Philip Anderson

Philip is a conservation social scientist. He holds a BA (Honours) in Global Challenges from the African Leadership University (ALU) in Rwanda and an MPhil in Environment, Society and Sustainability from the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa.

He is currently pursuing a PhD in Human Geography at the University of Cambridge, where his research examines the historical evolution of forest governance in Sierra Leone and how British colonial legacies continue to shape contemporary forest governance. His interdisciplinary work sits at the intersection of natural resource governance, environmental policy, and political ecology, drawing on environmental justice and decolonial scholarship to understand how history, power, and knowledge influence environmental decision-making.

Philip's academic and professional journey has been shaped by a longstanding commitment to sustainability and conservation. In 2020, he was awarded the MAVA Scholarship for young conservation leaders in West Africa, which supported his undergraduate studies at ALU.

Philip is also the co-founder of the Reimagining Sustainability Institute, a Sierra Leone-based initiative focused on advancing sustainability leadership and innovation. He has worked across nonprofit, academic, and intergovernmental organisations, including the ALU School of Wildlife Conservation, Rwanda National Commission for UNESCO, We Do Green Organisation, UCT, and Convivial Conservation. His roles have spanned research, programme management, tutoring (teaching assistant), and development officer.

He is committed to producing research that bridges scholarship and practice. Through collaboration with local communities, governments, civil society, and international organisations, he aims to co-create knowledge that informs policy, strengthens natural resource governance, and contributes to sustainable and just environmental futures.