May 24- Preparing for Departure

Image: National Geographic

Tomorrow morning I depart for Panama!  As part of the NSF's REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program, I will be spending the summer on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.  The island is located in the Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal.  The Smithsonian has conducted research on the island since the early 20th century- you can learn more about their work here.  The island hosts a few hundred scientists from around the world every year.  There are hundreds of types of animals, including five types of monkeys and 225 species of ants!

Getting to the island is fairly simple (for anyone who followed my adventures in Honduras last summer, it's a lot less complex than that).  I fly to Panama City, and then drive to Gamboa.  From there, it's  half hour boat ride across the canal to Barro Colorado Island.  I'm hoping to be able to update this blog fairly regularly this summer.  Ideally, I will have lots of cool pictures and videos of wildlife on the island.  In reality, there will probably be lots of photos of ants.  Stay tuned!

Image: Nativatours