Programme development
As we develop a programme in Engineering Ecosystem Resilience opportunity space, we're sharing our current thinking in the form of a programme thesis. This programme is expected to launch in February 2026.
Accelerated Adaptation
In the Accelerated Adaptation thesis, PD Yannick Wurm proposes that:
- As humans change the environment faster than wild species can naturally adapt, 1 in 4 animals and plants face extinction within a century.
- Traditional conservation approaches are essential, but they’re unlikely to scale at the pace needed to prevent breakdown of our ecosystems. Recent advances in high-throughput genomics, precision biology, robotics, and AI are converging, unlocking a new pathway that can complement and enhance traditional nature stewardship approaches.
- This emerging programme will explore potential pathways to accelerate adaptation, including supercharging natural mechanisms and molecular engineering. Alongside technical research, the programme will explore the ethical and governance implications of potential interventions from the outset.
Read the full thesis below, and share your feedback to help us refine our thinking as we shape a programme in this space.
Read the programme thesis Share your feedback
Programme thesis (accessible version)
Join a team
Ahead of a potential funding call in this space, we have a live teaming tool that allows applicants to find complementary expertise. After a quick registration, you can browse other researchers and request an introduction from the ARIA team to explore potential collaborations.
You can register for teaming in the thesis feedback form.
Pre-programme discovery projects
To help guide our thinking and shape the programme’s development, we have funded a series of short, exploratory research projects. These projects range from diving into particular research directions and technical feasibilities to exploring ethical and governance needs.
Meet the programme team
Our Programme Directors are supported by a core team that provides a blend of operational coordination and highly specialised technical expertise.
Yannick Wurm
Programme Director
Yannick joins ARIA from Queen Mary University of London, where he is Professor of Evolutionary Genomics & Bioinformatics. Yannick pioneered the use of molecular tools to assess pollinator health, has built startups to commercialise genome analysis software, and created a real-time network for pollinator monitoring.
Alex Smith
Programme Specialist
Alex is a project management professional with experience in complex transformations. He recently streamlined national public service infrastructure for the Nursing and Midwifery Council and has led strategic initiatives at the London School of Economics, including delivering programmes, establishing governance and replacing legacy systems. Alex supports ARIA as an operating partner from Pace.
James Johnston
External Technical Advisor
James is a computational ecologist who works at the intersection of ecosystem modelling, data science, and environmental policy. His background spans research on complex ecosystem dynamics and tipping points, the use of analytical tools to understand biodiversity change, and real-world field experience. He was previously a R&D Fellow at DEFRA, and a PhD researcher with the University of Cambridge.
Alice Pettitt
Frontier Specialist
Alice works with the Programme Directors to scope out emerging areas of technology that can shape current and future ARIA programmes. Before ARIA, she was a Venture Fellow at Creator Fund and a Founder's Associate at Gathr. She holds a PhD in Molecular Biophysics from UCL and has also carried out conservation research in the Amazon rainforest.
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