My background in biological sciences involved topics from the traditional natural science like ecology and microbiology and linking them to social sciences in theory and practice such as conservation and management. I have since received further training in each of the fields including a diploma in international ocean law and policy. In my PhD work, I investigated the abstractions of biodiversity, scale and difference in space, exploring ecological, social, political and governance, entanglements amidst advancement in science and technology.

In other words, my primary research interests lie at the intersections of power and knowledge from scientific or logical to emotional, ecological, social, profane, sacred, geo- and biophysical, considering both utilitarian and intrinsic values. I am interested in how various knowledge systems and institutional frameworks make sense of natural and cultural landscapes, especially in the often-overlooked frontiers, including the non-human agents, indigenous and “remote” communities, oceans and outer space. I grapple with the complexities that arise when subjectivity meets the assumed objectivity required by some scientific frameworks and policies for management of dynamic spaces. From investigations of global governance structures and engagement with local communities to analyses of social and scientific management strategies, I utilise both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in my work. Each time, I develop new innovative and creative approaches for data collection, analyses and representation. Through these experiences, I have cultivated a diverse network, gained a global perspective on various issues and will continue to frame my research for the coming 5-10 years following some of the aspects listed here below.

Ocean and outer Space

Ocean space contributes to new ways of knowing by thinking with its dynamic flows that convolute spatial practices in management. Often represented as natural, essential objects, the legal interpretation of ocean space codified in international treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea presents challenges in the management of mobile human and non-human entities. Along with the discursive and material aspects of land/sea boundary drawing, my research confronts the tensions that arise when policy meets the constantly shifting and consistently rising sea/land interface. By placing these boundary-drawing practices within their scientific and social processes such as international negotiations and colonial history of various communities including that further inland, like landlocked states, my findings call attention to how science, law and policy frames and is framed by these processes and only used to legitimise governance structures.

My primary data collection methods for this track include stakeholder interviews, social-legal analyses, participatory methods and archival research. This track contributes to a larger agenda that combines space studies with the theoretical frameworks of science and technology studies. It expands my focus to include the outer space, examining the intersections of radical cross-border thinking, environmental ethics, and sovereignty movements within the context of space exploration.

In collaboration with Assistant Professor Katherine Sammler from the University of Twente, we are working on a project exploring biodiversity and planetary protection within the context of cosmic dimensions and space exploration. Our findings so far reveal competing interests regarding the extension of terrestrial politics and logics into outer space, including becoming an arena for capital accumulation. However, we also identify opportunities to manifest and understand horizontal social relations within this vertical environment. Furthermore, I have established collaborations with legal scholars from NASA and NOAA for this project, aiming to enrich our understanding of the legal and scientific frameworks governing outer space activities.

Revisiting dynamic territories terrestrially

In this track, I am actively engaged in crafting a program for implementing Ecosystem-based Management (EBM) approaches, recognized as a pivotal framework for tackling environmental challenges on both global and national fronts. Despite notable achievements, EBM encounters pragmatic hurdles, particularly in politically charged environments and culturally fragmented land/seascapes. These obstacles encompass the integration of terrestrial and marine ecosystems into EBM, the incorporation of diverse stakeholder perspectives, and the navigation of institutional and knowledge system disparities.

The primary objective of this program is to explore these challenges and propose effective solutions by analysing the obstacles and opportunities for EBM implementation in local contexts and across international platforms. Leveraging network theory, the aim is to map out the complexities of fragmented socio-ecological systems and offer insights that can guide strategies for successful EBM within the realm of global environmental governance, particularly amid the uncertainties of future environmental scenarios.

In pursuit of this goal, I have forged partnerships with various local and indigenous communitiwa and institutions including but not all, the Micronesia Conservation Trust and the Institute for Marine Sciences in Zanzibar.

Bridging collections, representations and research

My work also encompasses the pivotal role of collections in museums and other institutions, transitioning from physical to virtual representations. It all began with my background as an ecologist conducting biodiversity surveys in East Africa. These surveys required collecting birds and small mammals for identification and tissue sampling within the rich cultural and natural landscapes of the region.

Subsequently, I engaged in specimen preparation and curation, with the data contributing significantly to the IUCN Red List for Ugandan mammals in 2016, where I served as a co-assessor. This foundational experience inspired me to pursue a master’s degree in biodiversity and collection management at the Senckenberg Museum in Germany. There, I broadened my expertise in museum operations, including morphological and molecular taxonomy, systematics, and nature-cultural representations.

Since then, I have provided consultancy services to natural history collections in Africa and Europe, including in countries like Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Switzerland and Germany. Additionally, I have delivered presentations for esteemed institutions like the Birmingham Museum Trust. My interests span various topics, including the role of museums in conservation and big game hunting, exploring colonial legacies through exhibitions and associated imagery, and scrutinizing the provenance of natural and cultural artifacts in European/Western contexts.

I use museums as platforms for critical inquiry, delving into the significance of collections and Western science in perpetuating dichotomies such as “wilderness” versus “civilization,” “self” versus the “other,” and legitimate versus illegitimate, with profound implications for broader conservation discourses. In my doctoral research, I extend this inquiry to examine how environmental management adapts to the digital age. This involves considering the complexities of representing and addressing environmental issues across terrestrial, marine, and other environments in digital databases, and exploring the social relations that emerge from these representations. I seek to further this research agenda.