photo: Crotaphytus collaris auriceps near Moab, Utah by Barney Oldfield

​Study Abroad 2012: Bermuda
In May 2012, I took ten students to Bermuda where we met up with students from Alma College (MI). We conducted fewer projects than in 2010, with more students assigned to each project. The projects included:
  • Using robotic lizards to test the importance of dewlap color and headbob display for species recognition
  • Using robotic lizards to examine the function of different display components in social signaling
  • GPS mapping of each lizard species' distribution across the island, including collection of ecological data
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Approaching Bermuda
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Beautiful Bermuda
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Anolis grahami displaying
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Anolis leachi at the Royal Navy Dockyard
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FSC student Nick Brown conducts a robot presentation trial
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GPS data for the 3 species' distributions plotted in Google Earth
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Just look at that water!
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FSC Bermuda Study Abroad Group 2012
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Anolis extremus
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Dr. Dave Clark rebuilds robots disassembled for air travel
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FSC student Erin Duke takes the temperature of an A. grahami male
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See you next time! (photo by FSC student Emily Maeda)

Study Abroad 2010: Bermuda

In May 2010, I took ten FSC students to Bermuda where we joined together with students from Alma College, a small college in central Michigan.  We conducted research projects on the island's three species of Anolis lizards, which included:
  • Quantifying lizard coloration and contrast with the visual background using spectroradiometry
  • GPS mapping of each lizard species' distribution across the island
  • Using robotic lizards to determine the importance of dewlap color and headbob pattern for species recognition
  • Testing the 'honesty' of lizard displays to represent fighting ability by correlating display frequency with endurance capacity on a specially-designed lizard treadmill
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Beautiful Bermuda!
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Students waiting for the bus to take them to field sites
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Anolis grahami displaying.
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Anolis leachi displaying.
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Searching for elusive lizards...
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Matt Macias and Lex Lister were fearless lizard wranglers!
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Apparatus used to measure habitat light.
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Students taking a reflectance reading from a lizard dewlap.
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Some of our lizard robots enjoying the view from our balcony!
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Walking to catch a ferry to another part of the island.

Study Abroad 2008: Jamaica

In May 2008, I took three FSC students to Jamaica, where we conducted research projects on several of the island's six species of Anolis lizards.  We stayed at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab, and worked together with a group of students from Alma College in central Michigan.  Some of the projects included:
  • Tracking lizard daily movement patterns using radio telemetry
  • Quantifying the relationship between Anolis dewlap color and light microhabitats with spectroradiometry
  • Using 3-D animated video lizards and robotic lizard playbacks to examine the importance of dewlap color and headbobbing pattern for species recognition
  • Testing the 'honesty' of lizard displays to represent fighting ability by correlating display frequency with endurance capacity on a specially-designed lizard treadmill
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Dock at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab.
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Locals who helped us locate lizards.
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The Jamaican giant anole, Anolis garmani.
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Attaching a radio transmitter to Anolis garmani.
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FSC student Alison Tamasi taking spectral readings of the Anolis garmani dewlap.
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Lizard treadmill, with lizards in containers cued up for endurance tests.
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Animated video stimuli used to test for species recognition.
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Setup used for playing back and recording responses to the lizard robot (background).