A Duke Kunshan University undergraduate has earned first place in an international competition marking the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES.
The winners were announced Nov. 24 at the opening ceremony of the 20th Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP20), held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Ruikang Wang, from Class of 2026, won first place in the “People and CITES” category for his photograph “Memories of the Rainforest.”
The image highlights the intergenerational transmission of ecological knowledge within Indigenous communities and underscores the work of frontline conservation figures — including community members, customs officers, and wildlife rangers — who play a critical role in protecting biodiversity.
According to Wang, the picture was an “accidental surprise”—one he captured during a summer research project supported by Binbin Li, associate professor of environmental science, and Kaley Clements, assistant professor of media and arts. The project examined forest-based livelihoods and ecological restoration in collaboration with local community partners.
Wang said he has been interested in visual storytelling since childhood, but only began formal training after arriving at DKU, where courses in media arts and hands-on work in the campus media lab helped build his technical foundation.
Wang learned about the competition after returning to campus, when Li mentioned it during a conversation. Coursework in international environmental policy taught by Coraline Goron, assistant professor of environmental policy and chair of DKU Sustainability Committee, gave him a deeper understanding of CITES and encouraged him to submit the photo.
“I didn’t take this picture with a competition in mind,” Wang said. “I brought my camera out of habit. But when I looked back later, this picture carried a story of transformation and the deep knowledge local communities hold about their forests.”
Li said the recognition reflects DKU’s interdisciplinary approach to environmental education.
“We encourage students to learn in real-world settings and engage with communities,” she said. “His ability to document meaningful ecological moments grows out of that experience.”
“Environmental science helps me understand the systems behind conservation,” Wang added. “Photography allows me to share those stories in a way that resonates with people.”
CITES launched the photography competition to celebrate its 50th anniversary and highlight the role communities, customs officers and frontline rangers play in safeguarding wildlife. Entries from amateur and professional photographers worldwide were judged on storytelling, visual impact and relevance to the theme “Connecting People and Nature.”
