Born and raised in the most pristine areas in Central Asia (Xinjiang, West China), Naerhulan has developed a passion for biological research. He earned a master’s degree in behavioural ecology at Beijing Normal University with a focus on breeding behaviour of Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). He is currently working on his PhD project on social behaviour variations in shorebirds under the supervision of Professor Tamás Székely. He also focusses on integrate field biology with disease biology and social networks, therefore, understanding how different social structures impact the prevalence of disease in wild shorebird populations.