海角视频

Students in the department of biology at 海角视频 know they will encounter more than slides and lectures when taking a class from Professor Aimee Wyrick. Wyrick incorporates one-of-a-kind, hands-on learning practices in Napa County to her courses. These high-impact learning opportunities provide valuable experience while teaching important principles about stewardship of the created world.

Wyrick, a specialist in ecology, herpetology, and paleontology, partners with local landowners and organizations to provide opportunities to students in courses such as Ecology, Flowering Plants, and Conservation Biology. 鈥淓ach quarter I have opportunities for students for internships, for research, for service-learning, and it鈥檚 not always in the same place or for the same organization,鈥� she explained.

Wyrick is currently doing research on the Calistoga popcorn flower, a federally listed 鈥渞are鈥� species that occurs in two locations less than twenty minutes from PUC in the town of Calistoga, Calif. Specially adapted to geothermal wetlands, there are about 5,500 plants on the two sites. She and the students are involved in getting baseline data on the plant; later, they will suggest small experiments and monitoring projects to maintain the plant鈥檚 population. 鈥淣obody has done studies on this species of plant or a plant that lives in this sort of environment. It鈥檚 going to be providing a lot of really important scientific data,鈥� Wyrick commented.

Studying the Calistoga popcorn flower also provides incredible opportunities for students to perform research on a site that has so far been untouched by scientists. 鈥淭here are other geothermal sites in other places around the world, but to have it so accessible, so easy to get to, to have the buy-in from the landowner and the permission to work there, to have the excitement of our local Fish and Wildlife officials, and to have the opportunity for our students twenty minutes away makes this a truly fantastic site,鈥� said Wyrick.

Angelo Maniego, a 2013 graduate of PUC, agrees. Maniego assisted Wyrick in surveying the site and collecting data. 鈥淧rofessor Wyrick鈥檚 dedication to the project has taught me to value my work and to have pride in the research,鈥� said Maniego. 鈥淚 also learned the importance of being descriptive and precise in taking data. Overall, I have grown to appreciate flowers in a different light.鈥� Maniego, who is pursuing post-baccalaureate studies at California State University East Bay in preparation for dental school, gained more than course credit for his research. 鈥淏eing part of this project during my last quarter of undergrad completed my experience at PUC. It was a fulfilling and exciting achievement. Not only did I gain a first hand experience of research but I also got to enjoy the views and outdoors of Napa,鈥� he concluded.

Students in Wyrick鈥檚 courses and the student-led Biology Club have also been involved in several restoration projects at Lake Beryessa, just east of the College鈥檚 location in Angwin. Wyrick has developed partnerships with both the Federal Bureau of Reclamation and a local non-profit, Tuleyome to replant native trees, shrubs, and grasses at locations around the lake. Through these service-learning opportunities, students gain knowledge about the local natural environment and how to preserve it. 鈥淚nitially, some of the students were a little not-so-excited about it. Then they get out there,鈥� said Wyrick. 鈥淲hen we have a group of 5 or more, within 2-2.5 hours they can actually see the difference they have made. I have had so many students say 鈥橶ow that was so cool.鈥欌��

Students don鈥檛 just plant native flora, they also remove invasive plant species. Wyrick is a member of the Linda Falls Preserve Committee, which makes recommendations to the Napa Valley Land Trust about the management and needs of the preserve. Her classes have done a survey for invasive species within the reserve and a stream survey for aquatic insects. 鈥淭his information doesn鈥檛 yet exist, and the students were out there doing it for labs. The students were getting actual experience that we will use to create a report that we turn over to the Land Trust so now they have this data for Linda Falls. It鈥檚 a win-win-win situation!鈥� Wyrick exclaimed.

PUC鈥檚 location in Napa County makes these incredible opportunities possible. 鈥淚 tell my students all the time: it鈥檚 incredible, here we are in Napa county, which is one of the most diverse geologically, botanically, within California, which is one of the most unique in the world, and we just go out the door and here we are,鈥� said Wyrick. 鈥淭he things that I鈥檝e done and that we鈥檝e been involved in can certainly happen elsewhere, but here it鈥檚 in spitting distance, you drive at most twenty minutes.鈥�

鈥淐are for the created world is a core value at PUC, since it expresses both gratitude for God鈥檚 good gifts and the stewardship that we urge students to practice in all areas of their lives,鈥� shared Nancy Lecourt, vice president for academic administration. 鈥淭hese active learning projects not only reinforce this core value, they are shown by extensive research to improve deep learning by engaging students, both 鈥榟and and heart鈥� in the curriculum.鈥�

鈥淚n the long run, I think these are practical skills and practical knowledge for bettering our world,鈥� concluded Wyrick. 鈥淒oing these sorts of environmental or ecological projects is really long-term, and they really have an effect. And we get to do it right here in our back yard.鈥�