Central Arizona College Biology Students Complete Tree Labeling Project at Superstition Mountain Campus

By Angela Askey, Executive Director Public Relations and Marketing

With the help from an ALRISE Alliance grant received from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Sunjung Park, Professor of Biology and students enrolled in her General Biology II (BIO182) recently completed a Tree Labeling and Mapping Project at the Central Arizona College Superstition Mountain Campus.

Throughout the project, each BIO182 student selects a plant on the campus to research. They complete botanical identification, including scientific name, geographic origin, common uses of the plant and interesting facts, along with ecological research. A report is developed and posted on the CAC website under Student Projects (https://centralaz.edu/cac-plant-survey/).

To properly identify the plants, the students design, create and engrave a plant plaque containing a QR code using the laser engraving machine in the CAC Maker Space.

To complete the project, a geospatial map connecting plant locations with campus pathways is built by the students. Following an analysis, the findings are published online.

A video showcasing the project can be viewed at https://youtu.be/PBuk3KYeAxQ?si=_a_hYACthXO0-dAA.

Future students enrolled in Dr. Park’s BIO182 classes will continue the tree labeling and mapping project until all plants at every CAC campus have been labeled.

Dr. Sunjung Park and her students received support with the project from Erik Peterson, Academic Director of Faculty Teaching & Learning, David Kohl, Web Developer and Chrystal Barcenas, Web Content Specialist.

About ALRISE Alliance

The ALRISE Alliance is a national Networked mprovement Community (NIC) of local and regional Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)/ emerging HSI (eHSI) members, their educators, and community partners who collaborate to accelerate student participation in STEM education through Student-Centered Experiential Learning.