Jess Savage

Jess Savage serves as an Associate Professor in the School of Global Sustainable Development at the University of Warwick. With extensive fieldwork across Southeast Asia and Madagascar, she integrates marine ecology with socio-economic analysis to develop community-centered conservation strategies for vulnerable coastal ecosystems.

Educational Background:

• Bachelor's degree in Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology
• Master's degree in Biodiversity and Conservation
• Ph.D. research on socio-economic and ecological impacts of marine management on local communities

Research Focus: Professor Savage investigates climate change adaptation through nature-based solutions, specializing in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and human-ecosystem interactions. Her work examines how local resource-dependent communities can effectively participate in habitat monitoring and conservation planning, with emphasis on socio-economic equity and ecological resilience.

Publication Trends: Recent scholarship (2023-2025) reveals intensifying focus on microplastic contamination in remote marine ecosystems, manta ray conservation biology, and climate migration dynamics in Madagascar. Earlier work (2017-2020) established foundational insights into MPA governance in Southeast Asia and volunteer-based monitoring systems, demonstrating consistent interdisciplinary methodology bridging environmental science and social development.

Active Research:

• Protected Areas and People: Warwick GCRF Catalyst-funded project exploring community perceptions of sustainable resource management practices and conservation efficacy.

Teaching Contributions: She delivers core Global Sustainable Development modules including Environmental Principles (GD105), Biodiversity and Ecology (GD109), Climate Change Challenges (GD305/GD323), and Global Carbonisation (CH987), emphasizing transdisciplinary approaches to planetary challenges through both in-person and digital instruction.