Rate My Professor Nam Chand

Chand's career includes an undergraduate scholarship to Otago, field studies in diverse New Zealand ecosystems, and five years in Fiji post-graduation as a resilience officer for the UN-Habitat-led Fiji Resilience Informal Settlement programme, marine biologist at Captain Cook Cruises, fisheries intern at Wildlife Conservation Society, marine conservation scholar with Global Vision International involving scientific diving, and instructor in marine science and biology at the University of the South Pacific. She received the Otago doctoral scholarship, Lui Bell Scholarship in 2015, and Otago 20Twenties recognition in 2021 for climate resilience leadership. Believed to be the first Pacific Island student to complete a PhD in Marine Science at Otago, her oral defence was the first community-supported Pacific PhD exam in the Sciences. Key publications include 'A collaborative approach to integrate science into traditional management of coral reefs in Navakavu, Fiji' (2017). Her research interests span seaweed ecophysiology, soft-sediment marine communities, Pacific conservation, and ocean-coastal wellbeing connections. She plans to advance science communication and explore coastal bonds for migrant communities' health and belonging.