Field Ecology

Teens are supervised at all times from sign-in to sign-out. The staff to teen ratio is 1:12 during instruction time and 1:10 during residential times. Free time is always in designated areas with staff supervision. Staff are all adult professionals, graduate students, undergraduate students, and/or career professionals, they are all background checked, and participate in specialized educational, logistical, safety, and neurodiversity training. Seasonal staff include instructors (at least two per course), middle school and high school coordinators, residential advisors, and a program coordinator. The management team are full time Lawrence professionals who are onsite all summer and provide educational as well as behavioral support for instructors and participants.

We use CampDoc, an electronic health record system, to securely collect and store participants’ information. CampDoc is designed to protect your teen’s privacy while alerting us to details such as allergies or dietary restrictions, medical or medication needs, special learning or social needs, and other home or life situations that might affect your teen’s participation. The information you provide will help us to support your teen safely and to optimize their learning and social experience. We encourage parents to be as transparent as possible. If you would like to discuss your teen’s needs before the start of programming, we would be happy to schedule a time to discuss how to best support them. You can email us at thelawrenceteens@berkeley.edu.

No, for multiple reasons, we do not allow participants to register for programs designed for grade levels other than their own. Since a large portion of each program involves student-driven investigation and exploration, e.g., the design and build of a physical creation or the design and carrying out of an investigation, participants can easily differentiate the challenge level to a good place for them. Thank you for understanding.

Our programs are designed to be accessible and engaging for all learners. Instructors use differentiated instruction to meet students where they are and help them grow. For courses that may involve a wider range of prior knowledge (such as our high school biotech or artificial intelligence programs), we send a short survey before the program begins to understand each teen’s experience and comfort level with the material. This information helps us plan in advance—adding resources, adjusting the pace, or offering extra challenges as needed. During the program, instructors also use flexible groupings: sometimes teens choose their own groups, and sometimes staff create intentional groupings to balance social interaction and academic support. This ensures that every student feels both challenged and supported throughout the week.

Phones, tablets, and other similar devices should be stowed in your bag during program times. Phones and other devices are permitted during breaks and other designated times. The program is designed to increase socialization, collaboration, and small-group work. We strongly encourage you to leave valuables and other devices at home. If your teen wants to use their personal laptop, they may bring it and must keep it on them at all times. If you do not wish to bring your own laptop or do not have access to one, we will provide one if required for the program. Remember, The Lawrence is not responsible for your personal items.

Our programs have laptops to support the participation of all teens. However, some teens prefer to use their personal laptop. If this is the case, they may bring it and must keep it on them at all times. The Lawrence is not responsible for your personal items. If you do not wish for your teen to bring their own laptop or do not have access to one, we will provide one if required for the program.

All teens will receive a personalized certificate of completion from UC Berkeley on the last day of the program.

The drop-off and pick-up location will be communicated to you in a welcome email before the program starts. We encourage parents to sign the ‘Teen Program Dismissal Form’ at the time of registration so that teens can arrive and leave independently with the conclusion of programming. All programs at UC Santa Cruz have drop off on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. and pick up on Friday at 4:00 p.m. (presentations to parents from 2:00–4:00 p.m.). All programs at Bodega Marine Lab have drop off on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. and pick up on Friday at 4:00 p.m. (presentations to parents from 2:00–4:00 p.m.). The drop-off and pick-up location will be communicated to you in a welcome email before the program begins.

No, we do not provide transportation to and from the U.C. Santa Cruz campus or to and from Bodega Marine Laboratory. Parents or legal guardians must arrange to drop off or pick up their teens. More detailed information will be provided after registration for the program. If you are registered for The Bridge Coverage (one or two nights), it will include transportation, accommodations, meals, and activities, including a Lawrence Hall of Science visit and some free time in Downtown Berkeley that many teens desire.

We do not provide transportation to and from the airport. It would be best to make those arrangements with plenty of transition time. Partial participation is not allowed.

Once on-site, transportation for programming needs is provided for the duration of the program. This usually happens via a campus shuttle or in minivans driven by staff. Parents will receive a transportation waiver in their welcome packets.

We can't tell you how to spend your summer vacation. That said, we require parents and/or designated legal guardians to be accessible to contact and available for a pick up in case of emergency. Perhaps the Everest trek can wait for another week during your summer.

Teens need to be able to walk to and from investigation sites. For Marine Biology it will be near the ocean and require hiking over sand and rocks. For Field Ecology, this may include through sand dunes, forest and/or brush. The weather can change from one day to the next, so be prepared for a range of clothing needs. It's always a good idea to have clothing that can get dirty when we are outdoors.

You can find a detailed packing list here: tinyurl.com/TRP2026PackingList. The dorm rooms can sometimes get quite warm, so we also recommend packing a small fan. UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, and Bodega Marine Laboratory require slightly different bedding and clothing so please read through the detailed packing lists based on your registration.

Accommodations at the U.C. Santa Cruz campus are student dorm-style rooms that are double or triple-occupancy. Each dorm room includes extra-long twin bunk beds, clothing storage units (e.g., dresser), desks, and chairs. Each floor has shared gender-specific bathrooms. A third gender-neutral restroom will also be available to youth who prefer that option.

Accommodations at the U.C. Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory in Bodega Bay include larger dorm-style rooms that are double-occupancy (sometimes with a bathroom, and sometimes with a shared bathroom for the floor), and a single-gender bunkhouse with eight bunk beds and multi-stall single-gender restrooms. Our program instructors are housed in the same buildings as the participants.

At U.C. Santa Cruz, meals are served in the style of a student dining room. Campus provides three cooked meals a day, and in the case of field day, a packed lunch. With prior notice, both U.C. Santa Cruz and Bodega Marine Laboratory can accommodate most dietary requirements. In addition to meals, we will also provide snacks.

At Bodega Marine Laboratory, dining services serve breakfast and dinner in a small cafeteria with a couple of selections during each meal (always including one vegetarian option), including a make-your-own sandwich and cereal station. After breakfast each day, they set up a lunch packing station for participants to make their own sack lunches. With prior notice, both U.C. Santa Cruz and Bodega Marine Laboratory can accommodate most dietary requirements. In addition to meals, we will also provide snacks.

Yes, absolutely! We plan the week to allow for plenty of unstructured teen social time throughout the day and every evening, including meeting teens from the adjacent research tracks. During these times, teens always have access to playing cards, board games, and sports equipment.

Cell coverage varies on the U.C. Santa Cruz and Bodega Marine Laboratory campuses and can be unpredictable at most of the sites visited off campus. That said, we will have Wi-Fi access at certain times, based on location and activities.

If you still have any other programming-related questions, such as schedule, staffing, content, or your teen’s needs, please email thelawrenceteens@berkeley.edu. If you are unsure of the exact nature of your inquiry then cc: lhsreg@berkeley.edu in your email.

If you still have any other registration-related questions, such as refunds, cancellations, teen self-dismissal forms, or transfers, please email lhsreg@berkeley.edu. If you are unsure of the exact nature of your inquiry then CC: thelawrenceteens@berkeley.edu in your email.