OUM Sony is the head of community development and conservation in the Cardamom Mountains for Flora and Fauna International (FFI), a conservation NGO. The 30-year-old received a master’s degree in biodiversity conservation at RUPP and a bachelor’s degree in business and management from RUPP.

What is the purpose of your job?

As scientists, we need to do the research and collect facts that can be used by decision makers when they are considering development and environmental protection issues.

Why is your job rewarding?

The biology of the Cardamom Mountains is very unique in Asia. If you save the Cardamom Mountains, you can save your lungs and your life.

What do you hope to do in the future?

I would like to work here for a few years and then get a PhD abroad at an internationally well-known university. My classmates and I would like to form a research fellows group where we can share our experiences and plan together. If we work together, we can have a positive impact on the development of Cambodia’s future.