BVU Students Explore Australia and The Great Barrier Reef Over Interim

Eighteen Buena Vista University biology students made the journey of a lifetime and discovered what "hands-on" learning is all about during the 1999 January Interim session. Dr. Gerald Poff, professor of biology, and Dr. Charles Slagle, then dean of the School of Science and professor of chemistry, led the group to Australia to study the flora and fauna of the region.

The group began in the "Tropical North" region of Australia, touring the Great Barrier Reef, the tropical rain forest and snorkeling. From there they traveled to Sydney for a taste of the city - visiting museums, the Sydney Opera House and the Blue Mountains. BVU's delegation completed their experience by visiting a native Fijian village and donned their flippers for one last observation of native specimens of the Fiji Islands.

BVU's January Interim session takes place between the fall and spring semesters and is designed to provide a unique learning experience by allowing students to spend nearly four weeks studying a single topic of interest.

Experiential Learning: Biology | Chemistry | Computer Science | Mathematics | Physics