PhD candidate Kinley Rinchen has been awarded a 2025 WWF Russell E. Train Fellowship.
Edith Cowan University (ECU) PhD candidate Kinley Rinchen has been selected for a prestigious 2025 WWF Russell E. Train Fellowship, joining an elite global cohort of emerging conservation leaders.
Kinley is one of just 23 conservation scientists and leaders worldwide to receive the Aspiring and Current Faculty Fellowship, awarded to exceptional early-career scientists working to strengthen conservation science, education and leadership across the globe.
Kinley said he was humbled and truly honoured to be recognised by one of the world's leading conservation organisations.
"This fellowship will be instrumental in fostering both my personal and professional growth," he said.
"I'm transitioning from an administrative role into a knowledge-based career focused on research, scholarship and social impact. Being part of WWF's global network gives me access to incredible mentors, conservation leaders and learning opportunities that will help shape my future and strengthen my credibility."
Research to support Bhutan's post-COVID transformation
Kinley's PhD research is investigating how COVID-19 affected the wellbeing, economic security and social fabric of Bhutan, and how the country can use lessons from the pandemic to support long-term transformation.
Bhutan is globally recognised for its unique development philosophy of Gross National Happiness, which places wellbeing, culture and environmental stewardship at the centre of national progress.
Kinley said the pandemic gave Bhutan a rare chance to rethink its future.
"COVID-19 disrupted every aspect of life, but it also helped Bhutan identify priorities to build resilience," he said.
"Guided by its wellbeing-focused philosophy, Bhutan had the world's lowest COVID-19 death rate and one of the highest vaccination rates. My research is exploring what we learned from that experience and how these insights can support Bhutan's major transformation initiatives now underway."
Early findings from his research highlight the strong connection between environmental conservation and personal wellbeing, a link Kinley hopes to explore further as part of his conservation-focused fellowship.
The WWF fellowship connects Kinley with a network of more than 4,300 conservation specialists and alumni across 60 countries. The program provides mentorship, training, community events and access to future alumni grants to scale projects that support conservation and sustainable development.
Find out more about ECU's research opportunities by visiting Research degrees.
