Alain Senghor K. Ngute
Sunshine Coast,Australia
Summary
Highly motivated and hardworking field ecologist with a demonstrated record of research success. My commitment to high-quality research is evidenced by research awards and numerous publications in top academic journals, such as Nature and Global Change Biology, and my work has been covered by international media outlets such as Mongabay, ScienceX and others. These works underline my ability to contribute novel insights into socio-ecological systems and biodiversity conservation. I have expertise in socio-ecological research design, field protocols, data curation and statistical analyses. My professional experiences, especially in collaborative projects spanning tropical ecosystems, have honed my interpersonal skills and my capacity to contribute effectively within interdisciplinary teams. Collaborating with international researchers and local stakeholders, I have developed a collegial approach to solving environmental problems.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Teaching Assistant
University Of The Sunshine Coast (Australia)
07.2023 - 12.2023
- Department of Environmental Sciences | Agricultural & Forest Ecology
- Led tutorials in Agricultural and Forest Ecology, enriching Environmental Science students' learning experience.
- Assisted teachers with classroom management and document coordination to maintain positive learning environment.
- Managed classroom behaviour effectively, creating a positive learning atmosphere conducive to academic success.
- Provided timely and constructive feedback on assignments, enabling students to refine their work and achieve higher grades.
Research Associate
Manchester Metropolitan University (UK)
06.2022 - 12.2022
- Project on ‘Lightning in African tropical forests: from tree mortality to carbon dynamics’ with fieldwork in DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda.
- Set up equipment, organised inventory and maintained facilities.
- Surveyed forest ecosystems, collected, cleaned and analysed data, and wrote scientific reports.
- Gathered, arranged, and corrected research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations.
- Performed statistical, qualitative, and quantitative analysis.
- Trained field assistants, fostering a collaborative work environment that promoted knowledge sharing.
- Provided technical guidance on experimental design and data interpretation issues for team members as needed.
- Participated actively in regular meetings with fellow researchers to discuss project updates, challenges faced, and lessons learned during ongoing activities.
Field Team Leader
Forest Restoration And Climate Experiment Project
05.2019 - 04.2022
- Responsibilities held jointly under my doctoral candidature agreements.
- Managed complex databases to ensure accuracy and accessibility of critical information.
- Supervised team members to confirm compliance with set procedures and quality requirements.
- Monitored team performance and provided constructive feedback to increase productivity and maintain quality standards.
- Communicated with supervisor to report progress, discuss issues and seek guidance.
- Kept detailed records of field measurements and data.
- Collaborated with local field assistants to resolve complex technical issues.
- Supported team members in addressing challenging technical issues, sharing expertise and knowledge when needed.
- Established open and professional relationships with team members to achieve quick resolutions for various issues.
Advanced-Level Biology Teacher
Cameroon Ministry of Secondary Education
10.2016 - 03.2019
- Taught Biology and Environmental Sciences Advanced-Level Students in Government High Schools.
- Developed and implemented engaging lab experiments, providing hands-on learning experiences for students.
- Improved student understanding by incorporating hands-on activities and real-world examples into lessons.
- Established a positive classroom atmosphere that fostered respect among students and encouraged open dialogue about challenging concepts.
- Promoted critical thinking skills amongst students through inquiry-based learning approaches within various scientific disciplines.
- Worked cooperatively with other teachers, administrators, and parents to help students reach learning objectives.
Research Assistant
University Of York (UK)
01.2018 - 12.2018
- Project on “African Sky Forests Project: ecosystem services, threats and management recommendations” with fieldwork in Cameroon.
- Collected, curated and analysed forest ecological data, wrote and published scientific reports.
- Performed statistical, qualitative, and quantitative analysis.
- Authored and co-authored multiple peer-reviewed journal articles, establishing expertise in the field.
- Assisted in the development of new research proposals, resulting in increased funding opportunities and project growth potential.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to drive project success and achieve objectives.
Graduate Research and Tutorial Assistant
University of Dschang (Cameroon)
10.2017 - 12.2018
- Tutored, trained, evaluated and oversaw PG research students in techniques in ecological data collection, analysis, entry, cleaning, storage, and back-up.
- Collaborated with lead teachers to develop lesson plans, ensuring alignment with curriculum standards.
- Utilised advanced statistical software to analyse complex datasets, uncovering key insights for informed decision making.
- Assisted in manuscript preparation, contributing to the publication of influential articles in peer-reviewed journals.
- Coordinated closely with other tutorial assistants to share resources, strategies, and insights for better student support.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - Environmental Studies (Landscape Ecology and Management)
03.2024
- Thesis Statement: Investigating the relationship between liana abundance and tropical forest recovery
- Recipient of the Graduate Research Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis
- Australian Government Research Training Program International Scholarship, 2019 from University of the Sunshine Coast through the Australian Research Council.
Master of Sience (Research) - Ecology and Wildlife Management
07.2017
Research Project: Response of threatened bird communities to forest degradation in Mt Mbam, Cameroon
Postgraduate Diploma - Biology
09.2016
Research Project: Acute toxicity of Euphorbia kamerunica extracts on Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings
Masters of Sience (Coursework) - Ecology and Wildlife Management
07.2014
Bachelor of Science - Zoology
07.2013
Skills
- Scientific Writing
- Computational skills
- Ecological research and survey methods
- Experimental design
- Microsoft Office
- R Programming
- Proficient in Rstudio, QGIS, ArcGIS, Google Earth Engine tools, ENVI, PRISM, and MINITAB
- Data Collection, Data Entry, Data Curation, and Data Analysis
Affiliations
- Society for Conservation Biology
- Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
- Society for Ethnobotany
Origin
Cameroon
Awards Fellowships Grants
- 03/2024, Dean, Graduate Research Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis, Investigating the relationship between liana abundance and tropical forest recovery, University of the Sunshine Coast
- 08/2020, Mountain Sentinel Fellowship, Transformative adaptation to climate change in a conflict-affected mountain region, Mountain Research Institute, US$ 1,000
- 05/2019, PhD award (salary, tuition, & research), Investigating the relationship between liana abundance and tropical forest recovery, University of the Sunshine Coast & Australian Research Council, AU$ 250,000
- 12/2018, CARN ASPIRE Grant, Assessing the status and initiating a community-based conservation awareness of vultures outside protected areas across the Adamawa Plateau, Cameroon, Conservation Action Research Network, US$ 5,000
- 07/2018, Richard Evans Schultes Research Award, Beyond Timber: The Commercialisation of Edible Caterpillars in Cameroon, Society for Economic Botany, US$ 2,500
- 05/2018, IDEA WILD Field Equipment and Supplies Grant, Understanding Mountain Socio-ecological Systems in Cameroon: A Participatory Modelling Approach, Idea Wild, US$ 560
- 04/2017, Graduate Student Research Fellowship Awards, Vanishing endemic birds in montane forests, Society for Conservation Biology, US$ 1,000
- 04/2017, Exploration Fund Grant, Species diversity, occurrence, and conservation status of threatened avian communities across Mt. Mbam forests, The Explorers Club, US$ 1,500
- 01/2017, Association of African Universities 2017 Graduate Internship Grant, US$ 600
- 07/2015, RSG for Nature Conservation, Conservation of the threatened avifauna of Mt Mbam forests, Cameroon: an important site for Bannerman’s Turaco Tauraco bannermani, Rufford Foundation, GB£ 4,893
Social
http://www.twitter.com/askngute, https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HF2ctDcAAAAJ&hl=en, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7090-5452
Peer Review
- Scientific Data
- African Journal of Ecology
- Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
Conference Presentations
- 03/2024, Guest speaker, What drives the competitive success of lianas over trees globally?, Outreach campaign, Mission Beach, Australia
- 03/2024, Guest speaker, Global increase in the competitive success of lianas over trees, TESS Seminar, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- 07/2023, Talk, Tree abundance and biomass recovery across liana, elevation, and soil gradients in old-growth and secondary forests, 59th Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Coimbatore, India
- 07/2023, Poster, Patterns and drivers of liana dominance over trees: A global analysis, 59th Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Coimbatore, India
- 03/2017, Poster, Endemic and threatened species in unprotected forests, 2017 Student Conference on Conservation Science, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Publications
- Ngute et al. (2024). Global dominance of lianas over trees is driven by forest disturbance, climate and topography. Glob. Chang. Biol., 30, e17140.
- Enghoff, Ngute, et al. (2024). A mountain of millipedes XI. The trachystreptoform spirostreptids of the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae). Eur. J. Taxon., 918, 1–50.
- Cuni-Sanchez et al. incl. Ngute (2024). First record of thermophilization in Afromontane forests. Nat. Comm., In Press.
- Ngute et al. (2023). Dynamics of tree stems and biomass in old-growth and secondary forests across gradients in liana dominance, elevation, and soil. J. Ecol., In Review.
- Ngute et al. (2023). Allometric models for liana aboveground biomass in old-growth and secondary tropical forests. For. Ecol. Manage., In Review. Preprint available at SSRN— https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4610542
- Liang et al. incl. Ngute (2023). Inclusive forest research through innovation and global partnerships. PNAS, In Review.
- Hwang et al. incl. Ngute (2023). Temperature mediates insect herbivore impacts on element cycling in forests. Nature Comm., In Review.
- Cuni-Sanchez et al. incl. Ngute (2023). Perceived climate change impacts and adaptation responses in ten African mountain regions. Nat. Clim. Chang., In Review.
- Baderha et al. incl. Ngute (2023). Climate change adaptation in conflict-affected areas: insights from two African mountains. Clim. & Dev., In Review.
- Liang et al. incl. Ngute (2022). Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients. Nat. Ecol. Evol., 6, 1423–1437.
- Cuni-Sanchez et al. incl. Ngute (2021). High aboveground carbon stock of African tropical montane forests. Nature, 596, 536–542.
- Ngute et al. (2021). Climate Change, Perceptions, and Adaptation Responses Among Farmers and Pastoralists in the Cameroon Highlands. In: Handbook of Climate Change Management. Springer International, Cham, pp. 3971–3984.
- Ngute et al. (2020). Investigating above‐ground biomass in old‐growth and secondary montane forests of the Cameroon Highlands. Afr. J. Ecol., 58, 503–513.
- Ngute et al. (2020). Edible caterpillars in central Cameroon: host plants, value, harvesting, and availability. For. Trees Live., 29, 16–33.
- Cuni-Sanchez, Ngute, et al. (2019). The importance of livelihood strategy and ethnicity in forest ecosystem services’ perceptions by local communities in north-western Cameroon. Ecosyst. Serv., 40, 101000.
- Ngute, et al. (2019). The avifauna of Mount Mbam, Cameroon. Bull. Afr. Bird Club 26(1): 82–91.
- Ngute, et al. (2017). First record of Bannerman’s Weaver Ploceus bannermani at Mt Mbam, Cameroon. Malim. 39: 28–30.
References
- Prof David S. Schoeman, dschoema@usc.edu.au
- Dr Aida Cuni-Sanchez, aida.cuni-sanchez@nmbu.no
- Dr Marion Pfeifer, marion.pfeifer@newcastle.ac.uk
- Dr Martin J.P. Sullivan, martin.sullivan@mmu.ac.uk
Training
- 07/2023, Advances in Earth Observation: Hyperspectral Data Processing and Analysis with ENVI, PRISM, and R, short course, University of the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Australia
- 09/2018, Species Conservation in Protected Areas and Ecological Monitoring, MOOC, IUCN Program on African Protected Areas & Conservation
- 08/2018, Communication and Publishing Skills for African Conservation Scientists, short course, Tropical Biology Association & University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- 07/2017, Tropical Ecology and Conservation, field course, Congo Basin Biodiversity Alliance, Drexel University, University of California Los Angele, and Congo Basin Institute, Mbam & Djerem National Park, Cameroon
- 09/2016, Core Spatial Data Analysis (R and QGIS), MOOC, Minerva Singh, Udemy
- 06/2016, Tropical Ecology and Conservation, field course, Tropical Biology Association and Makerere University, Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda
- 10/2014, Project proposal development and writing for conservation grants, e-mentoring program, Society for Conservation Biology—Africa Section
Timeline
Graduate Teaching Assistant - University Of The Sunshine Coast (Australia)
07.2023 - 12.2023
Research Associate - Manchester Metropolitan University (UK)
06.2022 - 12.2022
Field Team Leader - Forest Restoration And Climate Experiment Project
05.2019 - 04.2022
Research Assistant - University Of York (UK)
01.2018 - 12.2018
Graduate Research and Tutorial Assistant - University of Dschang (Cameroon)
10.2017 - 12.2018
Advanced-Level Biology Teacher - Cameroon Ministry of Secondary Education
10.2016 - 03.2019
University of The Sunshine Coast - Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Studies (Landscape Ecology and Management)
University of Dschang - Master of Sience (Research), Ecology and Wildlife Management
University of Bamenda - Postgraduate Diploma, Biology
University of Dschang - Masters of Sience (Coursework), Ecology and Wildlife Management
University of Dschang - Bachelor of Science, Zoology
Similar Profiles
Ben MackerethBen Mackereth
Student Services Assistant at University of the Sunshine CoastStudent Services Assistant at University of the Sunshine Coast
Renae Ann DoolanRenae Ann Doolan
Registered Nurse at Sunshine Coast University HospitalRegistered Nurse at Sunshine Coast University Hospital
Leanne Marie KingLeanne Marie King
Registered Nurse - PACU at Sunshine Coast University Private HospitalRegistered Nurse - PACU at Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital