ABI GWYNN

I have recently completed a masters by research degree investigating the effects of forest fire on the behaviour and health of Bornean orang-utans in the Sebangau peat-swamp forest, Central Kalimantan. I am now the administration and communications officer at Borneo Nature Foundation, working to protect some of the most important areas of tropical rainforest and to safeguard the wildlife, environment, and indigenous culture on Borneo.
 
I completed my bachelor's degree in Zoology at the University of Exeter in 2018. During my time as an undergraduate student, I took the opportunity to join a biodiversity research expedition to the Rungan landscape, Central Kalimantan in collaboration with Borneo Nature Foundation. I saw first-hand the threats facing the remaining forests on Borneo and knew that I wanted to contribute to the protection of forests and the wildlife inhabiting them. My interest in primates and cognition also led me to undertake an internship after my graduation, working as a research assistant for the University of St Andrews at the Living Links to Human Evolution Research Centre where I assisted on a project studying working memory in capuchin monkeys.
 
After always being fascinated by primates and passionate about conservation, I developed a masters research project to investigate the effects of forest fires on the behaviour and health of orang-utans. In 2015, Indonesia experienced one of its worst fire events on record. I used long-term data to investigate changes in orang-utan activity budgets and physiological condition before and after the 2015 fire period. I also established an in-field parasite monitoring project to analyse faecal samples for gastrointestinal parasites in wild primates.
 
Upon completion of my masters by research, I was employed by Borneo Nature Foundation International where I am the senior development officer. My role involves developing the BNF International branch through international fundraising, financial management, partner and donor liaison, grant management, developing promotional material and many other administrative and communicative tasks.
 
Broad research interests:
Primate behaviour
Conservation
Human-wildlife interactions
Cognition
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Timeline:

2021-Current: Senior Development Officer, Borneo Nature Foundation International

2020-2021: Administration and Communications Officer, Borneo Nature Foundation International

2018-2020: MbyRes in Biological Science, University of Exeter, UK

2015-2018: BSc (Hons) in Zoology, University of Exeter, UK

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Website: https://abigwynn.wixsite.com/nomadbynature
Twitter: @abi_gwynn