ECOTROP brings together students, researchers, and professionals from different countries for immersive field-based learning and research in Gabon. Beyond gaining practical experience, participants build international collaborations, develop new perspectives, and explore future paths in conservation, ecology, archaeology, wildlife research, and related fields.
Here, former ECOTROP participants share their experiences in Gabon and where those experiences have taken them.
Here, former ECOTROP participants share their experiences in Gabon and where those experiences have taken them.
2025 Cohort
Anika Ellis
B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Resources, West Virginia University
ECOTROP Team: Fauna
Anika graduated in May 2026 with a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources from West Virginia University. She is currently working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, conducting creel surveys to better understand wild and hatchery salmon populations.
“My experience in ECOTROP was very transformative. It was an honor working with so many professionals from the other side of the world. I learned that I have a passion for hands-on research and outdoor fieldwork. In the future, I want to pursue more international work and explore the world through its ecological and cultural diversity."
B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Resources, West Virginia University
ECOTROP Team: Fauna
Anika graduated in May 2026 with a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources from West Virginia University. She is currently working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, conducting creel surveys to better understand wild and hatchery salmon populations.
“My experience in ECOTROP was very transformative. It was an honor working with so many professionals from the other side of the world. I learned that I have a passion for hands-on research and outdoor fieldwork. In the future, I want to pursue more international work and explore the world through its ecological and cultural diversity."
Katie Fielder
B.S. Environmental Science – Ecological Restoration and Conservation, University of Nevada, Reno
ECOTROP Team: Archaeology
Katie is currently interning with the Coral Restoration Foundation in the Florida Keys. During ECOTROP, she worked with the archaeology team, an experience that helped shape her interests at the intersection of archaeology and conservation.
“My experience in Gabon was truly life-changing. I learned so much about my aspirations and confirmed my belief that I want to participate in conservation missions around the world. This experience helped me learn that I am capable of working across cultures and languages. I met inspiring people whom I still keep in touch with today and found a resilient version of myself while trekking through the rainforest.”
Inspired by her ECOTROP experience, Katie is now exploring master's programs abroad and pursuing a career that combines archaeology and conservation.
B.S. Environmental Science – Ecological Restoration and Conservation, University of Nevada, Reno
ECOTROP Team: Archaeology
Katie is currently interning with the Coral Restoration Foundation in the Florida Keys. During ECOTROP, she worked with the archaeology team, an experience that helped shape her interests at the intersection of archaeology and conservation.
“My experience in Gabon was truly life-changing. I learned so much about my aspirations and confirmed my belief that I want to participate in conservation missions around the world. This experience helped me learn that I am capable of working across cultures and languages. I met inspiring people whom I still keep in touch with today and found a resilient version of myself while trekking through the rainforest.”
Inspired by her ECOTROP experience, Katie is now exploring master's programs abroad and pursuing a career that combines archaeology and conservation.
Zoe Plute
B.S. Biology, LSU New Orleans
ECOTROP Team: Fauna
Zoe is currently a graduate student studying ornithology under Dr. Santiago Claramunt at LSU New Orleans, where she also received her bachelor's degree in Biology. She is currently working in Dr. Nicola Anthony's lab, helping process hair samples collected during ECOTROP 2025.
“Because of the many areas of study represented by the different ECOTROP teams, anyone can find their niche, like I did while conducting surveys with the bird team. ECOTROP was also a great introduction to fieldwork, and through the experience, I became much more comfortable working in the field and collecting samples on-site.
I am traveling to Ecuador in summer 2026 to collect samples for my thesis, and because of the experience I gained traveling and working internationally through ECOTROP, I feel much more confident now than I would have without it. I recommend ECOTROP to anyone who has the opportunity to apply.”
B.S. Biology, LSU New Orleans
ECOTROP Team: Fauna
Zoe is currently a graduate student studying ornithology under Dr. Santiago Claramunt at LSU New Orleans, where she also received her bachelor's degree in Biology. She is currently working in Dr. Nicola Anthony's lab, helping process hair samples collected during ECOTROP 2025.
“Because of the many areas of study represented by the different ECOTROP teams, anyone can find their niche, like I did while conducting surveys with the bird team. ECOTROP was also a great introduction to fieldwork, and through the experience, I became much more comfortable working in the field and collecting samples on-site.
I am traveling to Ecuador in summer 2026 to collect samples for my thesis, and because of the experience I gained traveling and working internationally through ECOTROP, I feel much more confident now than I would have without it. I recommend ECOTROP to anyone who has the opportunity to apply.”
Phoebe Shubin
M.S. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | B.S. Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst
ECOTROP Team: Botany
Phoebe completed her Master of Science in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is currently working as a laboratory technician in the Microbiology Department at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“As a member of ECOTROP, I was able to connect with Gabonese students and rapidly improve my French skills. I also gained valuable field experience and had the opportunity to see the incredible biodiversity of Gabonese rainforests, including beautiful sunbirds, giant okoumé trees, and colorful sphinx moths. My experience ultimately influenced me to describe several new Gabonese species of armored scale insects as part of my Master's thesis.”
M.S. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | B.S. Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst
ECOTROP Team: Botany
Phoebe completed her Master of Science in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is currently working as a laboratory technician in the Microbiology Department at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“As a member of ECOTROP, I was able to connect with Gabonese students and rapidly improve my French skills. I also gained valuable field experience and had the opportunity to see the incredible biodiversity of Gabonese rainforests, including beautiful sunbirds, giant okoumé trees, and colorful sphinx moths. My experience ultimately influenced me to describe several new Gabonese species of armored scale insects as part of my Master's thesis.”
Josephine Anderson
B.S. Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity, University of Michigan
ECOTROP Team: Fauna
Josephine is a rising senior at the University of Michigan pursuing a B.S. in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity on the pre-veterinary track. She hopes to pursue a DVM/Ph.D. focused on disease ecology and One Health, with particular interests in zoonotic diseases and interactions among humans, animals, and the environment.
“My experience in ECOTROP 2025 was truly life-changing, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of the program. It was one of the most formative experiences of my undergraduate career and showed me how much I love being in the field and collaborating with international peers and professors.”
Through ECOTROP, Josephine strengthened her French skills, learned to incorporate local knowledge into field methodologies, and developed a deeper understanding of connections among people, wildlife, and the environment in the Congo Basin.
She is now building on those research skills with Dr. Johannes Foufopoulos while completing her undergraduate honors thesis examining how livestock grazing influences tick parasitism of native vertebrates on the Cycladic Islands.
B.S. Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity, University of Michigan
ECOTROP Team: Fauna
Josephine is a rising senior at the University of Michigan pursuing a B.S. in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity on the pre-veterinary track. She hopes to pursue a DVM/Ph.D. focused on disease ecology and One Health, with particular interests in zoonotic diseases and interactions among humans, animals, and the environment.
“My experience in ECOTROP 2025 was truly life-changing, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of the program. It was one of the most formative experiences of my undergraduate career and showed me how much I love being in the field and collaborating with international peers and professors.”
Through ECOTROP, Josephine strengthened her French skills, learned to incorporate local knowledge into field methodologies, and developed a deeper understanding of connections among people, wildlife, and the environment in the Congo Basin.
She is now building on those research skills with Dr. Johannes Foufopoulos while completing her undergraduate honors thesis examining how livestock grazing influences tick parasitism of native vertebrates on the Cycladic Islands.
