Hi, I’m Jean de Dieu (Jado) Tuyizere from the Southern Province of Rwanda, a country known for its high plant and animal diversity. During my undergraduate studies at the University of Rwanda, I worked on a project to map the land use change outside the Volcanoes National Park (home to endangered mountain gorillas). I got very inspired by this topic, which fueled my passion for geospatial science as a powerful tool in conservation. After completing my bachelor’s in Botany and conservation, I moved to Musanze, in the Northern Province of Rwanda. I started my professional career with an internship at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (DFGF), where I would continue to work as a research assistant.

At DFGF, I contributed to and learned a lot from different projects, especially the project on “Variation in the feeding ecology of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda”. I studied the gorilla families’ ranging patterns and mapped their monthly and annual home ranges. Besides my job, I enjoyed exploring GIS software and R studio, and I always wanted to run geospatial analysis to provide sustainable solutions to save our planet from climate change.

This has led me to the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany. As an EAGLE student, I look forward to gaining and strengthening my skills in programming, GIS software, and methods for analyzing remote sensing data. Within the class, I like how we support each other, and enjoy being part of the 8th generation of EAGLEs. After completing my master’s studies, I want to apply the skills I have gained to various projects and collaborate with other researchers for the safety of our planet. Furthermore, I want to participate in training the next generation in the use and importance of remote sensing.

In my free time, I like listening to different kinds of music, watching soccer, playing sports (volleyball, football, etc.), traveling, chatting with friends, and playing piano.

Background image: Anchorage, Alaska