Baboon Survey Workshop in Tanzania

As part of Capacity Building within project 2 of the “Sociality and Health in Primates” Research Unit, a DFG funded Baboon Survey Workshop was held from November 6^th to 12^th 2016 at Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. Twelve students were trained in census techniques, providing them respective theoretical background and pratical experience. Participants came from Tanzania, Mozambique, Portugal, and Germany. Their institutional links were the College of African Wildlife Management (MWEKA), Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), and the German Primate Center. The workshop aimed to create scientific capacity in the field of wildlife research as well as it was supposed to estimate the population size of olive baboons within Lake Manyara National Park. The latter is essential for subsequent epidemological modeling as part of our study on “Behavioural determinants and cosequences of the spread of a sexually transmitted disease in wild olive baboons (Papio anubis)”.

After the introductory sessions with lectures on baboon ecology and behaviour and census techniques the workshop participants went on a bicycle ride to a nearby waterfall. All participants enjoyed the “icebreaker” pretty much.

Workshop Woman Careers Göttingen

In November 2016, the SoHaPi students organized a workshop on soft skills held by Philipp Gramlich from NaturalScience.careers (http://naturalscience.careers/en/) at the German Primate Centre (DPZ) in Göttingen. The 3 day workshop was comprised of a well-balanced mixture of knowledge transfer and interactive tasks. We learned about future career options and work-life balances, improved our presentation and small talk skills and received tips and tricks on establishing and expanding our networks.