MPhil candidate (Cambridge), M.A. (NSUK), B.A. (UNIPORT)

Maureen Abel is currently pursuing an MPhil in African Studies at the University of Cambridge, where her research examines the intersection of climate change, human rights, indigenous knowledge systems, and environmental justice. Her academic and advocacy work focuses on the integration of indigenous and cultural knowledge into global environmental governance, sustainable development, and rights-based approaches to climate resilience.

She is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar and a Prize Studentship Recipient at the Joint Centre for History and Economics (JCHE), Cambridge. Maureen serves as a Research, Engagement, and Programme (REP) Assistant with the Democratising Education for Global Sustainability and Justice Programme at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge.
In addition to her academic roles, she is a member of the YOUNGO Council under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where she serves as the 2025 Contact Point for the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Working Group.