad site:
http://www.studentsabroad.state.gov/
CONSULT TRAVEL BOOKS IN THE FOLLOWING COLLECTIONS:
Fodor’s Guides
Frommer’s Travel Guides
Let’s Go
Lonely Planet
Michelin Guides
Rough Guide
International Travel Health Guide by Stuart R. Rose, MD.