What they learn
Under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Biology Joshua Otten, students explore species protection, future career options, field work, and conservation. This means leaving campus behind and creating new learning spaces in classrooms where nature and hands-on experiences are the best educators.
How they learn
The course includes several day trips where student-adventurers study the state’s rarest animal species, remove invasive tree species from a nearby prairie, explore land restoration at county conservation properties, and connect with lawmakers at the Iowa State Capitol about natural resources.
“One Course At A Time allows me to spend all day in the field with the students,” Otten said. “We can travel to locations that are a little distance from campus to see a variety of important and unique ecosystems. The schedule allows us to work on a project in the field all day one day, and then the next day discuss what we had done and relate it to the course material.”
What students say
“What made this course unique was how interdisciplinary it was. We weren’t just learning biology; we were thinking about law, economics, social justice, and ethics. The course challenged us to think like real conservationists, balancing ecological data with human needs and political realities. This class was a great reminder of how science can directly serve communities and ecosystems.” –Tony Gomez ’25
“The One Course At A Time schedule was vital to this class. Without it, there probably would not be enough time to go out into the field, and I think that is what made this class so impactful and interesting. I have friends on the semester plan at different schools, and when I tell them about my class experiences, they are always shocked that we have the time to do it. I feel so much more prepared for life after Cornell with this course.” –Isabella Strauss ’26