University of Oxford
11a Mansfield Rd
OX1 3SZ
UK
MBiol Student
Jessie D'Urso
Background
My work focuses on community-led biodiversity monitoring – working with Indigenous Communities in Kenya and Thailand on community advocacy and protecting rare, and locally useful species. I specialise on the end-products of biodiversity monitoring – on analysing the data-products, and returning them to communities in useful ways to support livelihoods and advocacy. When I’m not in the field, I can probably be found volunteering in the glasshouses at the Oxford Botanic Garden!
Current research
I am currently involved in the Transformative Pathways project – focusing on how best to strengthen community participation in national and global ecological monitoring systems. My work involves mapping biodiversity data coverage from global datasets, co-developing a methodology for community-led ecological monitoring, and understanding the formats needed to link local, national and global monitoring. This work is part of the Transformative Pathways project, which aims to support collective actions towards biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
This summer, I also undertook a research internship looking at community-led monitoring by the Ogiek community in Kenya, performing spatial analysis of existing community-collected datasets to look at the distribution of recorded threats and elephant signs.
Brief CV
2022-2026 – MBiol at Keble College, University of Oxford
Internships: Rights-Based Conservation Intern in the Conservation Equity and Rights Theme in Summer 2025. Bat Biodiversity Intern at Thomas Valley Environmental Records Centre in December 2024. Ecosystem Restoration Intern at Keble College in Summer 2024.
Volunteering: Glasshouse Propagation Volunteer at the Oxford Botanic Garden. Student Outreach Officer for Keble College.
Awards: Jonathan and Amanda Phillips Award for Contributions to College Life.