The following statements are from Ant Course alumni: Had I taken the Ant Course as a graduate student, the Ant Course may well
have been the defining experience of my graduate education. A superb course
not only for North American myrmecologists, but for myrmecologists worldwide. Congratulations on organizing such a successful course! I can't imagine a
better group of people, or better region of the country, to explore ant taxonomy
and diversity. Thanks for the opportunity to participate! I too would like to extend a warm thank you to all of the participants in
the course -- it was truly a singular experience. Again, I would also like
to especially thank the instructors for their time and effort. The future of
myrmecology looks brighter already. Let me join in the chorus of thanks as well... since I got back to the real
world I've been trying to explain how great it was and I keep getting these
puzzled looks--maybe I may seem a bit... over enthusiastic to some people(?) The Ant Course was, next to a two-month course with OTS in Costa Rica and
a field course with Tom Eisner in Florida, one of the most enriching experience
in my academic career. A great deal of time, energy, and preparation went into the course, and it
was an outstanding experience. Thank you so much! A lot of information was available from some of the top people in the field.
The handouts were of high quality, as was the information presented. Additionally,
several valuable contacts were made with other people working in this field. I’m amazed with the level of enthusiasm of the participants. I’ll
definitely collect more ants when I get back to Malaysia . Good mix of field, mounting, keying, lecture, seminars, and social hour.
The location was perfect. The interaction with not only the broad range of instructors, but also meeting
other students studying ants, made this course one of the most valuable experiences
of my graduate career. I want to come back every year. Viva la Ant Course. Course was great.
I’m
going home with a much fuller picture of ant taxonomy and the people who
compose the community. As Kurt Vonnegut
wants written on his tombstone: ‘Everything was wonderful
and nothing hurt.’ I would really
like to express my thanks to all the instructors for their time, patience
and enthusiasm for ants and teaching the course. The ‘total
submersion’ method really worked with me to get the ant-addiction! It’s
been absolutely fantastic and I hope it continues for others to benefit from. The course provided an excellent forum to meet and share ideas with others
in my area of study. As a student interested in ant taxonomy, I found the research
station located in Portal, AZ to be a superb collecting area. The diversity
of ants was substantial! Thanks again for welcoming me as a colleague and nurturing my fascination
for the charismatic microfauna ants. Here are a couple of things that made the Ant Course outstanding: I heard about
this course from past students high recommendations. Thanks so much. Amazing
effort by everyone, especially as volunteers – shows
how you all really care about students and are passionate about your work. Two things I liked about the course were meeting other people who are as
crazy as I am about ants and making contacts that will develop into life long
friends. The course was
even better than I expected. The instructors were incredible, the place was
beautiful, and there was a great sense of community. I also learned a great
deal of taxonomy, and haven’t even forgotten it all yet. There
was a great balance of history, science, fieldwork and social interaction (human
and otherwise). Altogether it was a fantastic experience. I wish I could go
back for more. In a relatively short time, the Ant Course gave me the chance to learn about
various areas of ant research and meet many of those who conduct this research.
My knowledge of ants increased dramatically and I met many enthusiastic students
and instructors. The Ant Course was an invaluable experience and I consider
it to be the highlight of my graduate school career thus far. I would like to thank all of the instructors. Everyone added something unique
and beneficial. I had a wonderful time and would recommend this course to any
ant lover I know. The diversity
of the faculty was impressive and definitely enhanced the course. I didn’t
know exactly what to expect in terms of the types of research being pursued
by the instructors, but it was great to have ecologists, behaviorists, systematists,
etc. It also was nice to see the diversity of jobs that are available for
people interested in systematics and taxonomy. Firstly, I will not even bother to express how much I gained from and loved
your Ant Course. There is no point in expounding upon how well organized it
was, what a perfect balance of serious intent and good-humored fun it turned
out to be, how impressive the participants were, and how much your generosity
contributed to my summer. One of my favorite courses of all time. This course is a great experience, so well organized that everybody working
on ants should have to take the course. Ant Course is an exceptional experience that has motivated me to purseue
new avenues of research. I leave it energized and inspired Great Work. Fantatic Course. Best Field Course ever. The Ant Course has revitalized my
research program and has positioned me to make lasting contributions to ecology,
biodiversity, myrmecology and evolution. This has been an experience I will never forget. |
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