Global classrooms: Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
By Grace Sanborn ’25
Combining geology and biology, students traveled to the high Andes mountains in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with David Sunderlin, John H. Markle Professor of Geology and department head, and Lawrence Malinconico, associate professor of geology and geophysics, over the winter interim.
Throughout the course, students explored “the coupled evolution of land and life,” learning about both the science of volcanology and the evidence of evolution at different sites, including a hike at Cotopaxi, an active volcano in the Andes Mountains.
“One of the great things about this course involves the varied locations, terrains, and activities. In the Andes, while the hike on Cotopaxi was only around 3 miles, walking at 16,000+ feet can be a challenge. But that is the best way to experience some of the largest and steepest strato-volcanoes in the world,” Malinconico says. “In contrast, the shield volcanoes in the Galapagos are much broader with relatively gentle slopes, and we were able to complete a 10-mile hike on Sierra Negra volcano.”
“My favorite part of the experience abroad was hiking up Cotopaxi with my class. There is something about reaching 16,000 feet of elevation and touching a glacier, having the wind whipping in your face, and looking down at the landscape that brings learning to a whole new level,” Rylee Bordwick ’25, a double major in environmental studies and anthropology and sociology, says. “It is one thing to learn about geologic processes and volcanism in a classroom, but it is a completely different experience to learn about them on the flanks of an active volcano.”
“The most impactful moment for me as one of the leaders of this course was hearing students reflect on how transformative our hike on Cotopaxi was for them,” Sunderlin says. “The way they described both what they saw geologically and what they experienced within themselves from that excursion is why such experiences in these types of courses are so valuable.”
“This experience was nothing short of life changing,” Bordwick says. “Having the opportunity to learn from people on the other side of the world is so special. You gain a new perspective on your own life and also gain an itch to travel—one that seemingly never goes away.”
On the Galapagos, the group was able to snorkel with sharks—hammerhead and white-tipped reef sharks—as well as sea turtles and sea lions in multiple locations. Their adventures included hiking among giant Galapagos tortoises, iguanas, and finches. “The variety of the experiences is always wonderful for us to share with the students,” Malinconico says.
“This experience enabled me to take the knowledge I acquired in the classroom and apply it directly in nature’s classroom, where the topics from class truly came to life,” Jillian Landon ’25, civil engineering major, says. “The course also provided an invaluable opportunity to form close, meaningful connections with both my professors and classmates—relationships I have continued to nurture since returning to campus. By choosing to embrace ‘Cur Non,’ I participated in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that allowed me to develop fresh perspectives on both myself and the new culture with which I was immersed.”
