Straight from Dr. Kizirian

Q: What were your goals for the trip?

A: To find new species of amphibians and reptiles, to plant the seeds for a wider collaboration with our Vietnamese colleagues, including other scientists and their taxonomic disciplines, and to facilitate the development of educational programs based on fieldwork.

Q: What was it like to do research in Vietnam?

A: Frustrating but rewarding. Because of permit problems, we lost more than two weeks of valuable field time, but because we ultimately reached a field site where we were able to make important collections and, at the same time, became integrated into an ethnic minority community, it was a richer-than-normal experience.

Q: What discoveries did you make?

A: It will be years before we know what we discovered, but we do know that we collected specimens in an area from which no material was previously known. The new collections are important for understanding Vietnam's diversity and early examination suggests that there's a good chance we collected new species.

Q: What was the low point of the trip for you?

A: The low point for me is always when I have to pack up and go home.

Q: What was the high point of the trip for you?

A: Standing in the middle of a cascading stream with a bag full of herps such as turtles, frogs, and snakes.

Q: What would you hope to accomplish on the next expedition?

A: I hope to get into the Central Highlands of Vietnam or into the neighboring country of Laos.