Dr. Franco P. Mbise | Crop Protection Measures | Best Scholar Award

Senior Lecturer, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania

Dr. Franco Peniel Mbise is a Tanzanian scholar specializing in natural resources management and biodiversity conservation. Born on May 16, 1989, in Arumeru District, Arusha, Tanzania, he currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Dodoma (UDOM). With a deep passion for conservation science, he has made significant contributions to research, policy, and education. Over the years, Dr. Mbise has mentored numerous students and published extensively in high-impact journals. His leadership extends beyond academia, having held key administrative roles at UDOM, including Acting Head of Department and Postgraduate Studies Coordinator. His research explores human-wildlife conflict, community conservation, and biodiversity management. Recognized for his scholarly excellence, he has received prestigious awards for his impactful research. Fluent in Swahili and English, Dr. Mbise is dedicated to applying multidisciplinary approaches to solve pressing conservation challenges in Africa and beyond.

Profile

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📘 Education

Dr. Franco Mbise’s academic journey reflects a strong foundation in conservation and natural resources management. He earned his PhD in Natural Resources Management and Biodiversity Conservation from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (2015–2018), following an MSc in Natural Resources Management from the same institution (2013–2015). His undergraduate degree, a BSc in Wildlife Management and Conservation, was obtained from Sokoine University of Agriculture (2009–2012). Prior to higher education, he attended Mukidoma High School (2007–2009), Nshupu Secondary School (2003–2006), and Seela Primary School (1996–2002) in Arusha, Tanzania. His academic pursuits have been driven by a commitment to wildlife conservation, human-wildlife coexistence, and ecosystem sustainability. He further honed his expertise through postdoctoral research at NTNU (2019–2020), deepening his understanding of biodiversity conservation and environmental policy.

👨‍🏫 Experience

Dr. Mbise has extensive experience in academia and conservation. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Natural Resources Management at the University of Dodoma (2023–Present), previously serving as a Lecturer (2019–2022) and Assistant Lecturer (2016–2018). His leadership roles at UDOM include Acting Head of Department (2023) and Postgraduate Studies Coordinator (2023–Present). Before joining academia, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) under the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (2012–2013). His early fieldwork includes roles as a tour guide in Serengeti National Park (2011) and in game patrol and security intelligence at Selous Game Reserve (2010). Throughout his career, he has contributed to biodiversity conservation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and sustainable environmental management, making a lasting impact through research and mentorship.

🏆 Awards & Honors

Dr. Mbise’s contributions to conservation science have earned him notable recognition. In 2023, he received the Research Excellence Award from the Tanzanian Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, acknowledging his outstanding publications in high-impact journals. His extensive scholarly work, including 23 international scientific papers, has positioned him as a leading researcher in natural resource management. Beyond research, his commitment to student mentorship and academic leadership has been widely recognized within academic circles. He has played a crucial role in supervising PhD, MSc, and undergraduate students, guiding them toward impactful careers in conservation science. His role as a reviewer for top journals, including Society & Natural Resources, Biological Conservation, and Global Ecology and Conservation, further highlights his academic influence. Through his achievements, Dr. Mbise continues to shape the future of conservation research and education.

🔬 Research Focus

Dr. Mbise’s research revolves around human-wildlife interactions, biodiversity conservation, and community-based natural resource management. His studies have explored livestock depredation by carnivores, community attitudes toward conservation, and the socio-economic impacts of protected areas. He has examined the effectiveness of conservation incentives, the influence of education on conservation awareness, and the role of ecological surveys in wildlife management. His work extends to carnivore ecology, species conservation, and the impact of human activities on ecosystems. He integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS), statistical modeling (R & SPSS), and interdisciplinary approaches to address conservation challenges. His findings contribute to policy-making and sustainable management strategies for Tanzania’s national parks and protected areas. As a dedicated mentor, he fosters research that balances conservation efforts with local community needs, ensuring biodiversity thrives alongside human development.

📚 Publications 

1️⃣Human–carnivore conflict over livestock in the eastern Serengeti ecosystem 🦁🐑
2️⃣ Livestock depredation by wild carnivores in the Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem 🐆🐄
3️⃣ Factors influencing communities’ attitudes toward protected area conservation in Myanmar 🏞️🌏
4️⃣ The role of education in biodiversity conservation 🎓🌱
5️⃣ Attitudes of Maasai pastoralists toward large carnivore conservation in Loliondo 🏕️🦊
6️⃣ Can enhanced awareness change school children’s knowledge of carnivores in Tanzania? 📖🐾
7️⃣ Foraging vultures and scavengers responding to auditory cues in Africa 🦅🦴
8️⃣ Attacks on humans and retaliatory killing of wild carnivores in Serengeti 🦏⚖️
9️⃣ Human habituation reduces hyrax flight initiation distance in Serengeti 🐿️🌍
🔟 Do carnivore surveys match pastoralists’ reports in Eastern Serengeti? 🔬🐺
1️⃣1️⃣ Conservation incentives and willingness to coexist with large carnivores 🌍💰
1️⃣2️⃣ Community education and appreciation of conservation benefits in Tanzania 🏡📚
1️⃣3️⃣ Awareness of urban communities on biodiversity conservation in Tanzania 🌳🏙️
1️⃣4️⃣ Impact of protected areas on local livelihoods in Tanzania 🏕️💼
1️⃣5️⃣ Community dependency on protected areas in Myanmar 🌳🏠
1️⃣6️⃣ The threat of COVID-19 to Tanzanian national parks 🦠🏞️
1️⃣7️⃣ Impact of outreach programs on community-park relationships in Tarangire 🎤🌿
1️⃣8️⃣ Local people’s knowledge and illegal hunting of topi in Serengeti 🦌🏹
1️⃣9️⃣ Do hyraxes benefit from human presence in Serengeti? 🤔🐿️
2️⃣0️⃣ Resettlement of Maasai communities from the Ngorongoro Landscape in Tanzania 🏠🚜