Education

Doctoral student, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research.

M.S. Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior, University of Texas at Austin.

B.S. Organismal Biology, Midwestern State University.

Andrew Tilker is a biologist interested in ecology and conservation in tropical ecosystems. Andrew has a bachelor’s degree from Midwestern State University, a Master’s from the University of Texas, and is currently a doctoral student at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research.

Andrew is first and foremost a field biologist. He has worked in South America and Southeast Asia. Since 2012, he has been involved in extensive fieldwork in Laos and Vietnam. Andrew is especially interested in the use and development of innovative eDNA survey techniques to study elusive forest mammals. To this end, he has led field surveys focused on the detection of rare forest-dwelling ungulates using blood meal identification from terrestrial leeches. In all aspects of his work, Andrew tries to bridge the academic—applied gap, bringing novel solutions to real-world issues that make a difference on the ground. Andrew has collaborated with research institutions and non-governmental institutions both at home and abroad. He is a member of two IUCN-based organizations: the Lagomorph Specialist Group and Saola Working Group. Andrew is currently based full-time in Vietnam. Check out Andrew’s blog to learn more about his work.