Honorable Mention: Sandi

Photo by Connor Cane, undergraduate student, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Sandi, Kasekela chimpanzee community, Gombe National Park, Tanzania: Dr. Jane Goodall’s revolutionary scientific research on chimpanzees in Gombe National Park forever altered our understanding of primate social groups. It is an honor to work alongside Kate Detwiler, Ph.D., associate professor, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, as she continues to expand the breadth of scientific knowledge obtained from groups of Cercopithecus monkeys in this renowned habitat. During our fieldwork, which focused on photo data collection for AI/ML advances in Detwiler’s ongoing studies, we encountered “Sandi” pictured here gazing into the tree canopy. Sandi is a member of the “S” family of primates from the Kasekela chimpanzee community residing in Gombe National Park. Contributing to the legacy of scientific research at Gombe National Park is the highlight of my FAU experience. It was a true pleasure to meet Sandi in the field.