Rakan Zahawi is the new executive director of the Charles Darwin Foundation | Ecology | News

The board of directors of the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) announced the appointment of Rakan A. Zahawi as Executive Director of the CDF effective March 1, 2021.

Rakan will be responsible for all operational and administrative functions of the CDF and will lead the strategic science program at the Charles Darwin Research Station (ECCD).

Zahawi was most recently director of the Lyon Arboretum at the University of Hawaii, Mānoa, and previously was director of the Las Cruces Biological Station in Costa Rica (part of the Organization for Tropical Studies) from 2006 to 2016.

He has also co-authored more than 60 scientific publications, what stands out is his commitment to world-class science for conservation.

In 2017 he was awarded the Theodore M. Sperry Award by the Ecological Restoration Society for his contributions in this field.

Zahawi holds associate professor positions at Duke University and the University of California, Santa Cruz. His research focuses on the evaluation of cost-effective methods to accelerate the recovery of tropical forests in degraded habitats.

In addition, he earned a BS in botany from the University of Texas at Austin and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in plant biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“I am very excited to join the CDF and promote its legacy of conservation and protection in this iconic archipelago.“Zahawi said.

“I hope to take advantage of the recognition of Galapagos to draw attention to the conservation needs not only of the archipelago and its people, but also of its role as a global model of intelligent environmental management. This remarkable archipelago is a showcase of sustainable best practices and a powerful example of a strong conservation ethic.“he added.

Zahawi takes over from the interim executive director, María José Barragán. She will continue as the Science Director. (I)

–