Nestor Engone Obiang

After obtaining his Scientific High School Diploma, Nestor Laurier Engone Obiang was admitted to the Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon, where he studied Chemistry, Biology, and Geology from 1995 to 1997. During his final year, he participated in the Bio-Traverse university program, an initiative offering students the opportunity to discover and learn more about Gabon’s diverse ecosystems and their rich biodiversity.

In 1999, he received a scholarship from the Gabonese government to pursue studies in France. He first enrolled in the Biology Department of the Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille 1, where he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Biology of Organisms and Populations (Licence de Biologie des Organismes et des Populations) in 2000, which included training in botany, evolutionary science, general ecology, population genetics, and biostatistics. The following year, he entered the Master’s program in Ecology (Maîtrise de Biologie des Populations et des Écosystèmes) in the same university. In addition to theoretical coursework in ecology, biostatistics, population genetics, and evolutionary biology, he benefited from numerous field internships organized by the University. These experiences allowed him to acquire practical skills in ecosystem and landscape description, ecological data processing, and botanical inventories using phytosociology and the Braun-Blanquet approach. In 2006, he obtained his PhD from the Doctoral School “Diversité du Vivant” at Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), France.

Since 2007, he has worked as a researcher at IRET (Institute for Research in Tropical Ecology) in Gabon. From 2008 to 2019, he also served as Curator of the National Herbarium of Gabon. He is currently the Director of PHAMETRA (Institute for Research in Pharmacopeia and Traditional Medicine), which houses the National Herbarium. His research focuses on forest dynamics through the establishment and monitoring of permanent plots, including advanced data analysis from the Rabi 25-ha plot.

Dr. Engone Obiang has extensive experience in drafting and managing research projects, including AIRES-Sud n°7148, BID-AF2015-0038-NAC, REGEFOR AAP2-81, and BID-AF2020-194-USE. He is currently the Principal Investigator of the ForHist Project, which studies the impact of past human disturbances on forest structure and functioning. This project involves establishing a second 25-ha permanent plot in Ivindo National Park, Makokou, in collaboration with Lausanne University (Switzerland) and ForestGEO (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute).