91茄子

Sophia Rojas has been surrounded by animals this summer鈥攁nd as an aspiring conservationist, anthropologist and all-around animal lover, she wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.  

鈥淓arlier this month, I went on a two-week study abroad trip to Madagascar,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭he program is called Primatology Field Methodologies. Other 91茄子 students and I got to work at the Ihofa Vohitsara Bioreserve Center with Dr. Tim Sefczek, getting hands-on experience with local cultures, lemur observations and habitat assessments to help keep native animals safe and protected.鈥�  

Collaborating with local professionals, Husker students and faculty were specifically focusing on studying different species of lemurs, which presented some unique challenges.  

鈥淟emurs are consistently on the move, which makes them difficult to track 鈥� but that's a part of field work! It was really fascinating to watch Dr. Sefczek work with local guides to track them through the rainforest.鈥� 

Sophia's excursion to Madagascar wasn't her first adventure abroad. Last summer, she received a Gilman scholarship for a monthlong study abroad trip to South Africa, where she studied African mammals alongside Husker faculty and grad students.  

In both trips, Sophia says the collaboration has been just as valuable as the hands-on work.  

鈥淏eing immersed in the elements and working with really amazing people has solidified my love for my major and what I want to do. This community is so great.鈥� 

Even though Sophia鈥檚 done traveling for the summer, her time among animals is not. Through the experiences she鈥檚 gained, she secured an internship at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, which began only days after she returned from Madagascar.   

鈥淚 just jumped right back into it,鈥� Sophia laughed. 鈥淚鈥檓 working mostly with hooved animals from South Africa, so it鈥檚 been great to connect the experiences I鈥檝e already had studying them鈥攁nd to be around more animal-loving people like me.鈥�  

Sophia Rojas is a junior fisheries and wildlife major from Papillion, NE.