Rate My Professor Nam Chand

Dr. Namrata Chand is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Va'a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health in the Health Sciences Division at the University of Otago. A Pacific Islander from Fiji, she earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aquaculture and Fisheries from the University of Otago, a Master of Science in Environmental Science from the University of the South Pacific—where her thesis used remote sensing to map seagrass beds in Suva Lagoon—and a PhD in Marine Science from the University of Otago in 2024. Her doctoral research, supervised by Chris Hepburn and advisors from NIWA, focused on the endemic New Zealand red seaweed Adamsiella angustifolia in Otago Harbour. The thesis, titled 'Adamsiella angustifolia as an ecosystem engineer in soft sediment macroalgal habitats,' revealed its critical role in creating supportive habitats for other seaweeds and organisms, emphasizing its importance as an ecosystem engineer for conservation.

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.