Dr. Leah Gerber’s talk at the Oxford Martin School in January 2025 described a theory of change for addressing the biodiversity crisis by integrating innovation with boundary-spanning work. This presentation was part of her sabbatical at Oxford during the Spring 2025 semester.
As part of the larger discussion around effective conservation action, Leah joined Dr. Tim Coulson and Dr. EJ Milner-Gulland in a discussion about the role of academia in addressing the biodiversity crisis. In this interactive session, they explored the interplay of theory, engaged and action-oriented scholarship, and practice in conservation conducted by academics, with a focus on whether it has had much meaningful impact. The discussion included the principles and metrics that should underpin conservation practice, alongside the academic values and practices that foster long-term, less easily quantifiable impacts—such as building trust, relationships, and networks over time.