headshot of Sean Denny

PhD Student

Address
Bren Hall 3031

Education
MSc, Conservation Science, Imperial College of London, England
BA, Biology, Middlebury College, Vermont

Bio
Sean's research interests lie at the interface of wildlife conservation and livelihoods, and include human-wildlife conflict, the illegal wildlife trade, protected area management, community-based conservation, and the socioeconomic drivers of wildlife loss. At the Bren School, Sean is combining applied ecology and social science research methods to study large carnivore conservation in human-modified landscapes.

Many of Sean’s research interests arose while serving in the Peace Corps in Cameroon, where he taught biology at a village secondary school. His students, colleagues, and neighbors hunted, consumed, and traded wildlife for subsistence. These circumstances gave him a personal understanding of the challenges facing people and wildlife in developing countries, and the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems.

Year Admitted
2018

Faculty Advisors
Bruce Kendall and Sarah Anderson

Research Areas
Wildlife ecology and conservation; human-wildlife conflict; illegal wildlife trade; livelihoods; sustainable use