Hello everyone, my name is Kobe Goliman and I am a fourth-year Animal Biology student with a minor in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. I grew up in Indonesia for 15 years before moving to California just before starting high school. My interest in studying wildlife stems from my lack of exposure to them growing up, which led to an interest in studying them. I picked UC Davis because of its excellent reputation in wildlife studies, as well as due to its proximity to my family living in California.

For my ABI practicum project, I am assisting in the conservation effort of the federally endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila) which resides in Central California. I worked in the Mammalian Ecology Conservation Unit (MECU) under the supervision of Dr. Mark Statham who has been a huge help not only to my project, but also on introducing me to the standards of scientific research. Being able to provide my support to the project means a lot to me as reptiles are among my favorite animals.

For those with an interest in animals and want to learn more about them, I recommend the Animal Biology Major. Even for those who do not have an interest in animals, the ABI major still offers plenty of opportunities for you to pursue and develop your interests. The major has helped me not only by building my interest in wildlife, but also as an introduction to scientific research.