PORTSMOUTH- Reagan Lewis (Hometown: McDermott, Ohio) recently participated in a hands-on field experience in Costa Rica to complete research at the Cano Palma Biological Field Station with Dr. Sarah Ivers and nine other biology students from Shawnee State University. Enjoying the environmental and zoological aspects of the biology field, Lewis was excited to be able to continue to expand her knowledge.

“Science, specifically biology, has always been my favorite subject in school, so I knew biology was what I wanted to major in,” she said. “After two years in this program, I am now more confident that biology is the field I want to pursue.”

Getting to gain hands-on experience within her coursework, Lewis has enjoyed her zoology courses in Animal Physiology, Animal Behavior, and Mammalogy, and is currently enrolled in an Entomology course. Within these courses she has completed field work in Shawnee State Forest.

“I really enjoy the field portions of these classes,” she said. “I love that we get out of the classroom and spend time in the field getting hands-on experience.”

Taking part in the Costa Rica field experience for the second summer in a row, Lewis enjoyed being able to conduct field surveys with her classmates on several species.

“Each survey was focused on either a general group of animals, such as the mammal and bird surveys, or a more specific group, such as the macaw and caiman surveys,” she said. “On a survey, our group would look for animals themselves along with evidence of an animal, such as tracks or forages. When a sighting occurred, we would record it on a data sheet including information such as species, GPS location, and number of individuals.”

An exciting part of her trip was the opportunity to participate in research on marine turtles.

“We learned how to triangulate nests, identify tracks, measure carapaces, locate egg chambers, perform body checks, and more,” she said, explaining that monitoring marine turtles allows researchers to study when a turtle lays eggs and how the process is carried out from there. “At the station, marine turtle activity is monitored everyday through morning census and night patrol. When I went on this trip last year, we unfortunately did not get to see any turtles. This year, however, the trip took place during peak nesting season for green sea turtles, and I got to see three turtles in one night! I, along with two others in our group, even got the opportunity to count eggs as they were being laid. We got to actively collect data on a nesting turtle. It was really neat to actually get in implement all the field procedures we only heard about last year.”

Having the opportunity to work hands-on in a field she enjoys has solidified Lewis’s confidence in the career she is building.

“Getting to work hands-on in the field goes so far beyond just listening to lectures and taking exams,” she said. “On this trip, I got to actually see and do many of the things I have learned about in the classroom and participate in the research methods being used in conservation work.”

Only in her junior year in the Organismal Biology program, Lewis is debating if she will pursue a graduate level degree or immediately enter the workforce after graduation.

“I would love to pursue a career in marine biology, so we will see what the future holds,” she said. “I do know that whether it’s after grad school or after undergrad, I want to have a career in the field of conservation biology as either a researcher or even an educator.”

Students enrolled in the Organismal Biology program at SSU have the opportunity to complete coursework that prepares them with sufficient depth and diversity of study in the biological sciences. The courses are designed for students with an interest in a broad intellectual foundation of life science while also allowing latitude for students to pursue courses in particular areas of biology they have an interest.

To learn more about opportunities within the Biology program at Shawnee State University, visit www.shawnee.edu/biology.