Xavier Basurto is an internationally recognized expert in sustainability science and self-governance, particularly as applied to community-based management and conservation. Trained as a marine biologist, Xavier completed graduate degrees in the social and natural sciences, working with excellent mentors like Edella Schlager, Daniel Janzen and Elinor Ostrom, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics for her work on the Governance of the Commons. He was a Bass Chair for Excellence in Teaching and Research Professor of Sustainability Science at Duke University.

Currently, Xavier is Professor of Environmental Social Sciences at Stanford University. Before going into academia Xavier co-founded Comunidad y Biodiversidad (CoBi) in 1999. Today CoBi is a leading organization in Mexico on the conservation of marine ecosystems.

As an academic, Xavier has a track-record of teaching field courses and co-producing theoretical and applied research with local, national, and international partners. He has (co)authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and, in 2023, he was recipient of the ‘Distinguished Mexican National Award, ’bestowed by the Mexican Government to nationals living abroad who have developed a distinguished international career, serving as a role model, inspiration, pride, and prestige to people in their home country.’