Sylvain Nyandwi
Program: Human Paleobiology Ph.D.
Year Entered GW Program: 2017
Advisor: Carson Murray
2015-2017: Primate Enrichment Technician. Promoting captive primate welfare by implementing social introductions, collecting behavioral data, conducting data analysis and leading the journal club, Tulane National Primate Research Center.
2014: Master’s thesis: “Influence of Seasonal Variation and Anthropogenic Activities on Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Nesting Behavior in Gishwati National Park, Rwanda.”
2010-2011: Research Manager. Habituation and identification of chimpanzees, collection of data on feeding ecology, social behavior, crop raiding behavior, and tree phenology, Great Ape Trust of Iowa/Gishwati Area Conservation Program, Rubavu, Western Province, Rwanda.
2008-2010: Research Assistant. Collecting data on chimpanzee nesting behavior, anthropogenic activity in the forest, chimpanzee fecal diet sampling, and chimpanzee virus and parasite sampling, Great Ape Trust of Iowa/Gishwati Area Conservation Program, Rubavu, Western Province, Rwanda.
2008: Intern, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Northern Province, Rwanda: Behavioral data collection and monitoring of gorillas and other large mammals in Volcanoes National Park.
I am broadly interested in primate conservation and behavioral ecology. In particular, I am interested in assessing the impact of habitat fragmentation to female chimpanzee behavior and reproduction in Rwandan forest fragments.
2016 Chancellor, R. L., Rundus, A. S., & Nyandwi, S. Chimpanzee seed dispersal in a montane forest fragment in Rwanda. American Journal of Primatology, 9999, 1-8.
2015 Rundus, A. S., Fitzgerald, T., Biemuller, R., Ngov, T., DeLong, K & Nyandwi, S. Age-related plasticity in male mate choice decisions by Schizocosa retrorsa wolf spiders. Animal Behaviour, 107, 233-238.
2012 Chancellor, R. L., Rundus, A. S., & Nyandwi, S.. The influence of seasonal variation on chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) fallback food consumption, nest group size, and habitat use in Gishwati, a montane rainforest fragment in Rwanda. International Journal of Primatology, 33, 115-133.
M.A. in General psychology, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 2014
B.S. in Biology & Conservation, National University of Rwanda, 2008