Leadership in Conservation - a lecture by Dr Gladys Kalema Zikusoka
An exclusive event for RSB members exploring wildlife conservation, One Health, and Dr Gladys' journey to becoming Uganda’s first wildlife vet.

Details

When? Tuesday 24 March 2026, 12:00 to 13:00
Members Only This is a members-only event
Where? Online (Zoom)
CPD Approved This event is approved for CPD

Exploring wildlife conservation, One Health, and Dr Gladys' journey to becoming Uganda's first wildlife vet


Talk outline

Dr Gladys will share her journey to becoming a conservationist, including the influence of her childhood & family on that journey. She will speak about becoming Uganda's first wildlife veterinarian and her experience working as a practicing vet with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. She will also discuss our One Health approach, the founding of Conservation Through Public Health, and the impact of our work in protecting gorillas while supporting thriving communities. 

She will also reflect on what she has learned about sustaining conservation through responsible tourism, social enterprises like Gorilla Conservation Coffee, and engaging women and youth.

About our speaker

Dr Gladys Kalema Zikusoka is Founder and CEO of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), an award winning NGO and non profit that protects endangered gorillas and other wildlife through One Health approaches. After graduating with a Bachelor in Veterinary Medicine from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London in 1995, she established Uganda Wildlife Authority's first veterinary department in 1996. 

In 2003, she completed a Zoological Medicine Residency and a Master in Specialized Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina Zoological Park, as well as a certificate in non profit management at Duke University, leading to the establishment of CTPH.

In 2015, she founded Gorilla Conservation Coffee to support farmers living around habitats where gorillas are found, which won the People. Environment. Achievement Award in 2024. She became a National Geographic Explorer in 2017 and won the Sierra Club EarthCare Award in 2018. In 2021, she won the UNEP Champion of the Earth Award in Science and Innovation and the Aldo Leopold Award from the American Society of Mammologists. In 2020, CTPH won the Saint Andrews Prize for the Environment. In 2023, her memoir “Walking With Gorillas: The Journey of an African Wildlife Vet” was published.

Who should attend?

This talk would be of interest to scientists, students, and those interested in One Health and wildlife conservation. 

Cost and booking

This event is free to attend and exclusively for RSB members (including paid membership applications awaiting election).

Special requirements

If you have accessibility requirements, please let us know during your booking using the additional information options, and we will do what we can to accommodate your needs.

Continuing Professional Development

This event is approved by the Royal Society of Biology for the purposes of CPD and can be counted as 3 CPD points.

Contact

For event, booking and website queries, please contact Lucy Eckersley at events@rsb.org.uk or on 020 3925 3445.

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