The Field School in Tropical Ecology (ECOTROP) is pleased to announce
a National Science Foundation supported four-week summer field course
in tropical ecology and conservation. This field course will be held
in Gabon, Central Africa, and will focus on examining the effects of
past human settlements on forest ecology and biodiversity. This field
research opportunity is open to U.S. students at both the undergraduate
and graduate level and will provide hands on mentorship in a variety
of disciplines: archaeology, environmental anthropology, geosciences,
botany and wildlife biology. On-line preparatory courses and language
training will be held two months prior to the start of field work in
Gabon. Overseas field work will be from mid-June to mid-July 2026. Please
see the website: www.ecotropgabon.org

Application deadline: February 1st, 2026. Applications can be submitted
at the following website: https://www.uno.edu/studyabroad/gabon

Requirements:

  * Must be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the
    United States
  * Must currently be registered as an undergraduate or graduate
    student, with a minimum GPA of 2.5
  * One semester of sophomore level ecology, evolutionary biology or
    relevant discipline (e.g. geosciences, anthropology or
    environmental science)
  * Preferably one semester of college-level French
  * Hold or are willing to apply for a valid passport
  * Enjoy working in a multi-cultural setting and learning new skills
  * Able to camp and work under physically strenuous conditions

Prior to departure, student participants will be given eight weeks
of preparatory online classes in (a) the French language and (b)
the fundamental concepts of conservation sciences relevant to this
project. Students will then spend one month in Gabon and will work
collaboratively with their Gabonese student counterparts and international
mentors in the development of team research projects in one or more
disciplines.  Beyond the classroom, this will foster cultural exchange
while allowing students to experience the breathtaking beauty and diverse
wildlife of Gabon's rainforests.

Classroom and field instruction will be given by scientists from
collaborating institutions including: the University of New Orleans,
The University of Michigan, the Université des Sciences et Techniques de
Masuku, the University of Omar Bongo, the Gabonese National Park Service,
the University of Lausanne, as well as the French Research Institute
for Development and the Agricultural Research Center for Sustainable
Development. On returning to the U.S., a series of professional
development workshops will be organized to provide guidance in future
career development and networking opportunities.

This overseas research training opportunity is currently funded through
the National Science Foundation's International Research Experiences for
Students (OISE 2420103) and is coordinated in the US by PI Nicola Anthony
(University of New Orleans) and co-PI Johannes Foufopoulos (University of
Michigan). Costs for all travel and in-country expenses will be provided
by the program as well as an eight-week student stipend for summer 2026.

Sincerely,

Nicola Anthony
Professor  and Freeport-McMoRan Chair in Wildlife Sustainability
Department of Biological Sciences
University of New Orleans
New Orleans LA 70148
Email: (nanthony@uno.edu)

Johannes Foufopoulos
Associate Professor
School for Environment & Sustainability
Dana Building
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor MI 48109
Email: jfoufop@umich.edu

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