Costa Rica 2015

In January 2015, Earth Sciences Professors Peter Sak and Ben Edwards lead ten students (Sally Belasco '16, Matthew Berman '18, Mackenze Burkhart '15, Kyle Fitch '18, Emily Kaplita '16, Sophia Larson '17, Megan Layman '16, Crystal Mortar '15, Mariah Murphy '15, Amanda Santilli '17, on a 10-day field excursion to Costa Rica.  The trip allowed participants to explore a tectonically diverse region displaying all components of a subduction zone.  Highlights of the trip included a lecture on earthquake tectonics by seismologist Dr. Marino Protti of OVSICORI-UNA, a volcanologic and seismologic observatory affiliated with Universidad National of Coast Rica, and the opportunity to traverse the country with stops including, Mt. Arenal, an active stratovolcano, Cherro Chato, a dormant volcano to the southeast of Arenal featuring hiking trails through rainforest and beautiful lake occupying the crater.