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Dr Shipra Shah

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Asst. Professor Forestry, Fiji National University
Dr Shipra Shah has a background in forest carbon sequestration, forest ecology, agroforestry, and medicinal plants. Her research has revolved around diversity, community structure and carbon partitioning of tropical and sub-tropical forests, demographic factors as drivers of land use change, and medicinal plant diversity and cultivation in agroforestry systems. Her recent research evaluates the carbon sequestration potential of Caribbean Pine plantations, soil nutrient status in tropical forest ecosystems, ethnomedicinal knowledge systems, agroforestry-based livelihoods, and agritourism potential for farm diversification in Fiji.
Up to 4 more students.

Topics of interest:
Agroforestry based ecosystem services
Agroforestry for food and nutritional security
Growth, yield and productivity of agroforestry systems
Ecology of tropical forest ecosystems
Biomass and carbon sequestration in forest and tree-based systems
Ethnobotany of tropical rainforests
Dr Shipra Shah has a background in forest carbon sequestration, forest ecology, agroforestry, and medicinal plants. Her research has revolved around diversity, community structure and carbon partitioning of tropical and sub-tropical forests, demographic factors as drivers of land use change, and medicinal plant diversity and cultivation in agroforestry systems. Her recent research evaluates the carbon sequestration potential of Caribbean Pine plantations, soil nutrient status in tropical forest ecosystems, ethnomedicinal knowledge systems, agroforestry-based livelihoods, and agritourism potential for farm diversification in Fiji.
Currently Principal Supervisor to 1 Masters student and Co-Supervisor to 2 Masters and 2 PhD students

Dr William Leggate

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Team Leader & Principal Research Scientist
Dr William Leggate is a Wood Products Specialist/Scientist with more than 27 years’ experience in research, technical, commercial and management roles within the timber industry, both nationally and internationally.
Up to 3 students. Topics of interest: Forest products, wood science, wood processing, wood treatment, wood durability, wood quality.
Involvement in ACIAR Forestry projects in Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu. This has involved research work, provision of training and capacitation of local people from these countries. It has also involved collaboration with diverse government, industry, academic and community stakeholders from these countries.
Currently Co-Supervisor to 1 Masters and 1 PhD student

Dr Ravinesh Ram

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Head of Department for Fisheries, Fiji National University
Dr Ravinesh Ram is an Assistant Professor and the head of department for fisheries in Fiji National University. Dr Ram has more than 15 years of academic teaching experience and more than 10 years of research experience (field and laboratory). He has more than 20 research journal publications and technical reports. His research interests is more targeted in the field of marine science, aquaculture, climate change, post-harvest handling and processing, value addition to seafood, food nutrition and environmental and food microbiology.
Up to 3 students Topics of interest: Climate change and its impact on marine life; Optimization of nutrients of post-harvest processed food products; Aquaculture of marine products; Microbiological assessment of the environment and food; Natural product chemistry of marine products
Dr Ravinesh Ram has more than 15 years of teaching and research experience from the University of the South Pacific and Fiji National University and has collaborated with colleagues from Australian universities (University of the Sunshine Coast; University of Queensland; Southern Cross University; University of Adelaide and University of South Australia) on projects, research and publications.
Currently Principal Supervisor of 2 Masters students and Co-Supervisor of 1 Masters student.

Dr Carmel A. Pilotti

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Associate Scientist Coconut Genetic Resources
Dr Carmel Pilotti has a Ph.D. in Botany (Plant Pathology) and has worked on plant diseases of tree crops for over 25 years, specialising in mycological investigations. She has extensive practical experience in both conventional and molecular diagnosis and detection of fungal and bacterial (phytoplasma) diseases and familiar with the methods for molecular diagnosis of viruses. Carmel has authored and co-authored numerous publications including papers presented at conferences and book chapters. She continues to review articles for several prominent international scientific journals. Her interests include – diversity of Pacific crops, plant pathology, research and development in Agriculture; enhancing capacity in PICTs
Up to 3 students. Research topics of interest: Tree crops, field trials, molecular biology, plant pathology, tissue culture
Extensive experience in the agricultural sector in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands; tree crops research and phytopathology; molecular diagnostics and bacterial and mycological research; training and supervision of fourth year undergraduate final year projects and Masters students (UNITECH PNG); reviewer of theses (UNITECH) and journal articles for peer reviewed journals such as Plant Pathology and Mycologia and others
Currently supervising 2 Masters students as Co-Supervisor

Dr Saskia de Klerk

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Discipline Lead for the Marketing, International Business, and Tourism
Dr. Saskia de Klerk teaches entrepreneurship, managing across cultures, international business, and new venture planning at UniSC at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her research articulates pathways into entrepreneurship in regional ecosystems by utilising sustainable practices, circular economy, and bricolage strategies. This aligns with UniSC Research Priorities: Agriculture,…
2 or 3 students. Topics of Interest: Sustainable practices/circular economy business models/product innovation/regional development/women and young people developing capacity and agribusiness skills/growth and scaling/bricolage/networking/traditional knowledge/culture/experience economy/cultural tourism
• Most recently joined ACIAR project leader Dr. Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni (SROS-Samoa) as part of the Samoan Government-led Pacific regional horticultural food loss project involving four ACIAR focal countries (Samoa, Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Tonga) and UniSC “Adopting a gender-inclusive participatory approach to reducing horticultural food loss in the Pacific”.
• Presented at the Pacific Week of Agriculture- “Transforming Agriculture & Forestry in the Pacific through Science & Technology” on the circular economy, sustainable practices, and food innovation in a place-based approach towards regional development.
• Building connections on women entrepreneurship and community development with Dr. Mereia Fong, Fiji National University.
She also supervised several Ph.D. students from Australia, Bougainville, Sri Lanka, China, Iran, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Germany, and Austria.

The Pacific Supervisor Register is an initiative of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). © University of the Sunshine Coast – 2023.

     

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