About
Professor Mike Rands serves as Master of Darwin College at the University of Cambridge and is the Founding Director of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI). He is actively engaged in global conservation efforts and food security research through multiple institutional affiliations.
His research focuses on conservation biology, biodiversity protection, and environmental sustainability, with particular emphasis on landscape regeneration and global governance of natural resources. Professor Rands has pioneered the concept of 'conservation clusters' that bring multiple organizations together in one location to maximize global conservation impact.
- Master, Darwin College, University of Cambridge
- Founding Director, Cambridge Conservation Initiative
- Member, Cambridge Global Food Security Initiative
- Associated with Department of Plant Sciences
Professor Rands has been instrumental in securing significant funding for conservation, including a $10 million endowment from Arcadia. He has facilitated high-level international collaborations, including discussions with the President of Madagascar about conservation challenges. His leadership extends to initiatives like the Earthshot Prize, where Darwin College nominated Sanergy as a finalist solution.
Under his direction, the Cambridge Conservation Initiative has become a world-leading hub for conservation science, housed in the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge. The initiative brings together academic researchers and conservation practitioners to develop innovative approaches to some of the planet's most pressing environmental challenges.
