31-1 GEOPAths GO Jamaica 2026: Fostering a Learning Ecosystem for Interdisciplinary Earth Scientists through Service Learning and Conservation in Jamaica.

Session: Environmental Geochemistry and Health (Posters)

Poster Booth No.: 27

Presenting Author:

Rowan Martindale

Authors:

Martindale, Rowan C.¹, Matheny, Ashley M.², Turner, Leah³, Bolden, Isaiah W.⁴, Gordon-Smith, Debbie-Ann D.S.⁵, Henry, Denise⁶, Trench, Camilo⁷, Ranston-Young, Emma ⁸, Gomes, Talita⁹, Green, Andrew¹⁰, Alexander, Aaliyah¹¹, Cornillie, Willa¹², Dickson, Connor¹³, Frost, Christian¹⁴, Ndematebem, Benanzea¹⁵, Pistochini, Hailey¹⁶

(1) Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, (2) Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, (3) Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, (4) School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, (5) Chemistry, The University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, (6) The Forestry Department, Government of Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica, (7) Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, (8) Twin Guinep Ltd., Kingston, Jamaica, (9) Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, (10) Chemistry, The University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, (11) Geography and Geology, The University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, (12) University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, (13) The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, (14) University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, (15) The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, (16) Soka University, Aliso Viejo, California, USA, (17) University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, , (18) The University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, (19) The University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, (20) Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA,

Abstract:

Jamaica is home to numerous vital and complex ecosystems, including forests, mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. Historically, the stability and dynamics of these ecosystems have not been actively monitored, and conservation solutions are seldom tailored to the needs of local communities. In response to this history, the need for collaborative conservation strategies, and the desire to broaden recruitment and participation in the geosciences, we created ‘GEOPAths GO Jamaica’. In this third year (2026), the team includes partners from The University of Texas at Austin, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Georgia Institute of Technology, The UWI Discovery Bay Marine Lab, and the Forestry Department (Jamaica). During our program, which culminated in a three week immersive field experience in Jamaica, we introduced a team of students (undergraduate and graduate) from American and Caribbean institutions to (a) the different, interconnected elements of Earth sciences on land, at the coast, and in the ocean; (b) the communities and people that collaborate to promote conservation; and (c) the broad community of scholars uniting to preserve the natural world and communities affected by modern climate threats. Undergraduate and graduate student participants learned fundamental skills in geoscience research practices in marine and terrestrial biomes through experiences that included sampling and chemical analyses of marine and river water; assessment of numerous biophysical factors governing mangrove community health; basic quantitative surveys of Jamaica's reef ecology (Pleistocene and present); and how data from local geoscience research help inform the conservation of environmental, cultural, and historical sites of significance. Here, we showcase findings and lessons learned from our third and final year, as well as the three-year program overall.

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