RESEARCH GROUP MEMBERS
Joe W Bull | Lead researcher | Joe’s main research interests lie in exploring, at the landscape scale, which components of biodiversity are the most crucial to protect and restore – given that ecosystems are dynamic, uncertain and subject to environmental change. To do so, he combines field ecology with simulation modelling and algorithm development, statistical analysis of large secondary data sets, and spatial data analyses (including working with satellite imagery). Explore Joe’s publications here.
Shahzoda Alikhanova | PhD Researcher | Shahzoda is based at DICE (University of Kent), and her research is focused on exploring the application of nature-based solutions in the Aral Sea basin. She is using a multidisciplinary approach at the cross-section of ecological and geospatial sciences. Her broader interests lie in biodiversity policy, habitat connectivity and spatial data analysis. More generally, Shahzoda has a cross-sector experience – biodiversity conservation, forest, land and water resources management, climate change, good agricultural practices and renewable energy. Explore Shahzoda’s publications here.
Ardiantono | PhD researcher | Ardiantono (Ardian) has recently joined DICE as part of the Tropical Defaunation Hub led by Dr MJ Struebig. His PhD work is focused on understanding the population dynamics of terrestrial vertebrates across Sumatra, using a combination of remote observations (eg. camera trap data) and direct field surveys, as well as appropriate statistical modelling. Subsequently, he will assess the technical feasibility of measures designed to conserve and restore habitat and species populations in the face of major infrastructure expansion. His PhD is supervised by Dr Struebig and Dr JW Bull.
Shuo Gao | PhD researcher | Shuo Gao (Jack), based at the University of Oxford, focuses on means for balancing economic, social and environmental outcomes during business development processes in emerging economies. He is currently researching the establishment of green business models that could enable the Chinese industrial sector to improve its environmental performance. Further, he is interested in the application of economic appraisal techniques to evaluate non-market environmental disamenities. Explore Jack’s publications here.
Isobel Hawkins | Researcher | Isobel is based at the University of Oxford, where she is working on an MBiol Project into the ability of Defra’s Biodiversity Metric 3.0 to detect variation in habitat condition. The goal of the project is to evaluate how well the Metric performs as a tool for enabling development to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain. More generally, Isobel is interested in the policy and methods involved in the restoration and enhancement of UK biodiversity. She is currently working for the group as a researcher, collecting and processing data on the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain in early adopter councils.
Diego Juffe-Bignoli | PhD researcher | Diego is carrying out a part-time PhD under the auspice of The Development Corridors Partnership project with UNEP-WCMC. The project uses a capacity-building approach to examine proposed development corridors in Kenya and Tanzania, assessing how they can be designed to deliver sustainable, inclusive, and resilient economic growth. Diego is exploring the science of assessing the impacts of development corridors (i.e. large scale infrastructure development programmes), by investigating the application of the mitigation hierarchy and considering cumulative impacts from multiple projects within development corridors. His methods build over 15 years of professional experience and revolve around GIS, connectivity analyses, systematic conservation planning, and analysis of large secondary data sets. Explore Diego’s publications here. LinkedIn in profile here.
Maureen Kinyanjui | PhD researcher | Maureen is interested in exploring human behaviour in dynamic social-ecological systems, and how that influences conflict between humans and wildlife. During her PhD, she will specifically analyse how rapid and ongoing system change is influencing anthropogenic interactions with elephants in Sagalla, Kenya. To do so, she will consider recent social, psychological and economic drivers of change, going on to develop predictive models of future interactions between humans and elephants. Ultimately, her research aims to support conflict management interventions in becoming more effective and robust to changing social-ecological contexts.
Isobel Taylor | Researcher | Isobel is a freelance researcher, working closely with the group through Wild Business Ltd, alongside a part-time role with civil engineers Balfour Beatty plc. She has a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Global Biodiversity Conservation. Her current focus is on helping organisations to understand and mitigate biodiversity impacts through the application of the Mitigation and Conservation Hierarchy framework, as well as contributing to research on Biodiversity Net Gain in the UK. She has a strong interest in rewilding and communicating science through art. See her LinkedIn profile here.
Sophus zu Ermgassen | PhD researcher | Sophus’ research takes an interdisciplinary approach towards resolving the potential conflict between the expansion of the world’s infrastructure networks and biodiversity conservation. His methods include evidence-synthesis, spatial analyses, and causal inference. he has multiple other interests including market-based instruments for biodiversity conservation, post-growth economics, ecosystem service quantification, rewilding, and the biodiversity impacts and governance of the global sand-mining industry. Explore Sophus’ publications here.
VISITING MEMBERS
Hanna Kalliolevo | PhD researcher | Hanna focuses on exploring the outcomes of biodiversity offset policies. She uses analyses of spatial statistics and landscape trends to reveal the result of offset implementation on the ground. This is in terms of both biophysical outcomes, and also how those relate to people and their potential use of biodiversity.
CURRENT RESEARCH AFFILIATIONS (J W Bull)
Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
Faculty member; member of the Executive Group.
Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science
Visiting Researcher.
Research team member.
Research team member.
Institute of Zoology of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences
Collaborator.
Environmental Decisions Alliance
Member.
IUCN Thematic Group on Ecosystem Impact Mitigation and Ecological Compensation
Member.
Oxford Martin Programme on Biodiversity & Society
Researcher.