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Randy Kyes celebrates 20th Anniversary of Field Course

UW Scientist and International Colleagues Celebrate Monumental 20th Year of Field Course

Washington National Primate Research Center

Where in the world is Dr. Randall Kyes? Friends, colleagues and students call him Randy. Ask any of them and they will tell you that Randy is always on the move. Dealing with the hustle and bustle of crowded airport terminals in far-flung corners of the world is just another day at “the office” for Kyes. Treacherous foreign tuk-tuk rides come with the territory for this nomadic primatologist and University of Washington Psych professor.

Kyes, also a Core Staff scientist at the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), and Director of the Center for Global Field Study (CGFS), spends much of his time away from his home in Seattle. Stretching every dollar of his modest grant money, he often sleeps in cockroach-infested motels or in tents stationed out in the bush.

Depending upon the time of year, you might find him in Indonesia, Nepal, or Thailand. These are only a few of the countries that Kyes has added over time to his expanding portfolio of international collaboration.

Since its infancy in 1990, beginning on Tinjil Island in Indonesia, three themes have emerged as driving forces for Randy’s global programs: Science, Collaboration and Community. Year after year, his colleagues and students personify those themes – as they work together on research projects addressing primate conservation and related human health, conduct field-training courses, and provide community outreach education – which may explain the longevity and success.

“It’s important to understand that all our programs are 100% collaborative,” notes Kyes. “I am honored to work with wonderful international colleagues and have the highest respect for the dedication and passion they bring in support of environmental conservation and global health. It’s truly inspiring.”

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