Professor leads students on journey of discovery

Contributed by Nicole Cloutier Lemasters, biology major

Back in 1996, then a UHCL assistant professor, Cynthia Howard embarked on her first trip to the Amazon rainforest. She was accompanying her uncle, a tropical plant taxonomist who recently retired from Harvard University, on a trip with the New York Botanical Garden to learn about rainforest plants and see exotic wildlife species first hand. But she was captivated – she did not know it was the start of a tradition that would bring her back to the rainforest for the next 20 years.

Since then, Howard, now the program chair of biological sciences, a professor of biology and environmental science, and distinguished alumna at UHCL, has hosted more than 60 study abroad trips to Brazil. Having just returned from her most recent excursion, she estimates she has led more than 300 students on this unique experience, along with another 300 non-affiliated participants from the U.S. and beyond.  And she says never tires of returning to the rainforest.

“The most important thing is taking people there and seeing them discover the Amazon,” Howard said. “That is what brings me the most joy. And every time I go, I see something different that I didn’t see before. There hasn’t been a trip where we didn’t see a new species that we haven’t seen before.”

Howard usually organizes two trips per calendar year: one each for the flooded forest and another for the low season. She has had faculty and graduate students attend as well as former students, environmental enthusiasts and a number of participants from the local Texas Master Naturalist chapters as well as participants from six different countries, including China, South Africa and Australia.

When asked how the trips benefit students, she said there are numerous positive outcomes from this study abroad trip.

“Many of the students we take have never been out of Texas before,” Howard said. “You’re seeing another part of the world. You are seeing another way that people live and … they see how privileged their lives in America are. Yet, the people that we encounter there, with very simple lives, are very happy. And I think they learn that you don’t have to have a lot of stuff to have a good life.”

Of course, many of the students embark on this expedition for the opportunity to see all of the wildlife and ecology.

“When they see a lot of the birds and wildlife … they are spectacular,” Howard said. “And they think they can’t learn them, but they do. And when they come back, they’ve been able to identify all this wildlife that they may never have thought they would ever see, much less identify. It gives them an opportunity to use data collection and scientific skills that they learned here, like the water quality assessments, in a place that’s very, very special and very different from here.”

Tara Shipwash, a senior, said she’s wanted to go to the Amazon since she was a small child and was most looking forward to seeing the forest and the insects. She was surprised that it was the interactions with the local people that left a lasting impact.

“I was very surprised that my favorite part of the trip ended up being my experiences with the people that live in the smaller communities,” said Shipwash, who said she was inspired to learn Portuguese in preparation for a return trip next year.

“Dr. Howard is doing something amazing and wonderful when she does these trips,” Shipwash said. “I think the idea of going to Brazil and to the Amazon is an intimidating one, but she is there with her kind smile and she just takes you on this super adventure.”

Many of the trip’s participants return year and year.

Diane Humes, a Texas Master Naturalist with a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology, is a veteran of Howard’s trips and loves the remoteness that this journey provides.

“I quite enjoy traveling up and down river on the boat and exploring the forests and tributaries in canoes,” Humes said. “You are truly away from civilization, which is wonderful. That is what I love the most; being so far away from civilization and on the river.”

While the passion for the traveling to the Amazonian rainforest is as reliable as the rain, some things have changed. In the 24 years, Howard has led the trips, the way they conduct scientific research has had to adapt.

“When we first started, I took master’s students. In fact, in 1999, there were 12 masters students, all collecting samples from the same stations and when we got back we got multiple theses out of the data,” Howard said.

However, since then, a number of changes have impacted how Howard and her students perform research.

“Now we focus on collecting observational data and conducting water quality measurements.”

Howard and her students have been continuing the water quality analysis, as well as other studies, for each of the 24 years, she has led the trips. And, with the Amazon rainforest in the news almost daily, Howard said she is concerned and she stays in close contact with her guides and trip crewmembers in Brazil.

Brazil is a very special place for her and conjures numerous wonderful memories. Despite the fact that she has traveled to Brazil so many times, it is still the unexpected journeys and discoveries that stand out the most.

“One of my best memories was a huge surprise,” Howard shared.

She and her crew had decided to explore a new site because of its unique shape on the maps, but when they went to recruit a local guide to help them navigate the narrow rivers in that area, he dismissed their intended destination and persuaded them to go to a place he felt they would like much better.

“He wouldn’t tell us why – he just said this is the most beautiful place you’ll ever see,” Howard said. “So, we took a trip up the Rio Erepecuru.”

It took about two days for Howard and the team to travel by boat to get close enough to the mystery destination but rapids prevented the boat from traveling further.

They approached local villagers for assistance, who loaded them into a work truck and drove them through rugged dirt roads to get closer to their access point. The travelers could hear water rushing, but could not make out anything visually through the dense forest. Once the vehicle was stopped, they were led to a long rope and told to climb down, gear and all.

Though still unsure of what awaited them, the explorers descended the rope. One by one, they reached the destination to find six immense and gushing waterfalls all thundering down to unite and continue a massive waterway.

“They called it Sprinkle Falls. It looked like Niagara Falls to us,” Howard said.

She recalls the wildlife vividly saying they found small frogs in the mist and various animated monkeys.

“We spent the rest of the day there and had lunch,” Howard said. “It was lovely. The river is still beautiful and the rapids are beautiful too. It was a really nice surprise.”

Howard has numerous photo albums packed full with vivid wildlife images and plant life from each of her trips and hopes to keep adding to it.

“I always said I’d keep going as long as there is interest,” Howard said. “And it hasn’t stopped yet.”