Robert Rodriguez Suro (CAS '13)
Robert Rodriguez Suro graduated in 2013 with a dual major in Biology (with specialization in Behavioral Biology) and Biological Anthropology. After graduating, he spent a year in Borneo as a research volunteer for the Gunung Palung Orangutan Project, led by Professor Cheryl Knott. In 2014, he was awarded a National Geographic Young Explorer Grant (now called the Early Career Grant) for an independent research and media project called “The Lives of Orangutans.” In collaboration with Prof. Knott and GPOP, he spent another year at Gunung Palung doing long-term orangutan follows, obtaining data on male orangutan home ranges, and documenting rare orangutan cultural behaviors on film. Some of his work was featured in the 2017 short documentary,”Person of the Forest.”
Robert is currently a first year medical student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. In regards to his time at BU, Robert writes: “Everything I learned and all the opportunities that came with being a student at BU’s anthropology program made me feel like I could have pursued many different careers. We are fortunate to have amazing faculty willing to mentor us and create opportunities for us to grow.
Since starting medical school, I’ve felt that I can contribute a lot of unique knowledge and perspectives to my medical school class, and
it all goes back to the anthropology program at BU and the opportunities that came with it.”