Helping young conservationists plug in and shine bright

The Student Conference in Conservation Science has connected thousands of young conservationists determined to tackle the biodiversity crisis - and this year celebrates its 25th anniversary.

By Jacqueline Garget

Over the last quarter of a century, something extraordinary has emerged from Cambridge: an annual gathering powered entirely by volunteers - an event so energising and so prized that people return year after year. Leading figures come to run workshops at their own expense, exhibitors see the buzz and donate their own money to the cause, and people are still talking about the legendary parties.

This is no ordinary conference - and that’s entirely by design.

Its founders understand first-hand how daunting international meetings can feel for students, and how challenging it can be to forge meaningful connections at the very start of a conservation career. They also know that nurturing emerging conservationists is essential, if we are to address the alarming global biodiversity loss.

In the Student Conference in Conservation Science, Professors Andrew Balmford, Rob Fletcher and Rhys Green (University of Cambridge Department of Zoology) and Dr Rosie Trevelyan (Director, Tropical Biology Association) have created an entire conference for student conservationists. Here, students present almost all the talks and posters, and field trips and workshops are designed to sharpen the skills they’ll rely on throughout their careers.

Their message to these young professionals is clear: you’re important, and we’re listening to you.

“We focus our entire event on students because they’re the ones who have new ideas about how to approach biodiversity conservation. They already have solutions, they can learn from each other, and as a community they can tackle our greatest biodiversity challenges.”

Professor Andrew Balmford

Relying on the exceptional goodwill of volunteers and funders, over 25 years the conference has brought over 4,000 early-career conservationists to Cambridge, from 142 countries. Grants are offered for travel and accommodation, to limit financial barriers to attendance.

Bursary holders at SCCS Cambridge in 2025

Bursary holders at SCCS Cambridge in 2025

“We want to make sure people can get here - particularly from more isolated locations in the Global South - so they can see their place in the conservation community and get access to other ways of thinking,” says Balmford. “In three days at the conference they make lasting connections and gain so much confidence in their work.”

Confidence is key in a field where people must be able to state their case well enough to change other people’s minds.

In putting students centre-stage, this conference allows them to shine: winning a prize for the best talk, for example, or being asked about their work by leaders in the field makes a huge impact on a student’s self-belief.

Meet 2026 student Liis Kuresoo

Liis is a PhD student at the University of Tartu in Estonia, studying sustainable forest management. She attended SCCS this year for the first time to present her work.

“I’m really happy that I was able to attend. Many other researchers from my group have been to this conference over the years - it’s become something of a tradition. They told me so many positive things about it, which made me keen to experience it for myself. It’s been a fascinating week. I’ve met people who also work on forest modelling, and we’ve already shared ideas on how to improve our models.

“The most interesting part for me has been realising that I’m heading in a similar direction to people from other parts of the world - not in terms of the particular species or habitats, but in tackling the wider questions like how conservation actually works in society, and how we can translate our results into policy.”

Meet 2026 student Rishi Basumatary

Rishi is a PhD student at the Wildlife Institute of India, where he’s studying the growing human-elephant conflict in the hills of northeast India and ways to address it. SCCS is the first international conference he’s attended – made possible thanks to an SCCS travel grant and support from a funder in India.

“This conference has given me one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The highlight was the chance to interact with people working on a wide range of different subjects across the globe, and to make new connections in the world of conservation. The plenary talks have also given me valuable direction for my future work.”

“I’m very happy that I came, and really thankful to the organisers and funders for providing this opportunity.”

Meet 2026 student Josephine Entsie

Josephine recently completed a masters degree at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, and she’s continuing her research into how the declining abundance of marine species is affecting fishers’ livelihoods. She attended SCCS with the support of a full bursary.

“I’m studying the situation in Ghana, but I wanted to know what other people in my field are doing. There was a really interesting plenary talk about converting data into impact, which is what I need to focus on - so far I’ve just gathered the data. Now I can return home with ideas and suggestions for how to address the problems my research has uncovered.”

“I’ve also met other people from across Africa who’ve given me valuable advice about doing a PhD. I’ve realised that the support is there, and that there are opportunities not only in Africa but potentially in the UK or elsewhere.”

Drawing on greatness

Only a small minority of delegates, the annual plenary speakers, are established conservationists - and all are briefed to interact with and support the students during the event.

“We’ve cherry-picked many of the most famous conservation names we can find as plenary speakers,” says Balmford, “and we make sure they come from the Global South as well as the North. We want the students to recognise themselves in the speakers and feel empowered that they could achieve that level of success.”

A highlight for Balmford came when his annual invitation to one very well-known naturalist was finally accepted after twenty years.

“Every year I wrote and asked Sir David Attenborough to give a talk, and every year he replied apologising that he was too busy to come. I’d almost given up when, to our absolute delight, he said yes for our twentieth conference. We kept it a complete secret, and at the last minute asked all the delegates what one question they’d ask him given the chance. Some of the students were then chosen to ask their questions to the man himself – and he spent time talking with others at the poster session too. That’s an experience they’re unlikely to ever forget!”

Sir David Attenborough with a student at the poster session. Credit Jamie Gundry.

Sir David Attenborough with a student at the poster session. Credit Jamie Gundry.

The conference draws on an unmatched, interdisciplinary network of expertise in conservation research and practice from across the University and the associated organisations that comprise the Cambridge Conservation Initiative. Students interact with the experts at a ‘Who’s Who’ networking event, and in many years delegates have also carried out month-long internships in these organisations.

Networking opportunities at the 'Who's Who' event.

Networking opportunities at the 'Who's Who' event.

Spreading the love

Since the Cambridge conference first ran in 2000, a host of ‘sister’ conference series have been established in its image around the world - including in Hungary, Brisbane, Bengaluru and New York. The Cambridge team is involved in some more than others; after raising seed-funding, Trevelyan visited Bengaluru in 2007 to advise on setting up the conference there and is incredibly proud of how it turned out.

“What I love is that the Bengaluru team took the essence of our Cambridge conference but reimagined it to suit Bengaluru, and it’s just amazing. It’s much bigger than ours and incredibly dynamic – now if we want new ideas for what to do, we go to them!” she says.

Despite not having the resources to maintain a formal network of alumni, Trevelyan says they’re everywhere.

“Go almost anywhere in the world where conservation is happening, and you’ll meet somebody who’s either been to our conference, or knows about it.

Our legacy is having built enduring relationships between these people, for the good of the planet.”

Dr Rosie Trevelyan

Over a quarter of a century, many new conservation challenges have emerged, and the conference has evolved to keep pace. The team oozes enthusiasm for what they’ve created, but says there’s still much more to do.

"The biodiversity crisis is getting bigger. The Student Conference is a really powerful and cost-efficient way to build capacity to tackle it," says Balmford, adding: "By helping conservationists work together, gain confidence, and see how to link science with practice we’re already having a disproportionate impact. We’re going to need a lot more of this in the years ahead."

Meet the SCCS alumni

Meet alumnus Mercy Kariuki

“I’ve always wanted to be in a leadership position in conservation, and the student conference helped me to see ways I could reach that goal.”

Mercy Kariuki is a Conservation Programme Manager with the World Land Trust, where she leads a portfolio of projects dedicated to protecting habitats across Africa. She attended SCCS in 2017 to present her research, while studying for a masters degree in environmental science in Kenya.

“Attending the conference was a great personal development opportunity for me. My main goal was to get feedback on the results of my masters project,” she says. “I also knew I’d get the chance to talk to people from other conservation organisations to find out what was happening beyond my world, to help me work out what I might do next.”

She’d read about the University’s Masters in Conservation Leadership and, after meeting current students in Cambridge, felt encouraged to apply. “Hearing their experiences gave me the push I needed to apply – I realised I could do it too,” she says.

In 2019 following a successful application she returned to Cambridge for her second masters degree, gaining the skills that prepared her for her current role. “I enjoy my work a lot. Supporting conservation organisations in African countries and presenting the impact of their work relies on the skills I learned in Cambridge.”

Visiting projects in Tanzania.

Meet alumnus Dr Ricardo Rocha

Credit Mark Thiessen

Credit Mark Thiessen

“My whole career has grown out of a chance meeting at SCCS when I was a student. Now I send my own students to the conference. It’s a chance to meet really interesting people and create long-standing friendships.”

Dr Ricardo Rocha is Associate Professor in Conservation Science at the University of Oxford. His work focuses on how to manage agricultural landscapes to retain their biodiversity and maximise ecosystem services.

Among the important relationships he formed at the conference, Ricardo met someone who has become one of his longest-standing collaborators. He asked if he could do an internship in her group at the University of Helsinki - this led to conservation work in Madagascar, which helped him successfully apply for a PhD. Now they’re working together on many projects and co-supervising multiple students.

“SCCS Cambridge is by far one of my favourite conferences. I first went as a student in 2007 to meet like-minded people and hear about their work. I absolutely loved it and kept returning, presenting posters, giving talks, and connecting with people who have become core to my career,” he says.

“I love the diversity this meeting brings together on many levels - the diversity of nationalities, socio-economic backgrounds and conservation topics. We’re all people who really care about conservation.”

Working in the Amazon. Credit Madalena Boto.

Meet alumnus Dr Trishant Simlai

“The Student Conferences were instrumental in giving me a global perspective on conservation work across different regions and landscapes. They’ve also helped me build a very strong professional network across the globe.”

Dr Trishant Simlai attended the Cambridge conference in 2012, while studying for a masters degree in the UK. Since then he’s become a regular.

“Taking part in SCCS Cambridge is regarded as a milestone achievement for people working in conservation. I’ve been to all the different SCCSs around the world – Australia, Beijing, as well as becoming a regular at SCCS Bengaluru,” he says.

“It’s such an amazing opportunity for ecologists, biologists and social scientists to get together and spend three days listening to students and colleagues talking about conservation issues.”

Trishant went on to do a PhD in Cambridge - with a supervisor he first met at the conference’s ‘Who’s Who’ session. That supervisor became his manager: Trishant is currently a lecturer in Conservation Leadership in the University’s Department of Geography. He also conducts research into how technologies meant for conservation, like camera traps, are affecting local communities and changing forest governance.

He continues to volunteer at SCCS Cambridge each year. “This year my conference journey came full-circle: at the ‘Who’s Who in Conservation’ evening I was the one talking to this year’s students about the benefits of the Cambridge Masters in Conservation Leadership,” he says.

Speaking to a local community in India.

If you are interested in making a donation to support the conference, please contact Annie Neild, Head of Development, Biological Sciences, to discuss your gift.

Find out more at: www.sccs-cam.org