One Frond at a Time: The Transformative Journey of an OTS Ambassador
By Cristopher Jiménez-Orozco
As part of our ongoing spotlight on OTS alumni, we reached out to Cristopher Jiménez-Orozco—an undergraduate biology student at Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo and a proud OTS Ambassador.
We asked Cristopher a few questions about his experience with OTS. His responses are filled with warmth, humor, and insight—offering a vivid portrait of how field-based tropical education can truly transform a life.
What made you decide to do an OTS program?
My first encounter with the name Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) aligned perfectly with one of the most defining moments of my journey as an early-career plant systematist. In 2018, the Jardín Botánico Nacional Dr. Rafael M. Moscoso of the Dominican Republic hosted a workshop on fern identification led by researchers from the University of Vermont (VT). That was where I met my professor and dear friend, Susan Fawcett—then a Ph.D. student at VT working on Thelypteridaceae—and the person who, without knowing it, became my guiding light, my mentor, my inspiration: Wes Testo.
Wes was unlike anyone I had met before—an extraordinary young pteridologist with a brilliant mind and a kindness that left a mark on everyone he met. Profe Wes, I owe you so much. Thank you for helping me see myself, for answering my endless fern questions, and, most of all, for believing in that Cristopher—still so young, still so full of wonder.
Susan and Wes—both OTS alumni—shared stories of their botanical expeditions across the tropics, from Colombia to Costa Rica. Listening to them was like catching a glimpse of the life I longed for. At my alma mater, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), field courses didn’t exist. In fact, the ecology and plant systematics syllabus were almost entirely theoretical—an approach that did little to prepare students for real-world tropical biology. I was desperate for the kind of hands-on experience where the forest itself becomes the classroom, where I could connect with researchers and students beyond my own borders. I knew I had to leave my country to make it happen, which only made the idea even more exhilarating.
In 2022, while preparing my application for one of the most legendary plant systematics programs in North America, “Tropical Botany” at Florida International University (FIU), Susan sent me a flyer announcing that applications were open for the OTS course Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes. “Apply, Cris!” she said.
I was instantly drawn in by the program’s incredible curriculum, its top-tier facilities, and the world-class faculty leading it. The more I read about OTS, the more enchanted I became. Its prestigious courses, its historical research stations, and the groundbreaking contributions to tropical biology that had been born there—giants like Alwyn Gentry, Daniel Janzen, and Leslie Holdridge had left their mark in those same forests. Walking through OTS felt like stepping into a piece of that history.
I was overwhelmed with emotions—excitement, fear, anticipation. Would I belong there? Was I ready? Applying to such demanding graduate-level programs while still an undergraduate felt daunting. Overthinking had caught me off guard—the deadline for the ferns course had already passed! But on the OTS website, I found an amazing catalog of field-based courses, and “Tropical Plant Systematics 2022” was accepting applications. I started filling it out, but doubt kept creeping in. I left it untouched for days.
Then, out of nowhere, an email arrived from Pablo Muñoz, OTS’s education coordinator, encouraging me to complete my submission. —Pablito, thank you for not letting me fall behind. I’m so grateful—truly, I love you!
A month later, my acceptance letters for Tropical Botany at FIU and Tropical Plant Systematics at OTS arrived. Even now, the memory makes my skin tingle. I spent two months immersed in plant taxonomy, learning in a course taught for nearly 35 years by the incredible Walter Judd, and just two weeks later, I packed my bags and set off for OTS—where the most daring, life-changing adventure of my journey across the tropics began.
OTS showed me the way to that safe place where the best version of myself resides. There, my passion for bryophytes and ferns grew exponentially, expanding in ways I never imagined. If your heart seeks an intense immersion into cutting-edge research approaches in tropical biology—and beyond—this is an experience, you cannot afford to miss.
Do you have a favorite moment from your OTS experiences?
What a difficult task! So many memories are imprinted on my heart from my time exploring the OTS stations’ trails. Climbing the observation tower at Las Cruces, crossing that great bridge at La Selva at midday, or walking along the wetland’s pier at Palo Verde as the sunset—each of these moments brought unforgettable academic and social experiences. I will highlight a few experiences that meant everything to me during my time in Tropical Plant Systematics, Tropical Ecology and Conservation, and Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes.
A daily immersion in field biology: I was continuously and intensely exposed to hands-on experiences. The countless hours spent in the field, observing plants in their habitats, witnessing their interactions, and questioning everything about their biology alongside brilliant students and professors will stay with me forever. That deep connection with the forest allowed me to develop a holistic way of seeing the natural history of organisms. But it wasn’t just about absorbing information until we were overwhelmed—there, among the forest clearings, the mud, the insect bites, the rain, and the sounds of wildlife, we had the privilege of sharing our stories, our dreams, our laughter, our sorrows, and, above all, our love for life. Thinking about this always recalls a quote from the incredible Robbin Moran: “A thing you have to do in life—being with a group of like-minded people in a beautiful place”.
Leaving my comfort zone: OTS challenged me in every possible way. That is the OTS effect—it pushes you to your limits and expands your horizons beyond imagination. Tropical Ecology and Conservation 2023 was especially meaningful for me because I was forced to take off my plant systematist’s coat and embrace a more holistic vision of tropical biology. In my group of 20 students, only three of us were botanists; we were surrounded by mammalogists, ornithologists, herpetologists, and landscape ecologists. The faculty led fascinating research on spiders, leafcutter ants, poison dart frogs, paramo hummingbirds, and large carnivorous mammals. At first, doubts and fears accompanied us as we embarked on our projects, but the support of our peers and professors made all the difference. It was a terrific learning experience! We realized that exploring our tropical forests as a whole is truly the best way to understand and protect them.
Fantastic plants and where to find them: OTS stations are a paradise for anyone interested in tropical plant research. For me, crossing that bridge or wandering through the Wilson Garden meant that my “must-see plants before I leave this Earth” list was about to shrink a little. Some of these plants I had only seen in dreams or as digitized herbarium specimens. And I must warn you—all of them were ferns! The giant Angiopteris evecta at Las Cruces, the iridescent blue of Elaphoglossum herminierii, and…—Gosh! —Elaphoglossum amygdalifolium at La Selva, the best birthday gift ever, profe Aleja!
Eddie, I had walked those trails so many times during other OTS courses, searching for ferns or bryophytes, but for some reason, I had never taken the time to observe their gametophytes. Thank you for helping me truly understand plants. I promise I will search for fern gametophytes forever. I just love you, and I am grateful to have met you.
Red threads of fate: “an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstances”. That quote comes to mind every time I think about OTS and the profound impact it has had on my life. I could spend hours talking about the projects or the exhilarating things I learned about systematics, ecology, and evolution during my courses, but what truly matters to me are the souls and hearts I connected with at OTS—people who entered my life to fill it with light and color. I feel incredibly lucky to have met such brilliant, kind, and generous individuals. Today, I consider them my family, my “hermanos,” my “academic papas.”
You are my OETEACEAE family, the polyphyletic group that every phylogenetic systematist would envy: Alex, Olivia, Sofi, Mary, Vivi, Daniela, Santi, Gian Carlos, David, Ivan, Lourguis, Ana, Annie, Yana, Cata, Victor, Vero, Guille, Nico, Luci, Eddie, Aleja, Jacob, Nicotica, Ro, Vali, Gabi, Juli, Vicky, Quim, Maleja, Angie, Dani, Cami, Fran, Karla, Sebas, Leo, Belkis, Pablo, Caro, Nati, Florale, Fede, Lau, Jeffrey, Juliana, Pat, Edgar, Monique, Ary, Daniela (Tica), Francia, Stepha, Mauricio, Alvaro…Thank you for everything—for sharing your knowledge, for taking care of me, and for embracing me! I hope that the invisible red thread that tied us to the tropics will keep us connected forever. I love you all!
What research have you participated in/done with OTS?
Throughout my courses, I was involved in various projects: bryophyte thermotolerance, visual memory in bees, liana ecology in dry forests, frog personality, spatial memory in hummingbirds, microclimate ecology, the biology of the fern Mickelia nicotianifolia, among others. Quite an unusual path for a botanist, but the goal was to step out of my comfort zone and learn how to develop research based on natural history observations from a fresh, holistic perspective.
I particularly enjoyed the animal behavior projects. Running our spatial learning experiments and getting La Selva’s blue-jean frogs to navigate the mazes was a real challenge—one that turned out to be incredibly fun!
Do you have a favorite research project you have worked on with OTS?
The capstone project we developed in the Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes 2025 course focused on the biology of the fern Mickelia nicotianifolia at La Selva Biological Station. We spent hours observing gametophytes and sporophytes in the field, gathering as much life history data as possible. It was a beautiful example of how powerful and insightful collaborative science can be—we built a massive dataset in just a few days through a systematic group effort. It also reinforced that field research doesn’t always require sophisticated equipment; sometimes, all it takes is careful observation and asking the right questions.
We were eager to understand Mickelia nicotianifolia’s life form—whether it was a hemiepiphyte, a climber, or both. We also questioned how its gametophytes were established and whether its leaf development, given its heroblastic traits, correlated with its growth habit. We observed that terrestrial individuals typically had simple or sparsely divided leaves, whereas climbing individuals displayed 1 pinnate fronds. Interestingly, fertile leaves tended to be more divided and were mostly produced by climbing individuals, though we also found them in terrestrial ones. I nearly cried when I stumbled upon a simple, fully fertile frond growing in the understory!
We learned so much—not only about making detailed natural history observations but also about collecting whole-plant allometric measurements, particularly anatomical and foliar traits, in the lab. Studying gametophytes—one of the most overlooked phases of a plant’s life cycle—was thrilling. Ironically, I’ve lived by the mantra “one gametophyte at a time” since I also studied bryophytes, yet I had never truly embraced it. I was blind to fern gametophytes until Eddie showed us just how crucial this stage is for understanding what truly means to be a plant. Gametophytes are everything!
What would you tell a prospective student thinking about taking an OTS course?
OTS will probably be the most intense and transformative academic experience of your journey. Its groundbreaking field-based programs are designed to push you beyond your limits, help you recognize areas for growth, and maximize your strengths. At OTS, you’ll learn how to navigate the unexpected and embrace the reality that, in the field, things rarely go exactly as planned. The practical and analytical skills you’ll gain will stay with you throughout your career, and you’ll be exposed to a world-class academic community. During my courses, I had the joy of meeting some of my heroes in my field—Profe Aleja Vasco, you are truly inspiring, you are Elaphoawesome, and I adore you! Learning from them was nothing short of breathtaking.
Get ready for mud, humidity, rain, insect bites, megadiverse ecosystems, highly dynamic cultural contexts, and the warm embrace of a community whose heart beats for the tropics. Give yourself the chance to embrace discomfort and connect deeply with your peers and professors. You’ll be amazed at how quickly time flies, and before you know it, you’ll be walking toward the airport, wishing you had hugged your new family just a little longer. So, make every day count! Take plenty of photos, keep detailed notes of everything happening around you, immerse yourself in nature, in the echo of life, and become one with your mates—listen to their stories, cherish them. I promise you won’t regret it!
Personally, saying goodbye was hard. Even now, when I close my eyes, my spirit is still wandering among the ferns growing in the forest behind the bridge that connects our hearts to the tropics. Being touched by OTS is a life-changing experience. So go for it—be an OTS student!
Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences with OTS?
At first, the pace may feel overwhelming, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly you adapt. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, to face uncertainty, or to navigate the ups and downs—they will teach you more than you can imagine. Trust your instincts completely. Lean on your classmates and professors—they are there for you and will be your greatest strength. The goal is to learn in a safe, fun, and intellectually stimulating environment.
What are your future career goals?
I am determined to keep discovering the truths of life “one frond at a time”. I want to pursue a Ph.D. in Plant Biology, working with the fern genus that stole my heart—Elaphoglossum. It is a taxonomically challenging group that still requires a great deal of work. In the biogeographic context of the Antilles, I aspire to elucidate its diversification patterns and develop systematic treatments for all the species that occur in the archipelago. I also want to continue the taxonomic studies of the bryophytes of my home island, Hispaniola.
In the future, I hope to return to OTS to contribute to its legacy—to inspire and mentor others with the same passion, dedication, and commitment that shaped my own journey. I want to make a lasting impact on the next generation of OTS students, just as my mentors did for me.
Cristopher’s journey reminds us why we do what we do. His story is not only a testament to the transformative power of hands-on tropical education, but also a celebration of the deep connections—scientific, personal, and emotional—that form in the field. Through resilience, curiosity, and community, Cristopher embodies the spirit of OTS and the legacy of those who came before him.
To all aspiring students, researchers, and mentors: may this story inspire you to follow your own red threads—to the ferns, the forests, and the people who will change your life.
We can’t wait to welcome the next generation of explorers, just like Cristopher, to our OTS family.