Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of biomimicry amidst the lush rainforests and diverse coral reefs of Costa Rica. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll get an up-close look at nature’s ingenuity and explore the myriad ways it can inspire innovative solutions to some of Earth’s most pressing challenges. Join us for this transformative experience as we dive into a cutting-edge professional training program that empowers change-makers around the world to create sustainable, disruptive innovations. Discover how you, too, can harness the power of nature’s genius to reshape the world for the better.
Bring your organization’s toughest challenge and discover how biological intelligence can drive cutting-edge social innovation solutions. Through six days of experience-driven and science-based discovery and leadership practice, you’ll work with interdisciplinary teams to discover how nature’s genius can foster better collaboration, create successful systems, and navigate change in complex conditions or in times of disturbance. These lessons from nature will help you lead the way to a more adaptable, resilient, cooperative, and networked world.
Who Is It For
Regardless of your familiarity with biomimicry, the workshop is for anyone who wants to re-imagine solutions to social and organizational challenges. Executive, business, non-profit, education, public policy, faith, and government leaders have used this course to change they way they tackle challenges. If you want to learn from nature to inspire new ways of doing business and begin gathering the biomimicry tools you need to elevate the way you think, work, and lead–this workshop is for you.
Where Is It
The workshop will be held at the 8,000-acre Blacktail Ranch, where Montana’s Rocky Mountains meet the prairies in a dramatic convergence of rocky cliffs and grassy hills. You’ll be inspired by the beauty and ruggedness, as well as one of the most biologically rich regions in the entire country. Accommodations include the historical lodge and cabins, and fantastic local, organic food.
You’ll join a motivated, hopeful, interdisciplinary crew of participants from around the world.
Enjoy spectacular views of mountains and sea from the lodge's outdoor classroom.
The workshop includes a deep dive into the biomimicry methodology.
Snorkel through the healthiest coral reefs of Costa Rica, and observe a great variety of marine species, many of which are in danger of extinction.
The classroom is surrounded by the jungle overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
A guided night walk will give you an entirely new perspective of the rainforest.
Deepen your understanding of Life’s Principles on a mangrove kayaking tour.
The meals at La Cusinga are always fresh, locally harvested, and delicious!
Accommodations range from shared bunk rooms to private en suite rooms to meet your budget and needs.
What To Expect
We will explore Costa Rica’s mangroves by kayak, snorkel among parrotfish in the coral reef, hike through the unique páramo and learn about the wonders of the rainforest with a local expert. Each day of our workshop is meticulously tailored to the local ecosystem, ensuring that every moment is packed with training and discovery. As we immerse ourselves in the inspiring world of biomimicry, you’ll want to clear your agenda to fully experience the beauty and brilliance of nature’s solutions.
Upon completing this immersion workshop, you will be equipped to begin integrating the practice of biomimicry into your work and life.
Our workshop experience will educate you on how to:
Identify sustainable and regenerative innovation strategies in nature
Understand functional objectives being achieved by forms, processes, and systems in nature
Recognize and use Life’s Principles—design lessons from nature—as inspiration for innovative strategies and sustainability benchmarks
Translate biological intelligence into relevant and applicable strategies and solutions
Why Join?
Strategic Edge for Climate-Resilient Solutions: Your organization demands the next big thing, and with our workshop, you can immerse yourself in nature-positive and biodiversity-centric strategies. Learn the keys to transforming the world to one where people, economics, and nature thrive.
Nature as Mentor: ‘Nature Positive’ isn’t just a buzzword. Biomimicry cuts through the noise by learning from nature to concretely create conditions conducive to life. This immersion will show you how to immediately apply these principles. Dive deep now; explore further with our extended programs.
Delve into the Heart of Biodiversity: Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Around half a million species are known to live there, which is equal to about 5% of the estimated species on Earth.
Global Network: Connect with professionals and visionary leaders alike. Their insights, combined with nature’s wisdom, can reshape how you approach challenges.
Expert Guidance: The team of biomimicry experts from Biomimicry 3.8 will guide you, ensuring you learn the most from this experience.
What can you expect to experience while you Discover Nature’s Genius in Costa Rica? Here’s a preview of what each day will include:
March 31 : Travel to San Jose, Costa Rica
April 1: Meet the group in the morning, jump on a regional plane, and head to La Cusinga Lodge on the southern coast, overlooking a spectacular landscape of mountains and sea! Settle in at the lodge and spend the afternoon getting oriented to biological wonders of the tropical rainforest and your cohort for the week.
April 2: Begin honing your observation skills of the incredible biodiversity that is Costa Rican flora and fauna, as you dive into the world of biomimicry. Delve into the mysteries of the intertidal zone, where life showcases its remarkable resilience strategies against the ebb and flow of the tides. As you explore this dynamic environment, you'll learn all about Life's Principles—a Biomimicry 3.8 tool that distills the design wisdom from nature, revealing the key strategies that enable life on Earth to survive and thrive. By engaging with these principles, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the biomimicry methodology and its potential to transform your approach to design and innovation.
April 3: Deepen your understanding of Life’s Principles on a kayaking tour through the Terraba Sierpe mangrove, which plays an important role in the protection of the Osa Peninsula. Experienced guides will lead you through winding rivers and estuaries teeming with wildlife—from caimans and crocodiles to tree boas, birds, and monkeys. Regroup back at the lodge and discuss abstracting Life’s Principles in the field.
April 4: After an early morning bird walk, assemble into small discovery teams to go deep into understanding the unique adaptations of a tropical organism of your choice. Dive into the Biomimicry Thinking methodology using biology you observed during your tropical explorations. After dinner, put on your headlamp and head out for an entirely new perspective of the rainforest during a guided night walk.
April 5: Next, are the gorgeous coral reefs and turquoise blue waters near Caño Island. During the boat ride over, we may see whales, encounter dolphins, and observe other marine animals, such as sea turtles and marine birds. Snorkel through the healthiest coral reefs of Costa Rica, and observe a great variety of marine species, many of which are in danger of extinction. Afterward, we will head by boat to the Corcovado National Park for a picnic lunch and hike in the National Park.
April 6: Spend the day with your team on a continued journey of discovery into your selected tropical organism and share with the group what you’ve learned and what ideas it has inspired. Dedicate some time to giving thanks to the wisdom found in the tropics and then get ready to celebrate the closing of the workshop with the group!
April 7: After breakfast, load up your gear onto the bus and head for the Cerro Cloud Forest for an afternoon of exploring a completely different side of Costa Rica and adaptations at high altitudes. We will stop at the Cerro Muerte Biological Station–the highest point in the Costa Rican section of the Inter-American Highway–for lunch and a guided hike through the unique páramo, a highland shrub and tussock grass habitat. End the day back in San Jose… or stay in Costa Rica to continue traveling—either way, the next biomimicry adventure awaits!
Pricing
The all-inclusive price for the workshop includes overnight accommodations for six nights; all activities during the week; delicious, locally harvested breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks; tuition and course materials; transportation from the San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) International Airport; and administration costs. A variety of accommodations are available at La Cusinga Lodge to meet your needs and budget, from bunk rooms to private en suite rooms. See photos of the rooms on La Cusinga’s website.
Participants are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) Airport and any needed lodging and transportation before and after the workshop.
All of La Cusinga’s rooms are built from sustainable reforested wood and designed for your comfort. Each room has a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean, the Ballena Marine National Park and the rainforest. Walk to the private beach, take a dip in the waterfall fed swimming hole or the swimming pool during your down time.
All rooming types are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
Shared bunk room | $4,350 These large rooms have bunk beds, a private bathroom, and a terrace. There will be a maximum of 4 people in each room.
Shared room ensuite | $4,500 These shared rooms have two queen beds and a private en suite bathroom with a balcony or patio. You can request a roommate or we will assign you a roommate of the same sex.
Private room ensuite | $4,750 These deluxe rooms provide a comfortable queen or king size bed and your own en suite bathroom and either a balcony or patio.
Scholarships & Discounts
THE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.
A limited number of partial scholarships are available. The scholarships are intended to make the workshop accessible to individuals who are early adopters, innovators, and change agents in their fields, and are excited to empower the world with nature’s genius. We especially encourage Indigenous scientists, engineers, designers, and educators to apply! The scholarship is open to applicants from anywhere in the world. The purpose of the scholarships is to build a broad and diverse cohort of participants, and the workshop leaders will award them based solely on the applicant’s answers to the application.
Scholarship applications are due December 1, 2023.
All discounts have limited availability, are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, and may not be combined.
Student Discounts:
Student discount: Enrolled university students save $250.
ASU Students: Enrolled ASU students save $500.
Registration
The registration period for this workshop is now closed.
Cancellation Policy
Deposits are non-refundable. Cancellation 6+ weeks prior to the workshop, your deposit will become a credit that you can use at a later date or transfer as a gift. Cancellation 4-6 weeks prior to the workshop, a $500 cancellation fee plus incurred expenses will be deducted from your refund amount unless your seat is filled by someone else. Less than one month from the workshop start date, no refunds are permitted, but partial credit towards a future workshop will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If the workshop is canceled for any reason by Biomimicry 3.8, workshop fees will be refunded in full.
Instructors
Brittany Jerlinga | Brittany Jerlinga regularly gets excited about mucus, misunderstood creatures, and things that go bump in the night. Holding a Masters of Arts in teaching, she has spent the last 16 years using storytelling and the arts to teach science. Brittany’s interdisciplinary, experiential approach, combined with her boundless curiosity and love of biology, has made her a cherished educator. Her course “How Nature Works” at ASU is often cited as a favorite among students. In collaboration with fellow staff at Biomimicry 3.8, Brittany’s research and storytelling skills supported a series of 6 micro-museums featured in the World Expo in Dubai. Considering herself a “connector of silos” Brittany currently inspires action with the change-makers of today’s global economy, working with clients such as Microsoft and Jacobs Engineering. Brittany is a biologist, storyteller, and educator for Biomimicry 3.8, holds a M.Sc. in Biomimicry from ASU, and is a Certified Biomimicry Professional.
Karen Allen | Karen Allen is a Certified Biomimicry Professional, biologist, and facilitator who is passionate about sharing the secrets of the natural world to inform sustainable innovations. She is a seasoned biomimicry educator, researcher, and consultant who has been practicing biomimicry on a variety of projects since 2000. An interdisciplinary science background and love of natural history help Karen translate nature’s strategies for architects, engineers, and designers. She teaches the Biology Taught Functionally and BioBrainstorm Practicum courses as Faculty for the ASU Online Master of Science in Biomimicry Program, co-created the Biomimicry Specialist Program, teaches Biomimicry Immersion Workshops, and protects and restores ecosystems, bringing a systems perspective to the practice of biomimicry.
Chris Montero | Chris Montero is a traveling naturalist. He completed most of his studies in biology, ecology, and zoology in his native Costa Rica at the Universidad de Costa Rica and the Universidad Estatal a Distancia, then completed his education at The Evergreen State College in Washington State. Professionally, he has an “amphibian” career in natural sciences and art, which has allowed him to work as an illustrator, nature guide, trip leader, and educator. He started as a scientific illustrator for the Revista de Historia Natural, Ecología y Conservación. Later, he coauthored two educational comic strips for The Tico Times, and one of his issues of “Tropical Trivia” was published in the Ranger Rick Magazine. For three years he worked as an animator, storyboard artist, and character designer for Marte Studio. He has also published wildlife coloring books, field guides, posters, and other media.Chris worked as a naturalist guide for the Organization for Tropical Studies, as a field instructor for the Sierra Institute in Belize and Guatemala, and for nine years he led trips and taught Wildlife and Conservation for National Geographic Student Expeditions in several countries. As the Outreach Coordinator for Wolf Haven International, he designed and authored diverse educational material about wolves and carnivores and served as speaker and lecturer. More recently he worked as an Education Coordinator for Mass Audubon in Massachusetts. Chris started his symbiotic relationship with Biomimicry 3.8 in 2005 as a consultant naturalist for our courses in Costa Rica, and he joined as a full-time staff member in 2022.
Convince your boss by downloading and sharing our PDF that outlines the professional benefits and values biomimicry immersion workshops can add to any organization. Download Convince Your Boss pdf here.
The three-toed sloth is a slow-moving mammal that lives in the trees of Costa Rica’s rainforests. The sloth recycles nutrients for its ecosystem by descending a tree, digging a hole, defecating and burying its waste at the base of the tree. Another way it helps the other organisms in its ecosystem? Grooved hair hosts symbiotic blue-green algae that fixes nitrogen.
boxfish
boxfish
Boxfish live among intertidal zones on Costa Rica’s coasts. These vibrant fish with a unique shape have served as inspiration for an agile, lightweight, and energy-efficient, luxury car thanks to its boxy shape, which reduces drag. Edges of the “box” inspired by the boxfish act as a keel, creating stability while minimizing energy output.
red mangroves
red mangroves
Mangroves help create immensely diverse ecosystems in Costa Rica. The red mangroves are excellent engineers, providing structural support using extensive prop roots. The trees adapt to water inundation with multiple strategies to oxygenate roots, including spongy tissue (aerenchyma) and tiny holes in prop roots (lenticels). Photo: Flickr.com | James St. John https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/
"If you're interested in biomimicry and how you might integrate this practice into your life and career, there's no better place to learn about and from nature than through Biomimicry 3.8's Costa Rica Immersion Workshop! The daily experiences and natural beauty of the tropics cannot be matched and will leave you inspired, with a (re)new-ed passion for the infinite wisdom that resides at our fingertips."
