Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis | Wildlife Ecology | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis | Wildlife Ecology | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis, Gullele Botanic Garden, Ethiopia

Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis is an accomplished Zoologist and Wildlife Ecologist with over 18 years of experience in biodiversity conservation, ecological research, and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) . He holds an MSc in Ecological & Systematic Zoology from Addis Ababa University and has served at institutions like Dire Dawa University, the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, and Gullele Botanic Garden 📚. Yihew has led numerous ecological assessments across Ethiopia and authored multiple scientific publications 📄. He is also an active member of BSE, ESAP, and SONA. He is fluent in Amharic, English, and Afaan Oromo

Publication Profile

Orcid

🎓 Educational Background

Mr. Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis has pursued a strong academic foundation in biological and ecological sciences . He earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biology from Debub University between September 2000 and July 2004 🧬. Advancing his expertise, he obtained a Master of Science (MSc) in Ecological & Systematic Zoology from Addis Ababa University from September 2007 to July 2009 🐾🌱. He further enhanced his professional qualifications by completing a Higher Diploma in Teacher Education at Haramaya University from September 2009 to July 2010 🎓. His education has equipped him for diverse ecological and research roles

💼 Professional Experience

Mr. Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis has extensive experience in biodiversity and ecological research . Since September 2022, he has served at Gullele Botanic Garden, Addis Ababa, developing wildlife census studies, leading national research workshops, and training students . From March 2020 to September 2022, at the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, he conducted threat analyses, socio-economic surveys, and capacity-building for conservation efforts 🌍📚. From 2006 to 2020, he was a lecturer and researcher at Dire Dawa University, teaching biology, executing biodiversity studies, and participating in environmental impact assessments 🧬🏞️. His work integrates science, education, and conservation leadership effectively.

🔬 Research Focus

Mr. Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis specializes in wildlife ecology, biodiversity conservation, and human-wildlife interactions . His research focuses on ecological assessments of elephants, birds, butterflies, and zootherapeutic species across Ethiopian habitats . He explores species composition, conservation challenges, and local community perceptions toward wildlife . He is also active in environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA) for sustainable development . His interdisciplinary work connects field ecology, local ethnobiological knowledge, and conservation strategy to promote biodiversity protection and habitat management in Ethiopia . His contributions advance ecological science and conservation policy in East Africa.

Conclusion

Mr. Yihew Biru Woldegiorgis is a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award. His profile demonstrates a balance between academic excellence, practical implementation, and policy influence in biodiversity and wildlife ecology

Publication Top Notes

  • 📘 2012 – Yihew Biru & Afework Bekele: “Food habits of African elephant (Loxodonta africana) in Babile Elephant Sanctuary, Ethiopia” – Tropical Ecology 53(1): 43‑52.

  • 🌾 2017 – Yihew Biru et al.: “Perception and attitude of pastoralists on livestock–wildlife interactions around Awash National Park, Ethiopia: implication for biodiversity conservation” – Ecological Processes 6: 13.

  • 🦜 2021 – Amare Gibru, Yihew Biru, Zelalem Temesgen & Kebebew Hunde: “A Preliminary Checklist of Birds for the Fura and Furagosa Community Based Wildlife Conservation Area…, Southern Ethiopia” – International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis 4(4): 395‑398.

  • 🌱 2021 – Woldegiorgis Y.B. & Mekonnen A.G.: “Biodiversity loss and conservation challenges in Chimit Kolla…, Ethiopia” – International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation 13(4): 214‑217.

  • 🌾 2022 – Amare Gibru & Yihew Biru: “Assessment of Bird Species Composition, Relative Abundance, and Distributions in East Gojjam Wetland Habitats, Ethiopia” – International Journal of Zoology (DOI:10.1155/2022/2802998).

  • 🐾 2022 – Biru Y., Gibru A., Temesgen Z., Hunde K. & Fekensa T.: “Zootherapeutic animals used by Awi, Gamo, and Konta communities… Ethiopia” – Asian Journal of Ethnobiology 5(2): 84‑91 (DOI:10.13057/asianjethnobiol/y050202).

  • 🦋 2022 – Gebreegziabher H., Yihew B. & Abeje K.: “Butterfly diversity and abundance at two different habitat types of Gozamen woreda…, Ethiopia” – Arthropods 11(3): 153‑163.

  • 🐦 2023 – Amare Gibru, Tadesse Hunduma, Yihew Biru & Tesfu Fekensa: “Composition and Diversity of Bird Community in the Chemoga Wetland and the Associated Human‑Modified Landscapes…, Ethiopia” – International Journal of Zoology (DOI:10.1155/2023/1342006).

  • 🦝 2025 – Yihew B. Woldegiorgis, Mekbib M. Yimbreber & Zelalem T. Assaye: “Human‑Wildlife Conflict Dynamics and Conservation Challenges in Gullele Botanic Garden, Ethiopia” – International Journal of Zoology (DOI:10.1155/ijz/3212055).

Nalina Aiempichitkijkarn | Primatology | Women Researcher Award

Dr. Nalina Aiempichitkijkarn | Primatology | Women Researcher Award

Dr. Nalina Aiempichitkijkarn, California State University, Long Beach, United States

Dr. Nalina Aiempichitkijkarn is a postdoctoral scholar at California State University, Long Beach, specializing in primate behavior and ecological research. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Behavior from the University of California, Davis, focusing on social connectedness and disease transmission in long-tailed macaques. With extensive fieldwork experience across Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Brazil, she has conducted pioneering studies on human-wildlife interactions and animal cognition. Her interdisciplinary research combines social network analysis and photogrammetry, contributing to wildlife conservation and zoonotic disease management. 🌿🐒

Publication Profile

Scopus

Google Scholar

🎓 Education

Dr. Nalina Aiempichitkijkarn holds a Ph.D. in Animal Behavior from the University of California, Davis, where she investigated tuberculosis transmission in macaques under the mentorship of Brenda McCowan. She earned an M.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Georgia, specializing in behavioral and brain sciences. Her B.Sc. in Biology, awarded with First Class Honors and a Gold Medal from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, focused on primate behavior. Her academic journey reflects a dedication to understanding the complexities of animal behavior through interdisciplinary approaches. 📚🧠

💼 Experience

Dr. Aiempichitkijkarn’s extensive research experience includes postdoctoral work at California State University, Long Beach, exploring evolutionary demography in rhesus macaques. She has led projects on tuberculosis infection among macaques in Thailand, studied human-monkey conflicts in India, and investigated robbing behaviors in macaques in Indonesia. Additionally, she has conducted fieldwork on tool use in capuchin monkeys in Brazil. Her expertise in social network analysis, field data collection, and ecological studies highlights her contributions to primatology and conservation science. 🌿🐵

🏆 Awards and Honors

Dr. Aiempichitkijkarn has received numerous awards, including the McEwan Career Development Fellowship and the prestigious DPST Scholarship. Her research excellence earned her 1st place Oral Presentation at the International Primatological Society, the Ruppenthal Student Travel Award, and the UC Davis Grad Slam 2nd place. She also secured the Leakey Foundation Research Grant and the American Society of Primatologists Research Grant. Her dedication to advancing primatology and behavioral research has been consistently recognized. 🥇🎖️

🔎 Research Focus

Dr. Aiempichitkijkarn’s research explores primate social behavior, zoonotic disease transmission, and human-wildlife interactions. Her studies on tuberculosis in long-tailed macaques use social network analysis to understand disease spread. She has investigated behavioral ecology, including tool use in capuchins and bartering behavior in macaques. Additionally, her work on evolutionary demography and noninvasive photogrammetry offers valuable insights into primate health and conservation. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges behavioral science, ecology, and epidemiology. 🐒🧬🌿

Publication Top Notes

  • 2023: “Non-invasive specimen collections for Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection in free-ranging long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis)” ​

  • 2023: “The development of expertise at cracking palm nuts by wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus)” ​ScienceDirect

  • 2022: “Impact of joint interactions with humans and social interactions with conspecifics on the risk of zooanthroponotic outbreaks among wildlife populations” ​Nature

  • 2017: “What challenges wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) in learning to crack nuts?” ​