SUNY Oneonta Biolology Students Put Skills to Use During Field Course

Nine SUNY Oneonta students recently spent a portion of their summer developing field skills in a stream ecology course.

Students camped at the college's Biological Field Station which provides students a setting for research activities in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. The station is uniquely situated for aquatic field studies on Otsego Lake just north of the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown, NY at the headwaters of the Susquehanna River.

In addition to their studies at the Field Station, the students took a trip to Owen D. Young Outdoor Center so they could see a river system with both limestone and shale tributaries.

"The course is intense," says Jeff Heilveil, biology chair at SUNY Oneonta. "We conduct class activities from 8 a.m. until almost midnight every day. The experience can be defining for students. Either they realize they love working in the field, or that they decide to look for indoor careers."

Students also video conferenced with professionals in the field so they could hear about career options and paths while learning more about graduate school.