Baja Peninsula Calls to Stow Teacher

Alex McMahan takes the trip of a lifetime this month to the Baja Peninsula, where he will spend 10 days studying the unique combination of environments found on the 750-mile stretch along the Pacific Coast.

The Stow-Munroe Falls High School chemistry and biology teacher will take the trip through the Miami University Global Graduate Studies Project Dragonfly Program.

Project Dragonfly is a master’s level program that brings together scientists, educators and community leaders in conservation hotspots around the globe, according to Miami University. The trips offer firsthand experience with inquiry-driven education and environmental stewardship.

McMahan said he’s excited for the trip as an opportunity to do something outside his comfort zone.

“Sometimes in order to learn new things you have to go outside your comfort zone and do something totally different,” he said. “Science is a broad subject so I will be able to pull different pieces and parts of my experience to bring to my students – ecology and environmental science are my favorite topics.”

McMahan will study the varied environments found on the peninsula, which spans from the U.S.-Mexico border south to Cabo San Lucas, that range from rugged mountains to deserts, according to The Ocean Foundation.