Renee Godard, Ecuador and Caribbean trip leader

Renee Godard, Trip leader for multiple trips to Ecuador and the Caribbean

Trips to the Caribbean from 2011-2019, and trips to Ecuador began in 2023

Shells and artifacts from multiple study abroad trips to Ecuador and the Caribbean. Renee Godard collected these shells and artifacts from her multiple study abroad trips to Ecuador and the Caribbean. Some of the items are corals, seashells, a handmade fishing net, and jewelry. These items were found while researching the wildlife, climate, and people of the lands.  

—Nicole Newcomb ‘28

From the Caribbean, participants collected skeletons of urchins whose populations collapsed. Data from this course was part of a paper. Godard began a long-term study of them in 2015 and saw population collapse in 2022. Publication of that work, including collaboration with students, is included. Several different species of coral skeletons are also seen here. 

Godard collected folk art from Quechua communities in Ecuador. This included bead work and woven seed (from native plants) jewelry created primarily by women, which is an important source of income as well as culturally significant (samples include necklace, bracelet, anklet, key chain), as well as feather jewelry (often from parrots which are kept as pets in community). The ceramic pottery was painted by women, with fine lines created using hair from babies. The caiman is an example of balsa wood crafts made while we sat at the fire, sharing dreams in ceremony with students (men primarily do this work). The gourd crafts – representing animals – were created mainly by men. 

The fish trap is woven from local grasses by Papa Jaime, the head of the Guayusa Runa Community, for Godard. These are placed in streams to catch small fish (often larger than the one he made me). The poster displays the biodiversity patterns of moths from our research projects.