Overall, MyCOE Biodiversity Initiative participants have been very supportive of the program and appreciative of the opportunity it gave them to learn from students and researchers from other countries.
Following is a selection of responses sent to the MyCOE organizers from students and mentors who participated in the program.
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"The projects have achieved meaningful objectives, which I hope could lead to new research questions among the students and their mentors. We have learned a lot from this experience."
- Jorge Luís Vásquez Muñoz, Colombia, mentor
"It was a pleasure and an honor to be part of MyCOE 2008. The workshop was a week of growth in all aspects, professional and personal. The interaction of the group was more than excellent. Now I can say that I have great friends in Central America, and that I am familiar with GIS applications that go beyond looking at images and polygons. I will return to my country with a huge motivation to apply knowledge acquired during the workshop. Thank you, MyCOE 2008!"
- Blanca Margarita Vázquez Villa, Mexico, student
"Now I have many many ideas and proposals, especially with regards to strengthening community participation and transmitting this knowledge to different actors who really need it but do not have access to it. A thousand thanks to all my colleagues for their experience and knowledge, and to for Patricia, Noris and Rodrigo for being so focused on us and show the desire to transmit knowledge and support these initiatives."
- Isabel Bravo Baeza, Colombia, mentor
"I send a big greeting wishing everyone has had a safe journey back to their country. I would also like to express my gratitude for the opportunity made possible through MyCOE and I wish to tell all my colleagues that it was a pleasure to know such wonderful people"
- Marina Hirales Cota, Mexico, student
"Dear friends, thank you very much for sharing with us this experience in Panama, which undoubtedly was unforgettable, both professional and personally."
- Marcia Mendieta, Nicaragua, mentor
