The reason I wish to be accepted for a STRI internship is because it will greatly further me both personally and academically. From a young age I have wanted to be a biologist. Though my area of interest has shifted within this field over the years, I have always worked hard to seek out experiences that will mold me into the biologist I know I am to become. I am currently a Sophomore with Junior standing at the University of Georgia, Athens. After I receive my bachelor's degree in Biology, I plan on going to graduate school to receive a Ph.D. It is my intention to study primates from a behavioral and ecological standpoint. For the past two years, I have been studying the cognitive abilities of capuchin monkeys in the laboratory with Dr. Dorothy Fragaszy at UGA. As I make the transition into studying the ecology and evolutionary behavior of primates in the field, it will be essential that I learn and understand the environment in which primates live. Last summer, I spent three months in Malaysia, assisting Yu-Yun Chen, a graduate student of Dr. Stephen Hubbell, in her long-term study on the reproduction of trees and sapling survival in Pasoh's 50-hectare plot. I believe a STRI internship would act as an irreplaceable follow up to my experiences and research in Malaysia and my work in tropical forests.

While in Malaysia I realized that one of the biggest problems impeding many studies on the ecology of trees were the difficulties and inefficiencies in identifying collected samples. It is in the management of the proposed project of Drs. Correa, Hubbell, Paton, Pickering, Wright and myself, to find the solution to this problem, that I will have the opportunity to learn so much. I will undoubtedly improve my general knowledge of botany and identification skills while working with Mireya Correa, Carmen Galdames, Osvaldo Calderon and other STRI experts. This internship will also give me the chance to learn how to prepare plant voucher specimens for herbariums, a process that will later become necessary while studying the foraging habits of primates. During the project my leadership skills will be practiced by having to coordinate between the requests of multiple people who will be assisting me in the collecting and compiling the information. Though I have been an avid photographer for the past ten years, I will refine this useful skill for scientific application by learning from Steve Paton. Yet another aspect in which I will benefit is in the chance to hone my Spanish speaking abilities for biological purposes.

Looking beyond the academic world, this internship will be a great opportunity to learn about Panama's diverse and amazing culture. While traveling to other countries, such as Malaysia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Costa Rica, I have had a glimpse into many different cultures. Each one has taught me many new things about humans as a species and also lets me see my culture from an outsider's point of view, allowing me to learn a great deal about myself. Few other experiences besides emerging yourself into an unknown culture can create as much personal growth. In the end, I hope it is not only I that will gain from my internship with STRI but STRI itself. Upon completion of this project, we will have developed new efficient methods for plant identification, as well as technology that will benefit many STRI employees, especially those in CTFS and ESP as they conduct their own studies. This internship is an opportunity to benefit all, while making up the foundation of what I love to do in life.

Discover Life | Tomas Pickering