Emily Massingham

Emily is a PhD student in the Possingham lab. Her core research mission is to tackle great ape conservation by incorporating local knowledge, needs, rights and concerns. During her PhD, Emily is investigating whether orangutan conservation projects are more effective if local people are involved in a meaningful way. This involves an examination of the interplay between the ecological success of orangutan conservation projects, and various social variables, including human wellbeing benefits, community perceptions and community engagement in conservation projects. Emily's PhD work is supported by a team of supervisors including Professor Hugh Possingham, Dr Angela Dean (QUT), Dr Erik Meijaard (Borneo Futures) and Professor Kerrie Wilson (QUT).

Following a BSc in Ecology, Emily completed her honours project at UQ under the supervision of Professor Richard Fuller and Dr Angela Dean. Her project explored whether nature experiences are associated with conservation behaviour and if so, the pathways through which this might operate. After her honours, Emily worked with the United Nations Great Apes Survival Partnership and the United Nations Wildlife Unit in Nairobi, where she contributed to a host of conservation projects.