U of M Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major enhances his career knowledge in Rincón, Puerto Rico, via partnership between Inver Hills and Isla Mar
In May 2023, Eiman completed a weeklong, study-abroad adventure in Rincón, Puerto Rico, offered via a partnership between Inver Hills Community College and Isla Mar, a marine science research and education nonprofit based in Rincón.
Eiman was one of 10 students who along with two Inver Hills biology faculty chaperones, James Schneider and Lisa Tracy, flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 22. The group then drove due west across the island to Rincón, a popular beach town, where they met up with Isla Mar expedition experts.
Eiman in Puerto Rico
“We arrived in Rincón that evening and were served tacos by our Isla Mar hosts, who briefed us on our activities for the upcoming week,” said James, who designed and planned the trip over a couple of years, making partnerships in Puerto Rico, writing curriculum, and handling travel logistics, liabilities, and funding. “We were very happy with our accommodations one block from the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, where we would be learning about coral ecosystems and coral diseases.”
The next day the group got orientated on snorkeling techniques before exploring the reef. Highlights of the day included encounters with a nurse shark and hawksbill sea turtle—and later exploring Domes Beach, which got its name from a dome structure at the nearby and abandoned Boiling Nuclear Superheater Reactor Facility.
During his study-abroad adventure, Eiman landed a job with Isla Mar as an online data management intern, a position that started in August 2023 and ran through November.
“I collaborated with field expeditioners to systematically collect and catalog data on diverse parameters such as fish species, water sites, temperature, observations, and water currents,” Eiman explained, adding that he plans on returning to Puerto Rico after completing a domestic study-abroad trip to Hawaii in spring 2025. “I studied completed projects, gaining knowledge and refining my skills in preparation for live projects in the future.”
Eiman’s connection to Inver Hills includes serving as the treasurer and event planner for the Muslim Student Association, a role he filled from September 2022 to May 2023. During the summer of 2023, he completed an independent study course, BIOL 1003: Community Based Learning in Biology, Puerto Rico, taught by James Schneider.
Eiman is exploring a full-time summer internship with NOAA. He is looking forward to connecting with the NOAA Coastal Zone Management department to find out what opportunities match his career goals.
Biology faculty bio: James Schneider
James Schneider
James Schneider serves as a biology instructor in the Biology and Environmental Science department at Inver Hills. James began teaching at the college in 2003. The courses he typically teaches are Exploring Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Microbiology.
James has an M.A. in Education from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. At SMU, he focused on curriculum design and admissions policy. He also holds a B.S. in Zoology/Animal Biology from St. Cloud State University. While at St. Cloud, he attended the British Studies Center in Alnwick, England. His focus areas at St. Cloud were zoology and aquatic ecology.
While completing two years of biology graduate studies and research at Bemidji State University, James conducted a field study on the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe’s White Earth Reservation. His work was funded by a Clean Lakes Program (EPA) grant. At BSU, he focused on shallow lake ecology and invertebrate zoology.
His professional experience in the biology field includes teaching at several area colleges. He also worked as a naturalist at the St. Cloud Heritage Nature Center, as an environmental officer assistant for Benton County Planning and Zoning, and as a research assistant investigating the hyporheic zone, or the interface of groundwater and stream surface water.
In his free time, James pursues SCUBA diving, beer brewing, biking, and aquaculture.
Biology faculty perspective: Lisa Tracy
Lisa Tracy
James did a phenomenal job organizing the Puerto Rico trip. The student experience was unmatched by anything that could be offered inside a classroom.
Course units focused on three areas:
Sea Turtle Conservation: Night monitoring of leatherback sea turtle nesting with the Vida Marina Sea Turtle Conservation Program
Agroforestry: Guided tour and volunteering at Finca Hekiti, discussion and comparison of agroforestry with traditional farming practices
Coral Reef Conservation: Collected and analyzed data on the health of corrals in the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, corral reef diseases lecture by Isla Mar researchers, observation of nocturnal marine activity during night snorkels
My favorite memory of Eiman on this trip was watching him cartwheel through the ocean wearing a GoPro camera to capture the myriad of marine life: waving soft corrals, dancing schools of fish, solitary hawksbill sea turtles, and hidden nurse sharks.
Many of our students have a hard time imagining jobs they have never seen. We can all picture what a nurse or teacher does, but what does a biological researcher do? The trips that James develops provide powerful opportunities for students to see themselves in careers previously unknown.
I am so proud of Eiman for initiating his return to Puerto Rico, and I am so proud of James for creating this literally life-changing experience for students.
More about Eiman…
Puerto Rico
Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Eiman graduated from STEP Academy in Burnsville, Minnesota, Class of 2022. He previously worked as a YMCA swim instructor, where he earned CPR certification. He currently works at Target in Burnsville as a dairy food specialist. He started working at Target in 2021.
Eiman is fluent Amharic, the most widely spoken language in Ethiopia, and equipped with beginner proficiency in Spanish. In his free time, he is an avid practitioner of two of the world’s most effective martial arts styles.
“About a year ago, I decided to do something about my weight, as I was stuck at a point where I needed to improve my health,” Eiman said. “I had always been interested in learning self-defense, so I researched martial arts that would benefit me the most. I discovered that Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai were among the most recommended.”
After transferring to the University of Minnesota, Eiman focused on BJJ as his primary source of stress relief, keeping his mind calm and off school while serving as an eventful pastime.
“I’ve been training for almost a year and have lost nearly 40 pounds,” he reported. “I’ve competed in several tournaments, winning gold on three occasions. I’ve concluded that learning self-defense is an essential skill, which led me and a group of friends to start a Muay Thai club at the University of Minnesota. We organized it to give our peers confidence, knowing they wouldn’t have to worry as much about their ability to defend themselves.”
Eiman has two pets, a female cat named Noelle and a male kitten named Sosa. He mentioned that caring for them can be difficult sometimes, but they’re still great pets, and he loves spending time with them.
“I live with my parents as an only child in Burnsville,” Eiman said, “and I am grateful for their sacrifices. They left their lives in Addis Ababa [Ethiopia’s capital and largest city] to come across the ocean, so I could be raised in a much better environment.”
Eiman life and Puerto Rico gallery
Eiman Haile • Q & A
Eiman Haile
What inspired you to go on a study-abroad trip to Puerto Rico?
I was inspired to go to Puerto Rico and study abroad because I wish to work in coastal areas in
correlation with my career. Living in a landlocked state can make opportunities like that difficult
to obtain, so when I saw the flyer for the trip, I immediately applied. Thankfully, I was accepted
to join, as the organizers offered me a data-entry-based internship, which aligned perfectly with my goals.
What did you find most interesting about your study-abroad trip?
The thing I found most interesting was learning about the severity of the risks coral reefs must face to avoid extinction, such as coral diseases and pollution caused by environmental degradation.
What did you learn on your study-abroad trip that enhanced your studies at the U of M?
My experience visiting Puerto Rico helped me become familiar with many of the materials discussed in class, providing me with a deeper and more advantageous perspective and understanding.
Three words that describe you as a study-abroad student:
CURIOUS. AMBITIOUS. RELENTLESS.
What is your favorite memory from your study-abroad trip?
My favorite memory was snorkeling with the turtles and fish in the coral reefs of Rincon!
What advice would you give students thinking about going on a study-abroad trip?
When deciding where to study abroad, don’t choose based on the aesthetics of the location. Instead, select a place that will be beneficial to your degree and can serve as a stepping stone in enhancing your resume.
What person has influenced your life the most and why?
The person who has influenced my life the most is my maternal uncle, Fuad. He grew up under the same conditions as my mother and became a very distinguished and respected businessman in his area through grit and hard work. Although I don’t plan on working in business, I am an advocate for diligence.
If you could make one thing happen on Earth right now, what would it be?
If I could do anything, I would rid the world of political corruption of all kinds.
One word that best describes your experience at Inver Hills:
FORTUNATE
Eiman Haile • 12 Answers
Favorite sport or physical activity: Brazlian jiu-jitsu
Place you would most like to visit: Rio de Janeiro
Most exciting thing you’ve ever done: Skydive
Three things you would do if you won a $1 billion lottery: 1) Give a portion of it to my mother 2) Invest in real estate 3) Buy dream car
Best book or movie you’ve read or seen lately: One Piece manga series and Lookism webtoon
Time period (past or future) you would explore if you could time travel: Rise of the Ottoman Empire
One thing you most want to accomplish in your life: Financial freedom
Your national bird if you were your own country: Harpy eagle
Dream occupation: Marine resource specialist under NOAA
Person you would most like to meet: Martin Kratt
Skill you would most like to learn and master: Learn Arabic
Most important issue or problem facing humankind: Repercussions of war
Learn more about biology-related study-abroad opportunities at Inver Hills by contacting:
James Schneider
Biology Faculty
Inver Hills Community College JSchneider@inverhills.edu
651-450-3781
Learn more about Biology at Inver Hills by contacting:
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Place you would most like to visit: Rio de Janeiro
Your national bird if you were your own country: Harpy eagle
