Field Researcher Shares Personal Account in Dja Forest

Nancy Jacobs, Professor of History at Brown University, Rhode Island (USA), provides a rich and personal account of practicing interdisciplinary research. On a field trip to uncover knowledge and beliefs about the African grey parrot in Cameroon, Nancy worked together with her brother (an experienced birder) and her field assistant (an ornithologist), gaining deep insights not only into science and culture, but particularly the behavior of birds and birdwatchers. Romeo Omer Kamta Tchoffo, David Jacobs, and Nancy Jacobs are based in Somolomo, Cameroon. The Congo Basin Institute located there is administered by UCLA and provides a base for ecological research in the Dja Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nancy’s research was funded by a Seed Grant from the Institute for Environment and Society at Brown University (IBES). Read her blog post here.