HC Conservation Lab

HC生物多様性保全学研究室

Mission

Biodiversity conservation

We improve biodiversity outcomes by informing policy and practice through interdisciplinary research.

Philosophy

Our lab is a team

We guide, support and empower one another to achieve individual goals and deliver our collective mission.

Team members

  • Hubert Cheung

    Principal Investigator

    Hubert’s research focuses on wildlife trade, conservation geopolitics, and inclusion in conservation and science. He is a Canadian Hong Konger. Find out more about Hubert here.

  • Morgan Do

    Undergraduate Researcher (APS ‘26)

    Morgan engages environmental issues through the lens of international relations. Her research interests are in environmental peacebuilding and aesthetic politics. Morgan is from Vietnam.

Zemi

The zemi (ゼミ) is a unique facet of university life in Japan. Students work together in small-group seminars to study an academic area that aligns with their professor’s expertise. The zemi facilitates research-led education by enabling professors to incorporate their research directly into their teaching.

The HC Conservation Zemi at APU is envisaged as an extension of the lab, and will focus on experiential learning. Undergraduate students variously explore advanced concepts in biological science, contribute to conservation research and practice, and engage in environmental education activities.

本科目は、生物多様性保全分野の体験学習に重点を置いている。学生は保全における学際的な概念を探求し、保全の研究と実践に貢献し、環境教育活動に従事する。

Recruiting for Fall 2025

The HC Conservation Zemi will be offered through the College of Sustainability and Tourism from Fall 2025. Students interested in joining the zemi are asked to email Hubert directly for a consultation. In your email, please include the following:

  1. Your CV (English or Japanese; PDF);

  2. Self-introduction (~150 words in English); and

  3. Statement of interest in biodiversity conservation (~300 words in English).

生物多様性保全に関心のある日本語基準学生のゼミへの参加は歓迎しますが、授業や評価はすべて英語で行われますのでご了承ください。

Global network

We collaborate extensively with interdisciplinary scholars in Japan and around the world to maximize the reach and impact of our conservation research. We work particularly closely with the following groups and individuals:

  • Sapienza University of Rome

    Rome, Lazio, Italy

    Moreno Di Marco’s group investigates the impact of global change on biodiversity, the effect of this impact on humanity, and the strategies to minimize this impact.

    www.biodiversitychange.com

  • The University of Queensland

    Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    CBCS is a world-leading solution-oriented research center for biodiversity conservation. CBCS works in partnership with scientists, governments, non-governmental organizations, and industry to solve the most important conservation problems around the world.

    Hubert is an alumnus of the Possingham Lab.

    https://cbcs.centre.uq.edu.au/

  • The University of Oxford

    Oxford, United Kingdom

    This collaborative and interdisciplinary team at the University of Oxford focuses on understanding and addressing the consumer demand aspect of the illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade.

    We work particularly closely with Amy Hinsley.

    www.illegalwildlifetrade.net

  • Northern Arizona University

    Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

    Headed by Duan Biggs, the Resilient Conservation lab aims to inform the development of conservation actions and policies that address the intricate challenges of the Anthropocene.

    www.resilientconservation.org

  • The University of Tokyo

    Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

    Nao Takashina’s lab aims to understand methodologies for balancing human activities and ecosystem conservation from an interdisciplinary perspective.

    www.nao-takashina.net

  • Yonsei University

    Wonju, Gangwon, South Korea

    Annie Young Song conducts research on environmental politics and governance in the East Asian region. Currently, she examines (1) China’s role in ocean governance, including marine biodiversity and fishing activities, and (2) environmental security in the Korean peninsula.

    www.oceannexus.org/people/annie-young-song

  • City University of Hong Kong

    Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Rebecca W.Y. Wong’s research interests concern the intersections of green criminology, illegal trade in protected & endangered wildlife, animal abuse, criminal networks and issues of trust in the underworld.

    www.cityu.edu.hk/stfprofile/wywon2.htm

  • National Institute of Environmental Studies

    Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Takahiro Kubo and his group at NIES study the economics and behavior change concerning biodiversity conservation, as well as wildlife and tourism management.

    https://kubotaka.wixsite.com/blog/english

  • Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen

    Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

    Yifu Wang conducts interdisciplinary research on the wildlife trade in China and across Asia, with a particular focus on pangolins.

    https://hss.cuhk.edu.cn/en/teacher/1265

Opportunities

Are you looking for postdoctoral research opportunities in biodiversity conservation? Maybe you’d like to collaborate as a visiting scholar? Do you want to pursue graduate studies?

We’re seeking senior researchers to join our lab in Beppu, Oita, Japan. Please get in touch, and we can explore funding and scholarship opportunities together.