June 3, 2026

Another field season is approaching, accompanied by a flurry of planning and preparations. Vaccinations to get, an international driver's license to renew, research permits to apply for, a house-sitter to line up, and gear to organize. I've packed and repacked, shaving my capsule wardrobe down to a minimum to leave room for a water filtration system, bucket shower kit, mosquito net, and enough toiletries and medications to ride out whatever comes my way during three months abroad. 

The plan for this summer has evolved since my departure from Tanzania last August. I'll now be spending two months in a Swahili language immersion program in Northern Tanzania before returning to familiar territory in Southern Tanzania for several weeks of field work and partner meetings. The idea of living out of a duffel bag for so long in a country where things don't always go to plan is a bit daunting, nudging me awake in the small hours of the morning. Do I need more water purification tablets? Should I have packed that ace bandage I pulled out of the first aid kit? Will I regret not bringing my thicker field shirt?

And yet somewhere under the concerns and logistics is a simmering excitement. The anticipation of returning to a place that was like a second home. Of seeing familiar faces, and hearing the lilt of the language again. Of returning to camp, waking to the dawn-song of the bush, and smelling woodsmoke from cooking fires drifting through the Miombo woodlands. Deep down, I know that if I can just get there, I'll figure everything else out. 

This year marks a turning point in my research. With input and support from multiple advisors and collaborators, I'll be visiting a more remote part of the Ruaha-Rungwa Landscape than where I worked last summer. Initial scouting suggests this is an area where traditional livestock herders are still living alongside potentially dangerous wildlife, but communities haven't been working with NGOs to foster coexistence. Here, experiences of sharing space with large carnivores like lions, leopards, and hyenas may be more raw and emotions may run higher. 

With a compressed field season this summer - my investment in language training unfortunately comes at a cost - I've had to make some strategic decisions on what to prioritize. I will focus on renewing all of our government research approvals, figuring out lodging and travel logistics in this new region, and making contact with village leaders in a handful of affected communities with the help of a local liaison. If these leaders are willing, I hope to organize conversations to learn about the challenges they and their neighbors face in living with large carnivores, and how interested they might be in working with our team next year. 

We're currently laying the groundwork for a much longer field season in early 2027, though our plans will always be guided by the needs and willingness to participate of the affected community members themselves. We are committed to respectful engagement with local communities through a Free, Prior, and Informed Consent process, which means our work can only proceed at the speed of trust. I look forward to the initial meetings and starting to build relationships in this new landscape, where I hope to be able to engage more fluently in the often challenging conversations around wildlife management and livelihood impacts. This is truly the best part of my job, and if more language training can increase my effectiveness, it will make all of the time spent in a classroom this summer feel worth it.

To join me on this journey, you can follow along with new posts in the Field Notes blog on this website or LinkedIn. My work is currently supported by the Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence, a P.E.O. Scholar Award, and a Center for Collaborative Conservation Fellowship. I am actively fundraising for the next phase of my research, and welcome referrals to funders who are interested in supporting work on global challenges including human-wildlife conflict, poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation, and the impacts of a changing climate on all of these issues.