Lily Wright

PhD Student in the Thriving Oceans Research Hub, University of Sydney | Marine conservation and social science

Cambridge, England, United Kingdom

About

I am a conservationist with experience contributing to biodiversity conservation through multiple lenses in roles at UNEP-WCMC, Fauna & Flora, the University of Oxford and the Zoological Society of London. I am hugely passionate about the marine world and hope to contribute to a future where the oceans are bounding with life. My role at UNEP-WCMC involved application of analytical expertise, contributing to the development of novel analyses and tools to improve the evidence-base behind international policymaking. This work centred around international wildlife trade and ocean governance. Working in fundraising at Fauna & Flora gave me a practical understanding of the resources required to access and maintain the funds driving conservation action. I contributed to research at the University of Oxford, collaborating with Dr Gwilym Rowlands to produce a scientific paper detailing a novel method for monitoring small-scale fisheries using satellite imagery. I have a First class MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford. I also have a First class BSc in Biological Sciences with a Year in Research from Imperial College London, including a one-year research placement at the Zoological Society of London.

Experience

  • Associate Programme Officer, Nature Conserved at UNEP-WCMC
    May 2023 - Dec 2024 · 1 yr 8 mos

    - Lead and supported on a range of technical reports and online tools to support evidence-based decision making at the science-policy interface, including on marine species and ecosystems. - Member of the AI Task Force and Wellbeing Hub.

  • Fauna & Flora International ()
    • Trusts and Foundations Fundraising Assistant
      Dec 2022 - Apr 2023 · 5 mos

      - Collaborated across teams and geographies to prepare funding proposals, reports to donors and fundraising newsletters.

    • - Trusts and Foundations Development Research Intern
      Sep 2022 - Nov 2022 · 3 mos

      Conducted research to inform FFI's fundraising strategy, identifying opportunities for better engaging with the social development sector.

  • University of Oxford (1 yr 4 mos)
    • Research Assistant
      Oct 2021 - Aug 2022 · 11 mos

      - Collaborating with Dr Gwilym Rowlands to prepare a scientific research paper on small-scale fisheries for publication. - This work is still in progress.

    • MSc Research Project - Fisheries
      May 2021 - Sep 2021 · 5 mos

      - Entitled 'Satellite Monitoring of Small-scale Fisheries in Mozambique'. - Awarded a Distinction. - Supervised by Dr Gwilym Rowlands.

  • BSc Final Year Research Project - Speciation at Imperial College London
    Sep 2015 - Jun 2019 · 3 yrs 10 mos

    - Entitled 'Social and environmental drivers of song evolution in suboscine birds'. - Awarded a First. - Supervised by Dr Joseph Tobias.

  • Research Placement Student at Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
    Aug 2017 - Aug 2018 · 1 yr 1 mo

    - Led and contributed to a wide range of conservation projects concerning species native to the UK. - I am continuing to collaborate with Dr Tony Sainsbury to prepare several scientific reports for publication.