Fieldwork Update, 1 Month (originally published 6-6-08)

Greetings (again) from the Simien Mountains! I’ve been living here at Sankebar for exactly one month (with approximately one more month of research left in my pilot study). I very much appreciate the comments from fellow students, especially concerning the fleas and suggestions for bachelor names. With respect to the bachelors, I did not use [...]

Gelada Research Project Index (originally published 5-30-08)

In honor of one of my favorite magazines, Harper’s, I have compiled an index for the gelada research project here in Simien Mountains National Park.
Days spent in Ethiopia….. 28
Days spent in SMNP….. 24
Number of tents used during stay….. 2
Average number of geladas observed each day….. 150
Average number of bachelor geladas in each bachelor group…… 4.3
Number [...]

To Kill a Flea (originally published 5-25-08)

This week’s entry continues my “series” on non-gelada animals living in the Simien Mountains. Last week I wrote about my encounters with the other primates (Papio hamadryas) living in the park and predation by leopards on the local farmers’ livestock. I suggested that a chupacabra might be responsible for the nocturnal slayings of goats and [...]

Fieldwork Update, Week 2 (originally published 5-21-08)

Hello again from the Simien Mountains. We had our first experience with hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) this past week. The hamadryas baboons do not normally live at the same altitude as the geladas (Theropithecus gelada), but instead come up from the lowlands to eat rose hips around this time every year. Unlike the geladas, who [...]

On Blogging, Research, Tenure, and More

The second part of John Hawks’ series on blogging has recently been published at his weblog here. Both blog novices and veterans will find the post informative. The first post in the series (on starting your blog) can be found here. If you are in academia (graduate school, or otherwise), and serious about science blogging, then I [...]