UK Expedition team members
Rachel Blow
Expedition Leader
Rachel acted as expedition leader for the Tampolo Expedition, with a secondary role as assistant medical officer after a basic First Aid Training course. She is a graduate from Newcastle University, with an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in Zoology. Previous expedition experience includes a research expedition to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to study the iguana population and the potential impacts of tourism, urbanization, and invasive species on their natural behaviour, body condition, and diet. Previous scientific research experience includes: an independent research dissertation on the effects of diet on tawny owl fledging success; independent field research on the Isle of Cumbrae, studying eider duck behaviour; and carrying out bird abundance surveys at Washington Wetlands Centre (WWT) as a volunteer surveyor. Qualified in Emergency First Aid and has an intermediate level of spoken and written French. She currently volunteers as a STEM Ambassador in the Oxfordshire area, and is hoping to advance in a career in ecological field research.
Expedition Leader
Rachel acted as expedition leader for the Tampolo Expedition, with a secondary role as assistant medical officer after a basic First Aid Training course. She is a graduate from Newcastle University, with an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in Zoology. Previous expedition experience includes a research expedition to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to study the iguana population and the potential impacts of tourism, urbanization, and invasive species on their natural behaviour, body condition, and diet. Previous scientific research experience includes: an independent research dissertation on the effects of diet on tawny owl fledging success; independent field research on the Isle of Cumbrae, studying eider duck behaviour; and carrying out bird abundance surveys at Washington Wetlands Centre (WWT) as a volunteer surveyor. Qualified in Emergency First Aid and has an intermediate level of spoken and written French. She currently volunteers as a STEM Ambassador in the Oxfordshire area, and is hoping to advance in a career in ecological field research.
Jessica Fisher
Scientific Researcher
Jess took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist, with some role as medical officer after a 2 day ITC Outdoor First Aid certificate. Before graduating with 1st Class Honours in Zoology from Newcastle University (2013), Jess lead an Expedition to the US Virgin Islands researching human impacts on green iguanas (2012), following a research scholarship received from the University. The teams have spoken at public lectures and appeared at conferences discussing their Expeditions and disseminating results. Previous to this, Jess was selected to take part in a field course run by the Zoological Society of London in Mongolia on ecological monitoring and biodiversity techniques. In 2010 Jess worked on a conservation program focusing on invasive species on the Galapagos Islands, and at an animal rescue centre in Ecuador. In addition, she has volunteered with Greenpeace, Wildlife and Countryside Link policy umbrella body, and the IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Group. She currently works at London Zoo and volunteers with the Natural History Museum Terrestrial Invertebrates, before undertaking a partXfunded MRes at UCL in September 2014.
Scientific Researcher
Jess took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist, with some role as medical officer after a 2 day ITC Outdoor First Aid certificate. Before graduating with 1st Class Honours in Zoology from Newcastle University (2013), Jess lead an Expedition to the US Virgin Islands researching human impacts on green iguanas (2012), following a research scholarship received from the University. The teams have spoken at public lectures and appeared at conferences discussing their Expeditions and disseminating results. Previous to this, Jess was selected to take part in a field course run by the Zoological Society of London in Mongolia on ecological monitoring and biodiversity techniques. In 2010 Jess worked on a conservation program focusing on invasive species on the Galapagos Islands, and at an animal rescue centre in Ecuador. In addition, she has volunteered with Greenpeace, Wildlife and Countryside Link policy umbrella body, and the IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Group. She currently works at London Zoo and volunteers with the Natural History Museum Terrestrial Invertebrates, before undertaking a partXfunded MRes at UCL in September 2014.
Donna Wintersgill
Scientific Researcher
Donna took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. She has travelled the globe working alongside many conservation charities such as the African Wildlife Foundation. At university she studied Zoology and was a member of an independent research project to the Virgin Islands to study the impact of tourism on the green iguana. Both expeditions received external funding and Donna has since taken part in multiple public speaking events and workshops at the Royal Geographical Society, during vital results dissemination. Since her return from Madagascar has undertaken an internship in research and development at an environmental NGO, she hopes that her future will hopefully lead into the conservation charity sector.
Scientific Researcher
Donna took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. She has travelled the globe working alongside many conservation charities such as the African Wildlife Foundation. At university she studied Zoology and was a member of an independent research project to the Virgin Islands to study the impact of tourism on the green iguana. Both expeditions received external funding and Donna has since taken part in multiple public speaking events and workshops at the Royal Geographical Society, during vital results dissemination. Since her return from Madagascar has undertaken an internship in research and development at an environmental NGO, she hopes that her future will hopefully lead into the conservation charity sector.
Camilla Blasi Foglietti
Scientific Researcher
Camilla took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. She graduated in Zoology from Newcastle University with 1st Class Honours in 2013. She previously worked alongside the Centre for Research of Marine Mammals (CRiMM) in Italy, following the pattern of distribution of dolphin populations as a consequence of anthropogenic impacts. She also helped in the planning of educational workshops with the aim of increasing awareness towards conservation issues. Further to this she has volunteered for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), carrying out bird abundance surveys, and at the Great North Museum in Newcastle, inputting data from ecological surveys and mapping species’ distributions. After the expedition she joined the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (Atree, India) as an intern, following policy and practice of nature conservation and sustainable development. Her main interest is, in fact, to focus on how social development and political economy issues are essential to approach, understand, and implement conservation measures and actions. In October 2014 she is going to undertake an MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at Imperial College London.
Scientific Researcher
Camilla took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. She graduated in Zoology from Newcastle University with 1st Class Honours in 2013. She previously worked alongside the Centre for Research of Marine Mammals (CRiMM) in Italy, following the pattern of distribution of dolphin populations as a consequence of anthropogenic impacts. She also helped in the planning of educational workshops with the aim of increasing awareness towards conservation issues. Further to this she has volunteered for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), carrying out bird abundance surveys, and at the Great North Museum in Newcastle, inputting data from ecological surveys and mapping species’ distributions. After the expedition she joined the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (Atree, India) as an intern, following policy and practice of nature conservation and sustainable development. Her main interest is, in fact, to focus on how social development and political economy issues are essential to approach, understand, and implement conservation measures and actions. In October 2014 she is going to undertake an MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at Imperial College London.
Rachel Cornfoot
Scientific Researcher
Rachel took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. She graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Biology. Her previous experience includes field research on the Isle of Cumbrae, collecting samples of Beadlet sea anemones and investigating their behaviours and morphology in the lab as well as assessing the productivity and species richness of grassland sites in Northumberland. She has also successfully completed a British bird and plant ID course. She currently works for the North Yorksire Country Council and is looking for a future career in a similar field.
Scientific Researcher
Rachel took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. She graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Biology. Her previous experience includes field research on the Isle of Cumbrae, collecting samples of Beadlet sea anemones and investigating their behaviours and morphology in the lab as well as assessing the productivity and species richness of grassland sites in Northumberland. She has also successfully completed a British bird and plant ID course. She currently works for the North Yorksire Country Council and is looking for a future career in a similar field.
Madagascar Expedition Team Members
Herman Anciet
Scientific Researcher
Herman took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. He has a BSc in ecology from the Centre Ecologique de Libanona (CEL) in Fort Dauphin and is now studying ecology at ISSDDX GRENE University in Tamatave. He has also previously worked as an assistant at a Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology lab. His previous research experience includes acting as a translator for a social science project (Operation Wallacea 2012) as well as carrying out forest inventories, for the same project. He has also carried out research for an ecological project, on the abundance of herpetofauna and avifauna in the Ifotaka forest (Project Kobokara 2011 X http://projectkobokara.wordpress.com).
Scientific Researcher
Herman took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. He has a BSc in ecology from the Centre Ecologique de Libanona (CEL) in Fort Dauphin and is now studying ecology at ISSDDX GRENE University in Tamatave. He has also previously worked as an assistant at a Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology lab. His previous research experience includes acting as a translator for a social science project (Operation Wallacea 2012) as well as carrying out forest inventories, for the same project. He has also carried out research for an ecological project, on the abundance of herpetofauna and avifauna in the Ifotaka forest (Project Kobokara 2011 X http://projectkobokara.wordpress.com).
Robert Gre du Haut
Scientific Researcher
Rob took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. He has a BACC (+3) in Environmental Management from CEL. In 2008 he acted as a guide, interpreter and facilitator for a UK student’s “World Challenge” project in the New Protected Area of Ifotaka, in the region of Amboasary Sud. In 2009 he took part in a socioeconomic study, investigating the impacts of the implementation of the New Protected Area of BeharaXTranomaro, also within the Amboasary Sud region. He then went onto lead the implementation of a reforestation and foodX provisioning programme, which was supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), MIARO Association and the World Food Program (WFP). In 2010 he acted as a botanist and social researcher for a study by the WWF on carbon, both within the Protected Area of Ranomafa in Fort Dauphin and the Ankodida spiny forest in Amboasary Sud. In 2011 he was in charge of communications for a Conservation Leadership Program (CLP) project and was a botanist and social researcher for a study on the impact of a bauxite mine in Manantenina, Fort Dauphin, run by Mirror Office Study. In 2012 he was a social researcher for an investigation concerning the creation of a global urban development plan for the Taolagnaro commune, by the UKTUS design department, Antananarivo. He then went onto be a mapping technician, zoning the Ifotaka District in Amboasary Sud. In 2013 he took part in an Operation Wallacea expedition, as a scientific researcher, studying the vegetation of the Ifotaka New Protected Area. Since the Tampolo Expedition he has been: a scientific researcher for a SAVAIVO and UNICEFXled project; a research assistant for a School for Internation Training (SIT) project on vegetation and lemurs in Saint Luce coastal forest, Fort Dauphin; a research assistant for another SIT project on the vegetation in the Tsitongambarika rainforest, Fort Dauphin; and is currently carrying out research on the physiology and metabolism of Sportive lemurs in Berenty private reserve with the James Cook University, Australia.
Scientific Researcher
Rob took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. He has a BACC (+3) in Environmental Management from CEL. In 2008 he acted as a guide, interpreter and facilitator for a UK student’s “World Challenge” project in the New Protected Area of Ifotaka, in the region of Amboasary Sud. In 2009 he took part in a socioeconomic study, investigating the impacts of the implementation of the New Protected Area of BeharaXTranomaro, also within the Amboasary Sud region. He then went onto lead the implementation of a reforestation and foodX provisioning programme, which was supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), MIARO Association and the World Food Program (WFP). In 2010 he acted as a botanist and social researcher for a study by the WWF on carbon, both within the Protected Area of Ranomafa in Fort Dauphin and the Ankodida spiny forest in Amboasary Sud. In 2011 he was in charge of communications for a Conservation Leadership Program (CLP) project and was a botanist and social researcher for a study on the impact of a bauxite mine in Manantenina, Fort Dauphin, run by Mirror Office Study. In 2012 he was a social researcher for an investigation concerning the creation of a global urban development plan for the Taolagnaro commune, by the UKTUS design department, Antananarivo. He then went onto be a mapping technician, zoning the Ifotaka District in Amboasary Sud. In 2013 he took part in an Operation Wallacea expedition, as a scientific researcher, studying the vegetation of the Ifotaka New Protected Area. Since the Tampolo Expedition he has been: a scientific researcher for a SAVAIVO and UNICEFXled project; a research assistant for a School for Internation Training (SIT) project on vegetation and lemurs in Saint Luce coastal forest, Fort Dauphin; a research assistant for another SIT project on the vegetation in the Tsitongambarika rainforest, Fort Dauphin; and is currently carrying out research on the physiology and metabolism of Sportive lemurs in Berenty private reserve with the James Cook University, Australia.
Raymond Steve Gerard Andriatahinijanahary
Scientific Researcher
Steve took part in the Tampolo Expedition as a research scientist. He has a BSc in ecology from CEL. In 2008 he did an internship with WWF Tulear, carrying out groundXtruthing of ecological zones and creating an inventory of vegetation in the spiny forest within the Tulear region. In 2009 he worked for a Japanese NGO, in Croix du Sud (Fort Dauphin) as a photographer and interviewer for research about medicinal plants. In 2010, he was working in a New Protected Area in the Tandroy region, South Madagascar, primarily gathering research for his dissertation – making an inventory of vegetation and its uses – but also working as a research assistant for a Brighton University Expedition. He then went onto assist a student from the School of International Training (SIT) as a translator, for her independent study project in the Andohahela National Park on the local viewpoints on conservation and development. Steve has also volunteered with an NGO called “Hope for Madagascar” to help improve education and rural development in the South of Madagascar and with Barry Ferguson (Operation Wallacea) to assist British dissertation students with Sifaka research. Since the expedition, Steve has been a research assistant for a PhD researcher (James Cook University) and a MSc researcher (Hanbourg University) on their projects concerning Lepilemur metabolism and physiognomy in the private reserve of Berenty in the South. He is currently working as a research assistant for a project on fuelXwood and charcoal plantations in the NorthX West of the island (Blue Ventures) and will soon be leaving Madagascar for the United States, where he hopes to continue his studies in ecology.