Laina Weiss

Laina Weiss grew up in Cape Town, spending much of her childhood on camping trips in the surrounding mountains and travelling through South Africa's national parks. These early experiences encouraged a deep appreciation for the natural world and inspired her passion for conserving the diverse habitats and wildlife she grew up around. 

She completed her BSc(Hons) in Wildlife Biology and Conservation in Canada, where her research focused broadly on how populations are coping with changing environmental conditions. This included examining the effects of cue mismatch, rising temperatures and changing resource quality on population carrying capacity. Laina was subsequently drawn back to Africa to apply the skills she had developed to the ecosystems and species that had first inspired her interest in conservation. 

Laina's interests within the broad field of conservation biology are broad, encompassing population genetics, the translocation and monitoring of endangered species, and changes in species behaviour and physiology in response to anthropogenic pressures. She is excited to be part of the Conservation Biology MSc programme and looks forward to engaging with a diverse and passionate cohort to develop the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to conservation in Africa.