Isabel Jones

Dr. Isabel Jones is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stirling's Biological and Environmental Sciences department, where she leads the UKRI-funded Beacon Project (MR/T019018/1). Her interdisciplinary work bridges environmental and social sciences to address trade-offs between UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly focusing on hydropower development, biodiversity conservation, and energy justice. She has active collaborations in Brazil, Kazakhstan, India, USA, and UK.

• PhD in Tropical Ecology and Conservation (2013-2017)
• MRes in Ecology, Evolution & Conservation (2011-2012)
• BSc (1st class) in Environmental Biology (2005-2008)

Her research spans biodiversity responses to environmental change, socio-environmental conflicts, and tropical forest regeneration. She combines biological, political, and social science methodologies with remote sensing and community engagement. The Beacon Project uses hydropower as a model system to investigate SDG trade-offs and equity in decision-making.

Scientific awards include:

• UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/T019018/1)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2020)

She previously served as Lecturer in Biodiversity & Conservation (2018-2020) and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Stirling and UN-AEWA (2017-2020). Current activities include developing the "Power Up!" mobile game for global sustainable development data collection and chairing the British Ecological Society Scottish Policy Group.