Isla Mujeres Turtle Mating (2015)
Drift diving with Sea Turtles at Punta Sur, Isla Mujeres Mexico.
There were more turtles mating this year than in living human memory. The Isla Mujeres Ethnographic Field School has a continuing research program that focuses on Sea Turtle conservation. Learn more at
Video shot and edited by Field School Director, Dr. Todd G. Pierce
The Isla Mujeres Ethnographic Field School specializes in community based projects and trains students on how to conduct ethnographic research. Located on a small Mexican Caribbean island, much of the student research is focused on community needs per their request. Some of our current areas of interest: Culture & Environment, Latin America & Caribbean, Medical Anthropology, Gender & Identity, History, Space & Meaning and Economic Development. There is a wide variety of subjects to research. In the past, some students have conducted research on teenage pregnancy, HIV and Dengue Fever prevention, Catholic and Maya religion, Economic Developemnt and tourism, Sea Turtle and Whale Shark conservation.
For more information, please see our website:
The Isla Mujeres Ethnographic Field School (I.F.S.) is dedicated to the professionalization of ethnographic research and the training of students on how to conduct ethical, meaningful and professional research. Our mission is to train ethnographers that we are confident in and that we know can get the job done. Be it future graduate school research or projects for employers. Our trained ethnographers can tackle a research project from beginning to end with confidence, experience and know-how.
Students will participate in formal lectures, informal presentations, government meetings and briefings, and ethnographic research that serves to assist the people of Isla Mujeres either through applied anthropological techniques or through creating a more full ethnographic record that illuminates the island's past, present and possible future. Students will be immersed within the culture of the island and will conduct collaborative research with it's residents. Students will learn the value of team work through helping each other on projects, talking through field research problems and supporting each other in their professional development.
Before students arrive to the Field School they will communicate often with faculty to develop their independent research ideas and proposals, as well as conduct literature reviews for their proposal. After they leave the Field School they will also be in close communication with select faculty to prepare their research papers for publication in academic journals and/or for professional conference presentations.
We train both undergraduate and graduate students. The Isla Mujeres Ethnographic Field School is an investment in a student's scholarly and professional future. Our program gives students the cutting edge needed to get into good graduate school programs, develop graduate school dissertation research (which will help in securing research funding for dissertations) and will help them land the job they want in the discipline.
Many undergraduates will use their experience and data for senior thesis projects, while many graduate students will use it for pilot research to develop their Masters thesis or Doctoral dissertaions.
A rough outline:
Pre-Field School:
Prepare students for research
Develop a solid research idea, conduct literature reviews, create a research proposal (based on Ph.D. Dissertation proposals).
During Field School:
Ethics in anthropology and ethnographic research training.
Guided Research
Language and cultural familiarization
PADI Open Water Certification
Finalization of Research Proposals
Ethnographic methods training and practical assignments, conduct independent research projects, team-based ethnographic approaches, client-based research, collaborative research (with local NGO and Government organizations)
Data Analysis and Preparation. Present findings in a conference-styled open-to-the-public forum on the island. Submit an academic journal styled article of findings to be developed for publication and for official submission to the government of Isla Mujeres for their records.
Create and submit a Curriculum Vitae.
Post Field School:
Develop and organize papers for conference professional anthropological conference presentations. Develop papers for academic journal publications.
Staff assists on graduate school application processes and letters of referral as well as networking with others in the field and job or granting opportunities.
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