This week’s Enlightenment Lecture welcomed Professor David MacDonald, CBE, FRSE, Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Oxford and founder of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU).
Professor MacDonald has devoted his career to understanding the complexities of wildlife conservation. His work spans a remarkable breadth: from mammals to moths, and from behavioural ecology to the economics and social science of conservation. Central to his research is the challenge of navigating the conflicts that often arise where people and wildlife intersect — whether through predation, infectious disease, or invasive species.
In 1986, he founded the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, pioneering research that not only advances fundamental biology but also provides vital insights for policy and public debate on the protection of wildlife and habitats. His interdisciplinary approach continues to shape conservation strategies worldwide.
Following his lecture, Professor MacDonald praised the Sixth Form pupils for their engagement:
“It was an absolute delight to talk to the Sixth Formers at Cokethorpe, not least because of their attention to the whole topic of Wildlife Conservation, but particularly because of the insightful questions they asked, which revealed very clearly that they understood that the whole subject covers the breadth of the intersection between human enterprise and the wider environment. So this is a topic relevant not only to the STEM subjects Sixth Formers, but to every single person in the audience. I was charmed and flattered to see them all sitting forward in their seats, listening attentively, and a forest of hands with questions that followed.”
The Enlightenment Lecture series continues to provide Cokethorpe’s Sixth Form with opportunities to engage with leading voices across academia, offering valuable perspectives that extend beyond the classroom and inspire future learning.
