Biography
Professor Stuart L. Pimm is the Doris Duke Distinguished Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment and an Extraordinary Professor in the Conservation Ecology Research Unit at the University of Pretoria. He is also the Founder and President of Saving Nature, which applies conservation science to the restoration and reconnection of threatened habitats.
His research focuses on present-day species extinctions, biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation and conservation planning. His work has helped establish quantitative approaches to measuring extinction rates and identifying where biodiversity is most at risk, while his use of ecological modelling, geographic information systems and satellite imagery has helped connect conservation science with practical action. He has worked extensively in Africa since the 1990s, including long-term research, teaching and mentoring in South Africa and conservation research across the continent.
Professor Pimm has received major international recognition for his contributions to conservation science, including the 2025 World Sustainability Award, the 2019 International Cosmos Prize, the 2010 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, and the 2006 Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Environmental Sciences. In 2024, the University of Pretoria awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) in recognition of his contribution to conservation biology.
His expertise is particularly relevant to Liberia's priorities in biodiversity conservation, forest and habitat protection, ecological restoration and the development of young conservation scientists.