Ruth Rocker ’26, Anthropology

Ruth Rocker ’26

Major

Anthropology

Project Title

Human-Animal Encounters and Conservation in the Urbanizing Amazon

Minor(s): Gender and Sexuality Studies, Global Health and Health Policy

I worked in Iquitos, Peru, the largest city in the world inaccessible by road, to investigate wildlife conservation in the urbanizing Amazon through the scope of tourism. I used both qualitative and quantitative methods, including participant observation, surveys and data analysis, to understand tourist encounters with wildlife. Through this internship, I gained firsthand experience engaging in participant observation, a methodology that is essential to my major of Anthropology. Having the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned through my Anthropology classes in the field greatly enhanced my understanding of participant observation. I hope to continue building on these skills through my independent work.