Olivia Matise (SEBS 20') spent a month in Indonesia this summer with Rutgers Study abroad, learning Primate Behavior and Forest Ecology. The program, run by Rutgers anthropology professor Dr. Vogel and her undergraduate researcher, Rebecca Brittain, provided once-in-a-lifetime exposure to on-site wildlife research in the jungles of Borneo and Java, as well as an immersive experience of Indonesian culture. Olivia and her 12 other classmates were able to observe wild Bornean orangutan behavior, including interactions between mothers and their children, and male and female adult orangutans. They also sighted red leaf monkeys, Bornean and Javan gibbons, wild boars, monitor lizards, and many awesome birds, insects, and other animals. Olivia's most notable experiences were having a tree branch knocked onto her head by a flanged male orangutan, and experiencing her first earthquake. She encourages all Rutgers students to look into studying abroad or to find a hands-on/immersive opportunity relating to their interest.
