<p>Hi emeraldkity4 -
Thanks for the insight - I had similar feelings about not particularly wanting to leave the Reed bubble, and especially about not wanting to make life any harder than it had to be. From talk with Professors, I personally was looking to do summer research abroad more than anything else. </p>
<p>About the “done-to-death” comment - Costa Rica sort of has a monopoly on rainforest research, at least on a public level, due to its accessibility, security, and its government’s admirable PR campaign, and as a result, hosts countless collegiate and high school researchers. Which is great, and it’s a great place, and of course there is always more to study - but it lacks the lure of the unknown, and has so much attention focused on it from a conservation perspective that new conservation biology initiatives should certainly look elsewhere to other, more neglected parts of the world. I’m hesitant to make broad claims, lest they rediscover the Golden Toad in Monteverde next week, but I think the potential for huge discoveries in Costa Rica has passed.</p>
<p>I’m accustomed to travel in dangerous places, and Columbia excites me :). As I’m more of a solo traveler, I think I wouldn’t want to do a program, per se, at Reed, but rather get in touch privately with a research station or group of scientists pursuing interesting work somewhere.</p>
<p>I don’t have experience in terms of seeking funding from academic bodies (yet), but I have two grants in right now, one with National Geographic that has passed the first round of inspection (a final decision due in February - it’s like the stress of college decisions thrice in one year), and I think rather than replicating existing studies, funds are best found by applying reputed methodologies to new problems.</p>