Welcome Dr. Hao Xia at the FNK

15 April 2024

Photo: Yu Shen

Dr. Hao Xia completed a PhD program at the University of Copenhagen. As an interdisciplinary conservation scientist, he will join the project “SQUEEZE -Arctic squeezing and tundra protection: opportunities, planning and communication” together with Kerstin Jantke and Uwe Schneider at the FNK. The BMBF funded project has also collaborators from AWI in Potsdam, University of Leipzig, University of Münster and WWF. Together they work on systematic conservation planning in the Arctic.

In the interview he talks about his research area, how we became interested in the topic and what he does expect from the UHH.

1. What is your research area?

My research area primarily focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of protected areas and identifying conservation priorities. In my work, I integrate methodologies from remote sensing, spatial analysis, econometrics, landscape ecology, social-ecological networks and systematic conservation planning.

2. How would you explain this to a child?

I study special outdoor places called protected areas, like parks or nature reserves, to see how well they are keeping plants and animal safe and making people's lives better. I also try to figure out which places in nature we should protect next so we can keep more animals, plants, and people safe and happy.

 3. How did you become interested in this topic?

I started working on protected area-related work when I was a master's student. I participated in a research project aiming to explore the nexus between conservation and rural households' livelihood and land use. Therefore, I spent around two months doing fieldwork in a village located in a national key ecological functional zone in the southeast of China. This fieldwork made me reflect on the function of protected areas and drove me to explore whether protected areas can effectively generate social-ecological benefits for people and promote human well-being, as well as how we can design a better protected area network.

 4. What do you expect from Hamburg and the UHH?

I look forward to the vibrant and diverse atmosphere in Hamburg. As an interdisciplinary conservation scientist, I also look forward to participating in diverse and innovative academic environments at the UHH to enhance my personal and professional growth.

 Thank you and have a good start at FNK!