Alex Caruana

Growing up in the Maltese Islands I was always surrounded by the Mediterranean’s stunning landscapes and its biodiversity. My fascination with nature began during childhood as I’d explore rocky coastlines and hike through the island’s valleys. However, over time I’ve also witnessed our natural heritage deteriorate, and this was the motivation which led me to pursue my bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering specialising in ecological restoration. I then decided to further specialize in Conservation Biology by pursuing a dual master’s degree at University of Copenhagen and Bangor University, and focused my research efforts evaluating invasive species eradication projects as well as the efficacy of European conservation funding mechanisms. This interest in what is and what isn’t working in conservation is what led me to pursue my DPhil here at Oxford.

My main interest lies in further understanding whether conservation initiatives, policies and projects are working around the globe through impact assessment, as the optimal way to inform future decisions is to study and learn from the past.

My current research aims to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of conservation interventions, a counterfactual, meaning an alternative possible trajectory of a dynamic system in the absence of a specific intervention, is required. However, constructing counterfactuals is a complex process, as each intervention takes place within unique socio-ecological systems and collecting empirical ecological data through robust study designs (e.g., Randomized Control Trials) is often expensive and unfeasible. Therefore, conservation interventions are often conducted without study designs in place. My research will focus on further developing and generating species population-based counterfactuals. Additionally, I will assess historical conservation projects using quantitative secondary datasets as well as qualitative primary data using social science methods.