Farah Mirza

• GalapaGo! Research-Based Learning Abroad Program with UH (Spring and Summer, 2024): Worked with a team of students to interact with researchers from University of San Francisco in Quito and Galapagos Science Center to work on three main field work projects:
• 1) Petrel Nest Census: Locate new petrels’ nests on foot using GPS, monitor already found nests, and assess the activity of nests to contribute to the understanding of the endangered petrels adapting to invasive plants and animals in a highly specific habitat.
• 2) Sea Lions: Surveying sea lions numbers on different beaches around San Cristobal, classifying them as females, males and juveniles, and conducting measurements on collected sea lions skulls from different islands to contribute to a larger data base that aim to study the differences between sea lions species around the archipelago.
• 3) Plastic Contamination: Sample microplastics from several beaches around San Cristobal island, and collect macro-plastics then sort and identify them to understand the importance of plastic use reduction and recycling to help prevent the effects of plastic pollution on animals and natural environment.

      In addition to presentations on each project outcome and an overall narrative project about the travel and research experience.