TAMIU Students, Professors Study Abroad in Philippines
Combine students, professors, scholarly work, island hopping and white sandy beaches to describe one of the Study Abroad programs offered this summer by Texas A&M International University (TAMIU).
Dr. Ruby A. Ynalvez, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Marcus Antonius Ynalvez, associate professor of sociology, took a group of students to study biology and sociology in the Philippines in coordination with the University of the Philippines Los Baños Museum of Natural History.
The group is currently on the second leg of the program, observing various island ecosystems.
Students experienced their first ride on a commercial passenger outrigger pump boat and were treated to a view of calm blue waters between Batangas and Puerto Galera in Mindoro Island. They were greeted by fine white sandy beaches when they arrived at Puerto Galera’s shores.
Their first stop was at Tamaraw Falls in Brangay Villaflor, Puerto Galera. The majestic twin falls drop from a height of 423 feet.
They also visited the Mangrove Conservation and Ecotourism Area where they learned about the role of mangroves in tropical ecology and the birds usually seen in mangrove areas. The day concluded with a visit to Virgin Island cove’s rocky shores where the students learned about sponges and coral reefs.
The group then explored the famous Coral Garden near San Antonio Island, Puerto Galera. There they snorkeled to see and identify marine animals such as sunburst butterflyfish, long-nosed butterflyfish, parrotfish, cleaner wrasse, tuskfish and sea urchins, which all thrive among the corals. They also saw a hawksbill turtle and a rare sea snake.
Next for the group: fieldwork and hand-on experience studying biodiversity in the tropics.
For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 326.2180 or prmis@tamiu.edu or visit offices in Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, suite 268.
University summer hours are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Thursday and 8 a.m. – noon on Fridays.
Additional information is available at www.tamiu.edu and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
