7 Things About Amanda Ellwanger
A personal Q&A with a recent alumnus of the anthropology graduate program.
Amanda Ellwanger is a recent alumnus of SDSU and received her master's degree in anthropology in May 2010. She was a President's Award recipient during the 2010 Student Research Symposium. For more information on the symposium, click here. Ellwanger's research mentor was Erin Riley, who was profiled by 7 Things last week.
Name: Amanda L. Ellwanger
Age: 27
Department: Anthropology
Position: recent alumnus
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What inspired you to do this kind of work?
I have been interested in primate behavior, ecology, and conservation since early in my undergraduate studies. After reading a book called “A Primate’s Memoir,” I began to think more about how that local people’s attitudes toward nonhuman primates and the environment influence conservation initiatives. Moreover, I became interested in the ethics of conservation in terms of the impacts on local people. -
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Back-up your work early, often and in multiple locations! -
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Traveling, meeting new people and watching monkeys. -
What is the most interesting or surprising thing about you (like a hidden talent, where you’re from or a special hobby)?
I have been a certified SCUBA diver since I was 12 years old. -
What was the last movie you saw? Thumbs up or down?
Black Swan — very creepy. Thumbs up!! -
What is your favorite book?
The Life of Pi (which is an incredible story of survival), The Time Traveler’s Wife (which is an incredible story about love and loss), or A Primate’s Memoir (which is an incredible story about life studying baboons in the field). -
What is your favorite sports team or who is your favorite individual athlete?
Go Braves!
Bonus Questions
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What music do you play most often in your office or car?
Iron and Wine, Black Keys, Radiohead, Beck, the Beatles, Neko Case, Belle and Sebastian
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What about your field or position do you think would surprise people the most?
Day-to-day fieldwork can feel long and tedious. Following monkeys around for 10-12 hours a day and writing down everything they do is exhausting. To stay motivated, I keep in mind the potential benefits gained from this research outweigh my discomfort and that any day in the field is better than a day at the desk! - What was your first scientific experiment as a child?
Probably something I saw on Mr. Wizard! - What is the most important characteristic a researcher must demonstrate in order to be an effective researcher?
It’s a tie between flexibility and perseverance. An effective researcher must know when to persevere when research is difficult but be flexible enough to improvise within a research design when necessary. - What are the societal benefits of your research?
I hope that my research can help bridge the divide between local communities and environmental and wildlife conservation, particularly in the conservation of nonhuman primates. - Who has had the most influence on your thinking as a researcher?
Definitely my adviser during my M.A. program at SDSU, Dr. Erin Riley.
