Field Trips
Ecology field trips are the cornerstone through which SEEDS introduces diverse students to the range of ecological systems and research in the United States. Students spend three-four days at an ecologically significant site, such as a field station, research laboratory, or national park, learning about the science of ecology, exploring career options, and seeing the practical applications of ecology. Students have the opportunity to find out more about what ecologists do through hands-on experiences with professionals, to receive training in specific areas, and to build networks with students and professionals.
SEEDS National Field Trips are proudly funded by the Dr. Henry L Gholz Endowment.
Join the SEEDS Program at another unique Field Trip to the amazing Mountain Lake Biological Station in Pembroke, VA!
Established in 1930, the Mountain Lake Biological Station is a full-service residential field station located atop Salt Pond Mountain in the southern Appalachians of southwest Virginia. Programs include summer field courses, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), numerous faculty-driven research projects, scientific meetings, outreach activities, and more. An average high-season day at MLBS hosts 50-100 people, including undergraduate and graduate students, research faculty from around the world, and family members. Everyone in the community works, eats, and lives together everyday, integrating research and mentorship in the truest sense of a Jeffersonian “academical village.” The Station is remote but accessible, and is surrounded by sharp ecological gradients and fine-scale changes in habitat– ideal conditions for studying ecology and evolution. Visiting scientists conduct research in plant and animal population biology, behavioral ecology, life history evolution, community ecology, ecological genetics, biosystematics, epidemiology, conservation biology, and the physiology of behavior.
Find out more here: SEEDS National Field Trip
Student Reactions From Previous Field Trips:
“After a long four days of hiking, bonding, learning about ecology, and meeting new people we reminisced over our experiences. This SEEDS field trip has been eye-opening and comforting as college students who have been struggling to find guidance in the research fields. This experience opened-up options to many of us that we didn’t even know were available, such as job opportunities, connections with professors, grad students, and a great support system. As college students, many of us got more out of SEEDS in the past four days than we’ve been getting at our own colleges for years. SEEDS is a wonderful organization that brings students together through our love for science and nature. We will remember this experience and use the skills we learned to better ourselves and become successful scientists.”
To look at more past trips and detailed trip reports, check out our Past Field Trips page.