<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Hello,<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Here is a study abroad opportunity for you to consider:<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div><div class=""><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Course:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> ESRM 489, Costa Rica/Olympic Peninsula: Role of the Plant Microbiome in Tropical and Temperate Rainforests (5 credits)</span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">When:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> Aug. 27-Sept. 16, 2023</span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Online Brochure: </span></b><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><a href="https://studyabroad.washington.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgramAngular&id=12245" target="_blank" style="color: blue;" class="">https://studyabroad.washington.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgramAngular&id=12245</a></span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">To learn more, attend an online info session:</span></b><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class="">Monday, January 16th 5:00pm - 6:00pm<br class="">Thursday, January 19th 10:00am - 11:00am<br class="">Monday, January 23rd 1:00pm - 3:00pm<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Available here: <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/washington.zoom.us/j/98435169454?pwd=V1Zxa1BXWjF6VTVROXN1UlRFemVtUT09*success__;Iw!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!hpc6zoFFbSr60vrGXnGnh1onPiVIhyI9FGpDEsOmHoz5lLvf759hNVgEW3WvuYPFRKJrua38RQ8rqh4x4w$" target="_blank" style="color: blue;" class="">https://washington.zoom.us/j/98435169454?pwd=V1Zxa1BXWjF6VTVROXN1UlRFemVtUT09#success </a> </span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Password: frog</span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Or attend an in-person info session:</span></b><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class="">Friday, January 27th, 9:00am - 11:00am<br class="">Tuesday, February 7th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm<br class="">Monday, February 13th, 10am - 11am<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Or reach out to the program co-directors:</span></b><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Robert Tournay: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="mailto:tournay@uw.edu" style="color: blue;" class="">tournay@uw.edu</a> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Sharon Doty: <a href="mailto:sldoty@uw.edu" style="color: blue;" class="">sldoty@uw.edu</a></span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Morgan Raimondo: <a href="mailto:mraimond@uw.edu" style="color: blue;" class="">mraimond@uw.edu</a></span><o:p class=""></o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Program Description:</span></b><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class="">This research intensive course will study the plant-microbiome to examine the differences and similarities of tropical and temperate rainforests in Costa Rica and on the Olympic Peninsula. Students will gain experience in experimental design, hypothesis testing, and environmental microbiology techniques in both the field and lab, while exploring topics on biodiversity, host-symbiont interactions, forest ecology, and ecosystem services.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class=""> </span></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(66, 66, 66);" class="">Costa Rica is famous for its tropical rainforests, but did you know that the Olympic Peninsula hosts four temperate rainforests only a short drive from Seattle? During this unique study abroad program, we will explore both tropical and temperate rainforests, beginning at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica and finishing at the Olympic Natural Resource Center on the Olympic Peninsula. The core focus of this research-intensive program will be investigations of the plant-microbe interactions in tropical and temperate rainforests. Not all microorganisms cause disease, and plants host many beneficial bacteria and fungi that promote the health of the plant through various mechanisms such as nutrient acquisition and pathogen resistance. For example, how trees acquire nutrients through symbiosis with microorganisms is thought to be strikingly different in these two ecosystems, but are there undiscovered similarities as well? Do the plant-microbiomes in these rainforest ecosystems reflect similar patterns of biodiversity and distribution that are found in the other taxonomic groups, such as insects, birds, and plants? How do they compare in terms of community structure (who is there) and functional roles (what they are doing)? As part of this program, you will gain experience in field and lab research while participating in an active research project seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the rainforest microbiome. Costa Rica leg : The program will begin in the tropical rainforest at the La Selva Reserve, where you will work with the UW instructors and Costa Rican naturalists guides in the field and lab to extract and culture microorganisms from a variety of native tropical plants. From there the group will travel to the rural community of Mastatal where we will collect more plant samples while exploring the wildlife and waterfalls of La Cangreja National Park and visiting Finca La Iguana Chocolate, where the family produces chocolate from their own cacao orchard. The Costa Rica leg will end with a trip to the Pacific coast, a kayak tour of the mangroves, and a day at Manuel Antonio National Park. Olympic Peninsula leg: The group will then travel back to Seattle and continue the research in the temperate Bogachiel Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula. We will hike along the river trail in the majestic Bogachiel Rainforest, comparing this forest to those in Costa Rica and collecting samples to test for symbiotic microbial activities. After night hikes at ONRC and a tour of the Olympic Rainforest, we will return to UW to analyze our samples in the Plant Microbiology Laboratory. Visit the Doty Lab website to learn more about our plant-microbiome research (<a href="https://sites.uw.edu/sldoty/" style="color: blue;" class="">https://sites.uw.edu/sldoty/</a>).</span></div></div></div></body></html>