Derick has a Bachelor of Science degree (Bsc. Biotechnology) from Makerere University and currently pursuing a Master of Science (Msc. Botany) from Makerere University majoring in plant taxonomy and biosystematics.

He also has skills in Molecular Biology having trained from University of Oslo and BCIL in India. He has over 5 years of experience in applied plant taxonomy, flora surveys, ESIA, report writing, conservation studies and other different biodiversity studies. He has worked with inter(national) companies, government agencies and academic institutions as a botanist and on different projects like flora assessment of Lake Wamala wetland system under the ministry of water and environment and environment audits with Eco & partner and Geotropics. He also worked on a number of environmental impact assessments under AECOM, total E&P Uganda, JBN and BIMCO. He now heads the Working Landscapes and Wildfire Project being implemented in the upper Albertine Rift landscape.