STANFORD, Calif. – Summer is a time for exploring.
Stanford rising senior Jenna Frowein did exactly that this summer as she embarked on an excursion to Koror, Palau, as part of the Stanford Bing Overseas Studies Program.
Frowein traveled to the small island located just east of the Philippines for the three-week program that is designed to teach students about coral reef ecology, biogeochemistry, and physics, with a view toward understanding modern threats to coral reefs. Students also examined the management and policy issues in the western Pacific.
While completing her studies, Frowein documented her experiences and put together a video of her adventure. Below is a personal recap from her study abroad experience.
This summer I traveled to Palau with three professors and twelve Stanford students through the Bing Summer Seminars program to conduct research on coral reefs and ecosystems. Every day in Palau was an adventure, as most days we would spend up to eight hours on the boat coasting alongside rock islands and snorkeling to explore the vibrant reefs.
We swam with sharks, lion fish, eagle rays, thousands of species of fish, giant clams, turtles, sea cucumbers, and every type of star fish imaginable. Swimming through over 14 million jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake was one of the most beautiful, surreal and awe-inspiring things I've ever experienced.
And they don't sting!
Under the water everything is quiet and the jellyfish slowly float all around you, encompassing you in a sea of jellyfish as far as the eye can see. Our classroom was the entire ocean as our professors and excellent local Palauan boat drivers would snorkel along with us pointing out every different species of coral and explaining all the ecological processes unfolding before our eyes.
For my research, I focused on the effect of varying reef structures on current patterns in a channel near the Palau International Coral Reef Center using instruments such as an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP).
Conducting research in Palau has shown me that solving ecological issues at a national scale requires the integration of a wide range of environments, academic disciplines and local stakeholders. Submerging myself under the water to look at the smallest polyp or Zoantharia, I can now see how the health of these beautiful coral ecosystems is so dependent upon other environments and not all the solutions can be seen within the view of my snorkel mask.
The sediment suspended in murky water or smothering the corals comes from the rivers, which accumulate excess runoff from improperly engineered storm drains, large construction projects, or even forest fires.
The issues facing coral reef ecosystems can always be traced to chronic or acute stressors elsewhere in the environment, demanding collaboration over a wide range of fields.
Almost a reflection of these connected environments, an interdisciplinary approach across fields is required as well. No longer do issues of coral reef ecology only require the input of biologists, chemists, and physical oceanographers, but civil engineers, politicians, sociologists, fishermen, economists, and many more.
While I do not anticipate pursuing a career in academia, learning from our incredibly knowledgeable professors in the classroom, on wet and bumpy boat rides, or on a drift dive, has shown me ways that I can help in my field of architecture, civil engineering, and construction. For example, designing water catchment systems or permeable surfaces that allow runoff to be reused or absorbed into the soil on site could greatly relieve the stressors of runoff and sediment on coral reefs. Additionally, studying these organisms at such a detailed level has made me aware of the endless possibilities and solutions to be found through biomimicry in engineering.
Understanding the structures, processes, and chemical functions of reefs, fish, or sponges can lead to new advancements in medicine, construction, biomechanics, or even architecture!
Meeting with and learning from a variety of local experts and diplomats has truly shown me how the connections between people can be as important and also as intricate as those found in the environment.
While physical scientific principles can be applied across a range of locations, understanding the differing relationships between the local people and culture is as much of a research project as analyzing tidal flows.
Specifically in Palau, comprehending and appreciating the intricate balance between the coexistence of a fading traditional chiefdom and a modern democracy is crucial to resolving the island’s environmental and policy challenges. While this interdisciplinary approach is easier to notice on an island scale such as that in Palau, the challenge is just as great if it were to be applied elsewhere.
Developing an understanding of true interdisciplinary work shaped the remainder of my experience in Palau as well as showed me where I fit into this connected system in my field in the future.