Dr.
Rocío López de la Lama

2018–2023

PhD in Ressources, Environment and Sustainability

Supervised by Dr. Kai M. A. Chan
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES)
University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada

2014–2015

Master in Conservation Leadership
Supervised by Chris Sandbrook
Department of Geography, St Catharine’s College
University of Cambridge (England)

2012–2014

Bachelor’s thesis (Licenciatura)
Supervised by Dr. Armando Valdés-Velásquez
Cayetano Heredia University, Lima – Peru

2008–2012

Bachelor of Science, Biology
Faculty of Science
Cayetano Heredia University, Lima – Peru

Since November 2025

Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellow
#Fish4Her Project, Supervised by Dr. Stefan Partelow
Center for Life Ethics, University of Bonn, Germany

Since August 2025

Consultant for IUCN Netherlands, evaluation of 25 years of the Land
Acquisition Fund Program (LAF)

Nov 2023–July 2025

Postdoctoral Fellow
The Ocean Defenders Project
Supervised by Dr. Philippe Le Billion and Dr. Nathan Bennett
School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
The University of British Columbia, Canada

Aug 2023–Dec 2024

Consultant for Advanced Conservation Strategies (ACS), evaluation of the
Coastal Solutions fellows Program (CSF) from Cornell University

Since July 2023

Member of the Board of Directors
Social Science Working Group (SSWG)
The Society of Conservation Biology

July 2022–Oct 2023

Project Manager for The Ocean Defenders Project
Research project that aims to fill the gap on Ocean Defenders with a global
focus. Project led by Dr. Nathan Bennett

Throughout 2017

Centre for Sustainable and Integral Development (CIDIS) of the Cayetano
Heredia University (Lima, Peru).
Research projects:
• “An economic, productive and socioeconomic characterization of the
scallop (Argopecten purpuratus) aquaculture in the Sechura Bay,
Piura, Peru”
• “Social, economic and labor characterization of artisanal compressed-
air divers working at scallop (Argopecten purpuratus) aquaculture sites
in the Sechura Bay, Piura, Peru”

Responsibilities: Design and implement surveys and interviews to artisanal
fishers and divers in the Sechura Bay of Peru. Analyze results and elaborate
reports with the main findings.

Aug–Dec 2016

Principal Investigator (PI)
Research project: “Women at fieldwork: Challenges, contributions and
opportunities Peruvian female scientists face when conducting research on the
field”.
Funding provided by the National Council of Science and Technology
(CONCYTEC) of Peru. Winners of the contest “Women in Science 2016”.

Since March 2016

Associate Researcher
Research Group in Socio-Ecological Systems
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Lima, Peru)

Throughout 2016

Research Consultant for Oceana Peru
Assessment of Peruvian’s knowledge and attitudes towards the marine
ecosystems and marine living resources of Peru. Description of seafood
consumption patterns in coastal Peru.
Responsibilities: Design a survey and implement it along the Peruvian coast
(2000 surveys, 10 regions). Analyze the gathered data and elaborate a report
with the main findings.

Apr 2013–Sept 2014

Project Manager
Iniciativa Conservamos por Naturaleza
Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental – SPDA
Responsibilities: Provide scientific evidence to private land conservation
projects and proposals, manage crowdfunding campaigns and elaboration of
project reports for funders.

2012–2013

Associated researcher
Centre For Environmental Sustainability (CSA-UPCH)
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Term 1 of 2020, 2021, 2022,
2023 & 2024

Introduction to Conservation Biology
Teacher and course coordinator
Faculty of Science, Biology
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Term 2 of 2020, 2021, 2022,
2023 & 2024

Adaptive Management for Conservation Science
Teacher and course coordinator
Faculty of Science, Biology
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Guest Lecturer:

November 2025

Lecture: Ocean defenders and their relevance for nature
conservation and sustainability
ILR-03 Environmental Governance
Masters in science, Faculty of Agricultural, Nutrition and
Engineering Sciences
University of Bonn

September 2024

Lecture: Small-scale fisheries governance and management
CO511 Adaptive Management for Conservation Science
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

November 2020 & March 2021

Lecture: Exploring people’s relationships with sharks and their
implications for conservation along the Peruvian coast.
EEB199 Humans, Evolution and Ecology
University of Toronto

Mentoring Experience:

Thesis supervisor for the Research Group in Socio-Ecological Systems from Universidad Peruana
Cayetano Heredia (Lima, Peru)

Since 2023

Aurora Maguiña: Small-scale fishers’ perceptions towards marine megafauna
in a context of ecotourism

Since 2023

Patricia Sangiorgi: Evaluation of marine protected area’s effectiveness and
legitimacy based on the perceptions of small-scale fisheries in Peru.

2022–2024

Benny Martinez: Understanding the perceptions, knowledge and interactions
between small-scale fishers and otariids in the fishing port of Chorrillos, Peru.

2025

Postdoctoral Fellowships - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
2-year funding for working at the Center for Life Ethics at the University of Bonn, Germany

2017

National Council of Science and Technology (CONCYTEC), Peru
Full four-year scholarship for undertaking the PhD Program at the Institute for Resources,
Environment and Sustainability (IRES) from The University of British Columbia (UBC)

2014

Robert Sansom Scholarship
Complete scholarship for undertaking the MPhil in Conservation Leadership, at the University
of Cambridge (England)

2012

The Rufford Small Grants Foundation for Nature Conservation
Research fund for conducting the project: A critical insight into Peruvian seafood cuisine
preferences: what restaurants choose is relevant!

• Prado, D., Armitage, D., Nayak, P., Arriagada, N., Castillo, T., López de la
  Lama, R., Trimble, M., Epstein, G. (2026). Threats and prospects for the
  viability of small-scale fishing communities in Latin America: A systematic
  review of conflicts and blue injustices. Ocean & Coastal Management. DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107934
• Delgado, E., Barboza, E., Rojas-Briceño, N., Cotrina-Sánchez, A., Valdés-
  Velásquez, A., López de la Lama, R., Llerena-Cayo, Camila, De la Puente, S.
  (2025). Modeling and predicting land use and land cover changes using remote
  sensing in tropical coastal ecosystems of southern Peru.
  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-025-01181-y.
• Naito, R., Chan, K., López de la Lama, R., Zhao, J. (2024). Audience
  segmentation approach to conservation messaging for transforming the exotic
  pet trade.” Conservation Biology n/a(n/a): e14267. Doi: 10.1111/cobi.14267
• López de la Lama, R., Bennett, N., Bulkan, J., De la Puente, S., and Chan, K.
  (2024). Not in it for the money: meaningful relationships sustain voluntary land
  conservation initiatives in Peru. People and Nature. DOI:10.1002/pan3.10600
• López de la Lama, R., Bennett, N., Bulkan, J., Boyd, D., and Chan, K. (2023).
  A legal assessment of private land conservation in South America.
  Conservation Biology 37(4), e14068. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14068
• Bennett, N.J., López de la Lama, R., LeBillion, P., Ertor, I., and Morgera, E.
  (2023). Ocean Defenders and human rights. Frontiers in Marine Science
  9:1089049. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2022.1089049
• De la Puente, S., López de la Lama, R., Llerena-Cayo, C., Martínez, B., Rey-
  Cama, G., Christensen, V., Rivera-Ch, M., and Valdés-Velásquez, A. (2022).
  Adoption of sustainable low-impact fishing practices is not enough to secure
  sustainable livelihoods and social wellbeing in small-scale fishing communities.
  Marine Policy 146, 105321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2022.105321
• Gibbons, DW., Sandbrook, C., Sutherland, WJ., Akter, R., Bradbury, R., Broad,
  S., Clements, A., Crick, H., Elliott, J., Gyeltshen, N., Heath, M., Hughes, J.,
  Jenkins, R., Jones, A., Lopez de la Lama, R., Macfarlane, N., Maunder, M.,
  Prasad, R., Romero-Muñoz, A., Steiner, N., Tremlett, J., Trevelyan, R.,
  Vijaykumar, S., Wedage, I., Ockendon, N. (2022). The relative importance of
  COVID-19 pandemic impacts on biodiversity conservation globally.
  Conservation Biology, 36(1), e13781. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13781
• Delgado, E., Meza, G., Barboza, E., Rojas, N., Torres, C., Oliva-Cruz, M.,
  Chavez-Quintana, S., Salas, R., López de la Lama, R., Sevillano-Ríos, S.,
  Sarmiento, F. (2021). Effectiveness of communal privately protected áreas in
  montane cloud forests of northern Peru. Pirineos. Revista de Ecologia de
  Montaña 176(e067). doi.org/10.3989/pirineos.2021.176006
• López de la Lama, R., De la Puente, S., Sueiro, J.C., and Chan, K. (2020.)
  Reconnecting with the past and anticipating the future: A review of fisheriesderived
  cultural ecosystems services in pre-Hispanic Peru. People and Nature
  3(1): 129-147. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10153
• De la Puente, S., López de la Lama, R., Benavente, S., Sueiro, J.C., and Pauly,
  D. Growing into Poverty: Reconstructing Peruvian Small-Scale Fishing Effort
  Between 1950 and 2018. (2020). Frontiers in Marine Science 7(2020), pp 681.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00681
• Bennett, N.J., Cisneros-Montemayor, A.M., Blythe, J., Silver, J., Singh, G.,
  Andrews, N., Calo, A., Christie, P., Di Franco, A., Finkbeiner, E., Gelcich, S.,
  Guidetti, P., Harper, S., Hotte, N., Kittinger, J., Le Billon, P., Lister, J., López de
  la Lama, R., McKinley, E., Scholtens, J., Solas., AM., Sowman, M., Talloni-
  Alvarez, N., Teh, L., Voyer, M., Sumaila, R. (2019). Towards a sustainable and
  equitable blue economy. Nature Sustainability.
  doi:10.1038/s41893-019-0404-1
• López de la Lama, R., De la Puente S, Riveros JC (2018) Attitudes and
  misconceptions towards sharks and shark meat consumption along the
  Peruvian coast. PLoS ONE 13(8): e0202971.
  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202971
• López de la Lama. R., Valdés-Velasquez, A., Huicho, L., Morales, E., Rivera,
  M., (2018). Exploring the building blocks of social capital in the Sechura Bay
  (Peru): Insights from Peruvian Scallop (Argopecten purpuratus) aquaculture.
  Ocean & Coastal Management 165(1).
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2018.08.030
• López De La Lama, R., De La Puente, S., & Valdés-Velásquez, A. (2018).
  Bringing sustainable seafood back to the table: Exploring chefs’ knowledge,
  attitudes and practices in Peru. Oryx, 1-9. doi:10.1017/S0030605318000273

• Le Billon, P., Belhabib, D., Bennett, N., Ertor, I., López de la Lama, R., Morgera,
  E., Saavedra-Díaz, L., Satizábal, P. (2025). Ocean governance and the
  protection of ocean defenders. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035325757.00012
• Chan, K., Gould, R., López de la Lama, R., Eyster, H. (2025). What if cultural
  ecosystem services were relational? A research agenda for nature’s
  contributions to well-being and human action. In The Routledge Handbook of
  Cultural Ecosystem Services (1st ed., pp. 13). Routledge.
  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003414896-40
• S De la Puente & López de la Lama, R. (2019). Chapter 2: Industrial fisheries
  in Latin America. In Marine and Fisheries Policies in Latin America: A
  Comparison of Selected Countries. Routledge

• The Ocean Defenders Project. (2025). Ocean Defenders: Protectors of Our
  Ocean Environment and Human Rights.
  oceandefendersproject.org/project-publications/ocean-defendersprotectors-
  of-our-ocean-environment-and-human-rights/
• Centre for Environmental Sustainability from Cayetano Heredia
  University (2012). State of the Millennium Development Goals for the
  Peruvian Amazon. Report elaborated for Articulación Regional
  Amazónica (ARA) and AVINA.