Commonwealth Scholar, Mirian Ementu-Maxwell, has received a competitive research grant from the Animal Behavior Society, United States, to support her research on social species and in recognition of her contributions to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in science.

The award, presented through the society’s Student Research Grant programme, will support Ementu-Maxwell’s ongoing research examining how habitat configuration influences the survival or extinction of social species. Her study focuses on the long-standing ecological debate known as SLOSS — “Single Large Or Several Small” — which explores whether one large habitat reserve or multiple smaller reserves are more effective for biodiversity conservation.

Currently pursuing doctoral studies in the United States, Ementu-Maxwell is presently investigating how habitat fragmentation affects obligately social species that depend on cooperation and group living for survival. Using computational and spatially explicit ecological models, the research examines how resource distribution, competition, and group structure influence species persistence under changing environmental conditions.

According to her, while habitat fragmentation has been extensively studied in conservation biology, limited attention has been given to how social behaviour affects extinction risks in fragmented habitats.

“The project seeks to understand whether social species are more likely to persist in single connected habitats or in several smaller habitat patches, particularly under environmental pressure and resource limitations,” she said.

The research is expected to contribute to broader conservation planning efforts, especially in regions experiencing rapid habitat loss caused by urbanisation, agriculture, and deforestation.

Before beginning her doctoral studies in the United States, Ementu-Maxwell was selected in 2022 for the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Shared Scholarship programme to pursue a master’s degree in the United Kingdom. The scholarship was jointly funded by the Oxford Brookes University and the UK government.

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship is awarded to students from developing Commonwealth countries who demonstrate academic excellence and the potential to contribute to sustainable development in their home countries. In recent years, scholars from the country have continued to gain recognition internationally across fields including environmental science, medicine, engineering, and technology. Experts say such achievements highlight the growing contributions of African researchers to global scientific advancement despite funding and infrastructural challenges facing research institutions across the continent.

Ementu-Maxwell noted that increased investment in research and stronger international collaborations remain important for addressing emerging environmental and biodiversity challenges.

She also expressed hope that findings from the study would provide insights useful for wildlife conservation policies, particularly for endangered social animals threatened by shrinking habitats and climate-related environmental changes.