Dr Elias Bizuru is a Professor of Life Sciences at University of Rwanda (UR) where he is working since April 2008. Beside his teaching load, he occupied the positions of coordinator of the MSc program in Biodiversity and Conservation before his appointment as Head of Biology Department. He has also been coordinator of the Regional Network of Conservation Educators in Albertine Rift (RNCEAR) since 2014. Since the University of Rwanda (UR) has been created, he has been appointed as Acting Director of Research and Innovation at the College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda (UR). Parallel to his academic and administrative work, he is very active in research. He has published with his colleagues or students more than 30 papers in peer reviewed journals and contributed in the writing of 7 Chapters of the book “Turn Science into Action” published by Africa World Press ISBN 1-59221-729-x.
Dr Bizuru is also known for his great contribution in Biodiversity conservation. In 2007, he created a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) called BNA through which he got number of grants that helped in Biodiversity conservation. Thanks to the financial support of EGP The Netherlands, Rufford small grant and the collaboration with the government of that time, he has been able to create the Malagarazi wetlands Ramsar site that became at the same time the Malagarazi Nature Reserve (MNR). Dr Bizuru has been very active in the creation and operationalisation of the Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management in Rwanda since 2007 following the recommendation of the President of Rwanda, H.E Paul Kagame. He is currently very active in research on green economy and environment protection and Biodiversity conservation in Rwanda through the strong collaboration existing between the University of Rwanda (UR) and the Ministry of Environment. He is also the Director of the JRS project “Developing a freshwater biodiversity information system for sustainable development and climate change adaptation in Rwanda”. He has conducted several studies on green economy in Rwanda and conducted training of trainers in green economy. He is also spearheading the project “Agro-ecology in Rwanda: status, challenges and opportunities” funded by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Small Grants Programme (SGP).
