What’s it like to take part in an EPI course?
- Luis Diego Molina
- May 21
- 2 min read
Picture this: you're walking along a moonlit beach in Costa Rica, helping protect nesting sea turtles. Or you're in the wide open plains of Yellowstone, tracking bison as they move across the landscape. Maybe you're watching a giant tortoise slowly make its way through the Galapagos. That is what an Ecology Project International course looks like. Real science in the real world.
Every location has its own ecosystem and conservation challenges. But all EPI programs share one thing: they invite students to experience science not as a subject in a book, but as something alive, hands on, and deeply connected to the planet.
Instead of sitting in a classroom, you’ll be out in the field, exploring ecosystems, working alongside scientists, collecting real data, and contributing to long-term conservation efforts. Students also carry out their own mini research projects, using the scientific method to explore questions that come up during the course. It’s about learning to observe, ask questions, gather evidence, and think critically.
“I’ve witnessed countless ‘aha moments’ when students make connections between classroom concepts and real-world conservation challenges. These moments happen when a student identifies their first fish species underwater, collects their first data point for a long-term research project, or realizes they can make a tangible difference in protecting species”, explains Miguel Fuentes, EPI Executive Director.
A big part of what makes this possible is the fact that EPI courses are fully unplugged. No phones. No computers. No distractions. Without screens, students can fully engage with their surroundings, be present in the moment, and build stronger relationships with their peers, instructors, and the natural world.
Cultural exchange is also at the heart of the EPI Experience. Students participate in local traditions, learn from community members, and explore how people interact with their environment in meaningful ways. These experiences show students that conservation isn’t just about protecting wildlife - it’s also about respecting and learning from the people who live alongside it.
For Ana Beatriz Hernández, EPI’s Belize and Galapagos Program Coordinator, this cultural richness is a key part of the students’ experience:
"Conservation isn’t just about protecting ecosystems; it’s about understanding how communities interact with them. This cultural exchange helps students connect science with people”
At the heart of every EPI course is a simple idea: students learn best when they’re curious, engaged, and given the chance to discover things for themselves. Through inquiry-based learning, EPI helps students build environmental literacy, critical thinking skills, confidence, and a sense of purpose they carry with them long after the course ends.
“The goal is to give them the tools so they can take them back to their homes, their communities, their neighborhoods, and identify problems, develop projects, and come up with solutions,” says Joel Coronado, EPI instructor in Mexico.
These aren’t just science courses - they’re powerful, perspective-shifting journeys that connect young people to science, to nature, and themselves.