On a recent trip to Madagascar, Dr. Erik Patel, LCF Conservation & Research Director, attended the 56th Annual Congress of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC2019) and had the surprise and pleasure of seeing Thomas Kelly, who recently interned at our reserve. We’re delighted that Thomas provided us with this update about his career path.
“I worked as a Primate Husbandry Intern at LCF in the summer of 2018. I absolutely loved my time there and made friends and memories that will last a lifetime. The experience also opened many doors for me. Recently, I was accepted to the Ecology and Evolution Master’s Program at Stony Brook University and I am super excited to start. I will be working in the Pat Wright Lab and will focus my Master’s project on the Ecology and Behavior of Milne-Edward’s Sifaka in the Ranomafana Rainforest. I am actually writing this in Madagascar as I had the privilege to attend ATBC2019 from July 30 to August 3. I was also able to stay at the Centre Val Bio in the Ranomafana Rainforest after the conference in order to assist with data collection and hike the various trails of the Ranomafana National Park.
To say that these things could not have happened without LCF is an understatement. The experience I gained by working with the various lemur species at the reserve and all the life history aspects of them, not only prepared me for my future as a graduate student, but inspired me to pursue a career in field research. I hope to make it back to LCF soon to thank all the people who helped me get where I am today and, of course, to visit all my favorite lemurs!”