Early in May, Fulbright’s East Asia Pacific Regional Travel Program awarded grant for Dr. Wendy Erb to visit New Zealand to share her research projects on Indonesian primate ecology.

Dr. Erb, a Fulbright Scholar to Indonesia, spoke at various seminar presentations at New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology, University of Auckland, and Massey University.

“This program provided me with numerous occasions to speak about my collaborative research projects on Indonesian primate ecology, behavior, and conservation as well as the impacts of human disturbance and environmental change on their populations,” she said.

Dr. Erb is currently working on a research project “Are the Long Calls of Bornean Orangutans Costly Signals of Male Health and Energy Status?,” with her host in Jakarta National University (UNAS) and Gajah Mada University (UGM) in Indonesia.

During her visit to New Zealand, Dr. Erb met with other researchers working on human and environmental issues in Indonesia. She said she was able to raise awareness about the critical need for biodiversity conservation in Indonesia.

“My hosts and I discussed future collaborations, and I am excited about the possibility of establishing new research partnerships with scholars in the East Asia Pacific region,” said Dr. Erb.

Besides sharing her research interests, the scholar said she also explored Auckland and surrounding areas, engaged in fascinating conversations about politics, history, and culture, and learned about the indigenous wildlife and people of New Zealand.

“I am deeply grateful to my incredible hosts, Dr. Sharyn Graham Davies (Associate Professor, Social Sciences, Auckland University of Technology), Dr. Nicholas Malone (Senior Lecturer, Anthropology, The University of Auckland), and Dr. Weihong Ji (Senior Lecturer, Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University) as well as the faculty and students who made my visit a lot of fun and a great success!”