Rumi Naito

Rumi Naito

Adjunct Professor

Contact Details


rumisen@gmail.com

http://chanslab.ires.ubc.ca/people/rumi-naito/ http://zhaolab.psych.ubc.ca/people.html

Research Interests

Behavioral change, Biodiversity conservation, Climate change, Cultural ecosystem services, Environmental and cultural values, Management of biodiversity, Perceived risk and new technology, Policy and Decision-making, Political ecology, Resilience, Resource governance and management, Resource scarcity, Science-policy interface, Social ecological systems

Bio

I am a conservation social scientist with a background in behavioral science, informing evidence-based solutions to advance environmental sustainability. With 15+ years in research and project management, I specialize in REDD+, community-based conservation, and behavior change. My work explores psychological and social factors driving pro-environmental behaviors, applying behavioral insights to motivate both individual and collective action. I am interested in finding effective ways to influence public behaviors and perceptions to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, I design experiments to assess the impact of conservation interventions across diverse populations. My current focus includes designing effective behavior change interventions in the context of demand reduction in the global wildlife trade, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and promoting sustainable land-use practices among rural communities.

Prior, I lived and worked in Indonesia for over 7 years, leading sustainable land-use, forestry, and REDD+ projects. I am fluent in English, Bahasa Indonesia, and Japanese. I hold a PhD in Resources, Environment and Sustainability from The University of British Columbia and a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University.