What is GEOPAths GO Jamaica?

GEOPAths GO Jamaica is a program that brings together undergraduates, graduates, scholars, and conservation experts from the USA and the Caribbean to protect and study coastal ecosystems. The program recruits US and Jamaican students to research specific projects each summer (the 2024 projects are here). This work culminates in a 2-3 week field trip to Jamaica to collect data, work with local communities, and learn about coastal hazards by exploring the interconnection of different Earth Science fields (e.g., paleontology, oceanography, biogeochemistry, ecology, etc.).  

By working with our partners in Jamaica (the University of the West Indies and several local non-profits), students learn about geoscience research and how to work with communities to provide sustainable solutions to local (and global) problems. We integrate local knowledge of these coastal ecosystems with our scientific research to develop solutions that support both ecosystem and community health and resilience in the face of future change.

What will your donation fund?

Your donation supports the conservation research that will be conducted in Jamaica, as well as student travel and scientific activities. With enough donations, we could even bring more students to the island!

The research conducted during field trips varies by year and student project interests, but can include: 

• Water sampling (both on a boat, on the shoreline, and in rivers) to evaluate levels of nutrients, metals, and other pollutants.
• Diel monitoring for reefs (i.e., evaluating reef health for 36 hours) to get an understanding of the "heartbeat" of Jamaican coral reefs.
• Monitoring modern reef ecology (snorkeling and diving) to evaluate reef health.
• Evaluating ancient reef ecology of the fossil reefs on the coast to evaluate what reefs looked like before humans arrived on the island.
• Evaluating ancient terrestrial communities (cave fossils) to evaluate what organisms were living in Jamaica before humans arrived on the island.
• Monitoring mangrove communities, how these trees use water and contribute to the health of the coastlines. 

A baby Hawksbill turtle that the team helped get from its nest to the water

The 2024 team studying the fossil reef at Dragon Point

Local fishery warden from the Alligator Head Foundation getting ready for a modern reef ecology assessment

 The GEOPAths GO Jamaica team and Alligator Head Foundation wardens learning how to core a coral