Principal Investigator
Pr. Nicola Anthony
I am a broadly trained biologist with strong interests in evolutionary biology, molecular ecology, and conservation genetics. After finishing my Ph.D. and spending 6 months in the tropical forests of Peru, I moved to the University of Wisconsin to study the molecular genetics of pesticide resistance. At the same time, I also returned to graduate school to pursue a Master’s degree in conservation biology and sustainable development. I then left the US to participate in a conservation research and capacity-building project in Gabon, focusing on the molecular ecology and conservation of western lowland gorillas.
Since joining the University of New Orleans in 2003, I have continued to expand my interests in evolutionary biology and its application to conservation. I have also developed a strong international collaborative component to my research, and in 2011, co-organized a workshop in evolution and conservation at the national science university of Gabon (Universite des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku). More recently, I have begun a major collaborative project that is centered around the conservation of biodiversity under climate change in Central Africa: the Central African Biodiversity Alliance, funded through the NSF Partnerships for International Research and Education program. More recently, I was fortunate enough to receive the Freeport McMoRan Endowed Chair, which has allowed me to invest in several student projects in Louisiana and overseas. If you are interested in joining my lab or simply would like to know more about any of our projects, please email me here: [email protected]
Since joining the University of New Orleans in 2003, I have continued to expand my interests in evolutionary biology and its application to conservation. I have also developed a strong international collaborative component to my research, and in 2011, co-organized a workshop in evolution and conservation at the national science university of Gabon (Universite des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku). More recently, I have begun a major collaborative project that is centered around the conservation of biodiversity under climate change in Central Africa: the Central African Biodiversity Alliance, funded through the NSF Partnerships for International Research and Education program. More recently, I was fortunate enough to receive the Freeport McMoRan Endowed Chair, which has allowed me to invest in several student projects in Louisiana and overseas. If you are interested in joining my lab or simply would like to know more about any of our projects, please email me here: [email protected]
Graduate Students
Vidyaman Thapa
Ph.D. student in Integrative Biology under the Department of Biological Sciences, working in the Anthony Lab at the University of New Orleans (UNO). I come from Nepal, a beautiful mountainous country in the Global South. I completed my Bachelor's in Forestry at the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara campus, Tribhuvan University, and Master's degree in Natural Resources and Development from the Nepal Open University.
Before joining UNO, I was involved with the Third Pole Conservancy, where I led projects aimed at addressing human-wildlife conflict and promoting biodiversity conservation in Nepal’s remote landscapes. These projects were funded by organizations such as the Rufford Foundation, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, and WWF-Nepal, among others.
At present, I'm working on an urban wildlife research project in the Greater New Orleans area, a joint initiative between the University of New Orleans and the Audubon Nature Institute. My research focuses on urban wildlife ecology and human–wildlife coexistence, with a particular emphasis on how species and people interact across urbanization gradients. In my work, I aim to assess species richness across urban, semi-urban, and wildland habitats; evaluate detection rates of focal species across land-use types; examine how activity patterns (diurnal, nocturnal, and crepuscular) shift with increasing urban intensity; and link habitat features such as tree canopy, proximity to roads, water availability, and NDVI to wildlife occupancy and detection. I also aim to understand residents’ perceptions of urban wildlife, identifying where attitudes are more positive or negative and how these vary in relation to location, access to green space, and direct encounters with specific species. By combining ecological research with community perspectives, I strive to develop conservation strategies that promote biodiversity while fostering coexistence in human-dominated landscapes.
Research Interests:
Urban wildlife ecology, human–wildlife coexistence strategies, landscape ecology and habitat connectivity, community-based conservation, integration of local ecological knowledge, sustainable urban planning and ecosystem services, and biodiversity conservation planning.
While I'm free, I enjoy traveling to new places, experiencing diverse cultures, and capturing special moments.
Please reach out for more:
Email: [email protected]
Personal Website: vidsthapa
Lydia DiPaola
I am a Master’s Student working in the Anthony Lab. After getting my Biological Sciences B.S. from Arizona State University, I spent 1.5 years living abroad in the Czech Republic, teaching English remotely and traveling abroad when I could. During this time, I was inspired to go back to school and am now at the University of New Orleans. My research interests include ecology and evolution. I would eventually like to pursue a PhD in the same or a similar focus.
Currently, I am collaborating with Jean LaFitte National Park to monitor a shoreline restoration project for my thesis research. The park is constructing a shoreline protection barrier to promote natural recruitment for 50 acres of submerged aquatic vegetation, an important feature in wetlands that provides fish nursery habitat and reduces coastal erosion. I am monitoring local fish community responses, water quality changes, and shoreline position in response to the barrier. Monitoring initial responses will help enhance active management of the barrier and provide insight into the ecological effects of this restoration project.
Emily Bowers
Hello! My interest in biology began at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge when I worked as a research and curatorial assistant at the LSU Museum of Natural Science. While I was there, I learned about the importance of biodiversity and the adaptations that make species distinct from one another. I worked to install mammal specimens in the museum and assisted with a PhD project exploring the speciation of Bunomys mice in Sulawesi, Indonesia. During my time in undergraduate school, I also worked as a veterinary technician. By the time I graduated in 2021, I knew I had two loves: wildlife conservation and veterinary medicine. I then accepted a hoofstock keeper internship at Audubon Nature Institute’s Species Survival Center, where I found the niche I was looking for. I decided to pursue my master’s degree at UNO in the Anthony Lab and plan to go to veterinary school once I graduate.
While at UNO, I have been fortunate enough to travel to Gabon, Central Africa, with Dr. Anthony where I participated in the ECO-TROP conservation field school Dr. Anthony co-teaches every year. I learned about the hands-on application of conservation techniques such as abundance and biodiversity surveys. We also worked with local villagers to asses sustainable harvest numbers for duikers in the tropical forest. My next adventure was in Fortin Toledo, Paraguay, where I completed my fieldwork for my master’s thesis. I partnered with the Audubon Nature Institute and traveled to the dry Chaco Forest in Paraguay with Michelle Hatwood. Our research was based out of El Centro Chaqueno para la Investigacion y Conservacion (CCCI) where I collaborated in a radio-collaring study of Lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) and collected fecal samples for a population genetic analysis of this small population of tapirs. This area in Paraguay is highly fragmented because of the growing agricultural industry in the region. There are no current genetic studies on tapirs in the dry Chaco forest, so this research is very exciting! I am assessing fecal samples using microsatellite markers to determine census population size and a pedigree of the tapir in the area. We will use mitochondrial DNA to integrate the tapirs into a phylogeny of lowland tapirs in other parts of South America. Finally, we will analyze the radio telemetry data to determine the range of the tapirs over a period of a year or so. After I finish my master's, I plan to attend vet school and integrate my wildlife research with conservation medicine.
Wdrea Lysiane Ibinga Manga
Hi, I am a year master’s student at the Anthony Lab. I got my bachelor’s degree in General Biology and Earth Sciences at Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku in Gabon. After that, I decided to take a gap year, during which I completed an immersion internship at the Scientific Unit of the National Agency for National Parks as a research assistant in charge of scientific monitoring of the National Parks outside the wetlands in Gabon. During my undergraduate studies, I participated in several field trips, where I took part in workshops and developed research projects on the analysis of the diversity of mammals in the Ndambi forest under the supervision of Dr. Ntie and Pr. Anthony. I was a student supervisor at ECOTROP-Littoral and Mangroves 2022 at the Raponda Walker Arboretum and Akanda National Park, and I participated in ECOTROP-Forest 2022 in Lastourville in the village of Doumé. Additionally, I participated in a field mission on bioacoustic monitoring, deploying bioacoustic devices in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park. During my internship, I took part in the National Training Workshop on Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).
In 2024, I moved to New Orleans, where I started work at the Anthony Lab. I’m currently working on a project aimed at determining the diet of forest artiodactyls (duikers in the Central Africa forests) in Lopé National Park (LNP) through metabarcoding. From this study, we aim to obtain a census of LNP forest plants and to verify the availability of DNA barcodes from the trnL gene. Additionally, we are extracting DNA from the samples of duiker feces and plants at LNP, sequencing, and analyzing our results. This project is being carried out in collaboration with the Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, the National Agency of National Parks of Gabon, and the National Herbarium of Gabon. I plan to continue my studies with a Ph.D. in wildlife conservation biology.
Hi, I am a year master’s student at the Anthony Lab. I got my bachelor’s degree in General Biology and Earth Sciences at Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku in Gabon. After that, I decided to take a gap year, during which I completed an immersion internship at the Scientific Unit of the National Agency for National Parks as a research assistant in charge of scientific monitoring of the National Parks outside the wetlands in Gabon. During my undergraduate studies, I participated in several field trips, where I took part in workshops and developed research projects on the analysis of the diversity of mammals in the Ndambi forest under the supervision of Dr. Ntie and Pr. Anthony. I was a student supervisor at ECOTROP-Littoral and Mangroves 2022 at the Raponda Walker Arboretum and Akanda National Park, and I participated in ECOTROP-Forest 2022 in Lastourville in the village of Doumé. Additionally, I participated in a field mission on bioacoustic monitoring, deploying bioacoustic devices in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park. During my internship, I took part in the National Training Workshop on Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).
In 2024, I moved to New Orleans, where I started work at the Anthony Lab. I’m currently working on a project aimed at determining the diet of forest artiodactyls (duikers in the Central Africa forests) in Lopé National Park (LNP) through metabarcoding. From this study, we aim to obtain a census of LNP forest plants and to verify the availability of DNA barcodes from the trnL gene. Additionally, we are extracting DNA from the samples of duiker feces and plants at LNP, sequencing, and analyzing our results. This project is being carried out in collaboration with the Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, the National Agency of National Parks of Gabon, and the National Herbarium of Gabon. I plan to continue my studies with a Ph.D. in wildlife conservation biology.
