Conservation Scientist & Non-Profit Founder

I’m Andrew Fairbairn, an ecologist and conservation technologist based in Germany. My passion lies at the intersection of biodiversity conservation, rare species research, and the innovative use of technology—from remote sensing and acoustic monitoring to machine learning—to better understand and protect biodiversity.

I currently work as a postdoctoral researcher at the Technical University of Munich, where I study the drivers of urban biodiversity. I’m also the founder and managing director of RARElab (www.rarelab.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and conservation of rare and understudied species. Through RARElab, we focus on filling critical knowledge gaps about biodiversity’s most overlooked species and advancing conservation science through innovative research approaches.

With a background spanning environmental science, information technology, and conservation biology, I work to understand and protect species that often fall through the cracks of traditional research—those that are rare, elusive, or simply haven’t received the scientific attention they deserve.

I’m always excited to collaborate with fellow researchers, conservationists, and organizations who share a commitment to protecting biodiversity and advancing conservation science.