I am a 2024 Schmidt Science (Postdoctoral) Fellow at John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University and Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge. At Harvard, I work with Professor Milind Tambe and with Professor Anil Madhavapeddy at Cambridge. I am also a 2021 National Geographic Explorer, Fellow of the Explorers Club (2025 EC50), and Research Associate at King's College, Cambridge. I am using machine learning to analyse decades of wildlife poaching data from African protected areas (mainly national parks), aiming to improve ranger patrol effectiveness, while also assessing the impacts of improved patrol efficiency on the wellbeing of local communities that hunt wild animals. I am also passionate about increasing local community involvement in conservation, mentoring the next generation of African conservation biologists, and improving representation in academic science.

I earned my PhD in Zoology from the University of Cambridge on the dynamics of threats to pangolin. My PhD was supervised by Professor Andrew Balmford and funded by the Gates Cambridge Trust (via the Gates Cambridge Scholarship). During my PhD, I managed a field team of over 20 field researchers and raised approximately £120,000 in competitive funding from organizations such as the British High Commission in Nigeria, National Geographic Society, and Conservation Leadership Program. Before my PhD, I completed an MSc in Conservation, Biodiversity, and Management at the University of Oxford (Commonwealth Shared Scholarship), Graduage Diploma in Endangered Species Management (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Academy and University of Kent) and a BSc in Forestry and Wildlife Management at Cross River University, Nigeria (Vice Chancellor’s Award).

Outsde research, I manage Pangolin Protection Network's operations in Nigeria (I founded the conservation organisation in 2021). In 2021, I ran in a pangolin suit for eight straight hours (one for each pangolin species) and covered 55 kms to raise awareness of pangolins and funds for their conservation, with over $10,000 raised and donated to Save Pangolins. My work has been recognized with the 2022 University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Impact and Engagement and 2024 IFAW Animal Action Award.