University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Recognition

As a child, my parents introduced me to the wonders of Africa and its magnificent wildlife while on safari in Botswana and South Africa (my home country). This experience ignited a lifelong passion to learn as much as possible about the natural world and how to protect it. I read Cry of the Kalahari as a teenager, and it showed me that studying and protecting animals could be more than just a hobby, it could be a career path too. As it turns out, I didn't end up living in a tent in the Kalahari surrounded by lions as I originally dreamed I would! But this book nevertheless convinced me of the value of science: wherever possible, research should enhance understanding of the biology of a species and promote its preservation. This message continues to inspire me and my (sadly lab-bound!) research today.