About me
As a conservation biologist, my commitment to sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife drives my interdisciplinary research. I am passionate about devising solutions that allow for wildlife and humans to thrive in shared landscapes, informed by both ecological and social science perspectives. The heart of my work lies indirectly involving stakeholders in the research process, which results in impactful research with real-world applications aimed at improving human-wildlife relations. I focus on two core areas:
- Human-wildlife interactions: Central to my research is the quest to better understand and manage the complex relationships between human communities and wildlife. While some projects involves studying patterns and mechanisms underlying the actual huamn-wildllife interactions (e.g. crop raiding, livestock predation, pathogen transmission and vehicle collisions), I'm increasingly interested in the human-human conflict that often underlies human-wildlife conflicts scenarios. By assessing community perceptions and worldviews associated with wildlife, I aim to develop strategies that held addressing the underlying causes of conflict. My work here involves the creation of frameworks that enable communities to live in greater harmony with wildlife, thereby enhancing conservation outcomes.
- Effectiveness of area-based conservation: I scrutinize the success of conservation areas, such as national parks, community-based conservation areas and REDD+ projects, in achieving their intended ecological and socio-economic goals. My evaluations help refine conservation efforts, ensuring they effectively protect biodiversity while fully considering the human dimension.
Through these lenses, I aim to bring evidence and innovation to conservation practice, always with the goal of fostering a balance where both humans and wildlife can prosper. To achieve this, I usually combine observational field studies (behavioral observations, line transects, camera trap surveys), behavioral experiments (e.g. playback calls, flight initiation experiments), structured interviews, choice experiments and modelling in R. I thoroughly enjoy collaborating with fun and enthusiastic people from across the globe.
Geographically, my research has mostly focussed on Europe and East Africa. As I am currently transitioning to the U.S. for personal reasons, I'm seeking to include projects in North America to my portfolio.
In my free time I enjoy playing field hockey, photographing wildlife, hiking in the woods, travelling the world, and meeting friends.
Geographically, my research has mostly focussed on Europe and East Africa. As I am currently transitioning to the U.S. for personal reasons, I'm seeking to include projects in North America to my portfolio.
In my free time I enjoy playing field hockey, photographing wildlife, hiking in the woods, travelling the world, and meeting friends.
