Hi explorers! My name is Ryan Helcoski and I am a PhD student at Utah State University. I recently received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program research grant to travel to South Africa and study the ecological impacts of big dead elephant bodies on the environment. These are elephants that have died of natural causes, and it's sometimes surprising to see how a massive amount of nutrients (technically called a terrestrial megacarcass) can change the way other living organisms interact with that environment. Cameras, bone fields, hyenas, and (of course) elephants are a big part of my everyday field work. I am working with scientists at the University of Mpumalanga to better answer the question: What happens when elephants die? The answer may surprise you!
Before I came to South Africa, I worked in Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Indonesia and India on various projects. I was an intern and field technician with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, mostly in dendrochronology (determining how old things are by studying the growth ring patterns on trees). I also taught high school science at the Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Baltimore, Maryland! I'm very excited to take you into the field with me in South Africa and show you what it's like to be a research ecologist. Let's go!
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
