Rate My Professor Kara Ma

Kara Ma is a PhD research student in the Department of Marketing within the Otago Business School at the University of Otago, commencing her doctoral program on 1 September 2022. Supervised by Professor Lisa McNeill and Associate Professor Sergio Biggemann, her thesis, "Sustainable Fashion Consumption and the 'Intention-Behavior' Gap: A Cross-cultural Study," investigates what sustainable fashion means to consumers, the reasons for the gap between sustainable attitudes and intentions versus actual behaviors, and strategies to promote fashion sustainability across cultural contexts. The research highlights the fashion industry's environmental impact, with garments and footwear accounting for 8% of the global carbon footprint and 20% of wastewater, making it the second-largest polluter after the oil industry, alongside significant ethical issues. Sustainable fashion is advocated as a solution aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Ma's academic background comprises a Master of International Business from the University of Otago and a BSc in Tourism Management from Beijing International Studies University, China. She was awarded the Otago Doctoral Scholarship.