The Department of Ecology and Biodiversity at Mother Mary Higher Institute of Environmental Sciences is dedicated to educating future conservation scientists and field ecologists with a strong grounding in tropical ecosystems. Our mission is to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of species, communities and ecosystem processes, combined with practical field skills, critical thinking and a commitment to conservation and sustainable resource management across Cameroon and Central Africa.
Academic programs
Curriculum
Our curriculum covers fundamental and applied topics in ecology and biodiversity. Key areas of study include:
- Community, population and ecosystem ecology.
- Biodiversity inventory, systematics and taxonomy.
- Field methods for sampling and monitoring (transects, camera traps, acoustic surveys).
- GIS and remote sensing for habitat mapping and spatial analysis.
- Conservation planning, restoration ecology and ecosystem-service assessment.
Practical placements and field courses
Students participate in seasonal multi-day field campaigns in forests, wetlands and agricultural landscapes and complete supervised field placements with partner parks, NGOs or research teams. Fieldwork emphasizes safe, ethical specimen collection, data management and community engagement.
Research opportunities
Faculty-led and student-initiated projects focus on species inventories, restoration trials, long-term monitoring plots, habitat modelling and molecular identification (DNA barcoding). Students are encouraged to collaborate on applied research tied to regional conservation priorities and to publish or present results at local meetings.
Faculty expertise
Our faculty combine regional field experience with research in tropical forest ecology, freshwater systems, restoration, wildlife ecology and biodiversity monitoring. They mentor students in field techniques, statistical analysis (R/Python) and the translation of research into conservation action.
Field and laboratory services
The department maintains an on-campus herbarium and reference collections, field equipment (camera traps, GPS units, nets) and laboratory facilities for specimen processing and basic molecular work. Computer labs provide GIS and statistical software for spatial and ecological analysis.
Community engagement and partnerships
We work closely with national parks, forestry and wildlife services, conservation NGOs and local communities. Students contribute to community education programs, participatory biodiversity surveys and conservation planning initiatives.
Admission and program structure
Recommended prerequisites: introductory biology, basic chemistry and mathematics. Program components include lectures, lab practicals, field camps, a capstone research project and optional internships. [Insert degree level and duration here.]
Career pathways
Graduates are prepared for roles as field ecologists, conservation biologists, protected-area managers, biodiversity surveyors, environmental consultants and educators. The program also provides a pathway to postgraduate research.
Assessment and outcomes
Assessment combines field reports, lab notebooks, written exams, project reports and oral presentations, culminating in a capstone research thesis or applied conservation project.