Dr Sophie Neale, Head of CMEP
As Head of the Centre for Middle Eastern Plants (CMEP) I lead a team that collaborates closely with governments, research institutes, and community partners across the region to address environmental challenges.
With over 20 years of experience in the Middle East and South-West Asia, I work at the intersection of plant science, conservation, and sustainable development. My focus is on understanding the region’s rich plant diversity and translating that knowledge into practical programmes that support biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, sustainable use, and local livelihoods.
My work spans advisory roles, research, capacity building, and consultancy. I’ve contributed to a wide variety of projects regionally including the development of new botanic gardens and urban greening initiatives.
I also lead biodiversity research and conservation planning projects including baseline plant inventory work, development of identification tools, habitat and vegetation mapping and national assessments of priority sites for conservation.