Meet the team
Dr. Eric Adjei Lawer
Executive Director
Eric is a biometrician and conservationist with over ten years of research and teaching experience at the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Management, University for Development Studies, Ghana. He has a PhD in Environment and Natural Resources from the University of Freiburg, Germany, an MSc in Biometry, and a BSc in Agriculture Technology from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. He is interested in applying evidence-based synthesis to nature conservation and has authored several papers related to conservation. In particular, he is keen on understanding the impact of land use practices and climate change on the well-being of humans and biodiversity in various ecosystems (i.e., from arid savannas to forests) to inform decision-making. Thus, he is passionate about using nature-based solutions to protect, sustainably manage, or restore natural ecosystems that address societal challenges such as climate change, human health, food and water security, and disaster risk reduction effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. Further, he has extensive knowledge of sampling techniques (including the design of experiments), data modeling (e.g., spatial analysis), and software such as R and QGIS.
Ms. Esther L. Darkoh
Co-founder
Esther is a conservationist with a BSc in Renewable Natural Resources from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. She has experience in research and teaching spanning seven years across various sectors (e.g., education, biodiversity conservation, and public health). Further, she has strong skills in community mobilization, research methodologies, and data analysis. She has worked with some institutions like the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research into Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University for Development Studies (UDS), and Anglo-Gold Ashanti, Obuasi. She has published a number of scientific articles and has served as a peer reviewer for some international journals. Her research interests include biodiversity conservation, wildlife ecology, zoonoses, and public health.
Ms. Doris Korkor Lawer
Dr. Matthew Nkoom
Research associate
Team member
Matthew is a Lecturer at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya-Ghana. He holds a PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering from Hohai University, Nanjing-China, an MSc in Environmental Science from Wageningen University, Wageningen-Netherlands, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Renewable Natural Resources from University for Development Studies, Tamale-Ghana. As an environmental toxicologist/chemist, he is keenly interested in unraveling the effects of xenobiotics in aquatic organisms. His area of research includes water quality monitoring and assessment, bioconcentration and biological effects of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products, health risk assessment of emerging contaminants, and waste management. He has about ten years research and two years of lecturing experience, with over 25 publications in refereed journals.
Doris is a mental health nurse at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. She holds a Diploma in Mental Health Nursing from Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing Training College, Cape Coast, and is currently a student at the University of Ghana pursuing a BA in Psychology and Sociology. She is a good communicator and is interested in health education and advocacy. She has experience as a secretary/receptionist and a health educator at Kairos Medical Services and TOLEC Ghana.