Research Qualifications
Research Qualifications
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I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Training from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. The programme has been recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) in the United Kingdom. I also received extensive training in quantitative and qualitative research methods at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Current Research Projects
Current Research Projects
Soft Power/Political Power of Non-Western Small States and Pacific Island States
Diplomacies of Non-Western Small States and Pacific Island States
Geopolitics in the Pacific
Ontological (In)Security/Security of Pacific Island States and Islanders in the Context of Climate Change
Current Research Projects
Current Research Projects
1. The Ontological (In)Security of Samoans in the context of climate change. Funded by the School of Law and Social Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, 2026. [PI]
Past Research Projects
Past Research Projects
16. The Ontological (In)Security of Fijians in the context of climate change. Funded by the School of Law and Social Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, 2022-2023. [PI]
15. Understanding dynamic interactions between climate-induced natural hazards, livelihood insecurity, and human mobility in Fiji. Funded by the British Academy, 2020-2021. [PI]
14. Building new forms of collaboration between religious institutions and climate science in the Pacific islands. Funded by the British Academy, 2020-2021. [PI]
13. Improving the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations via mediation. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the UK, 2020. [RA]
12. Mixed methods research on research impact beyond academia, Newcastle University (UK), 2018-2019. [RA]
11. Mixed methods research on improving the effectiveness of non-state actor participation in international climate change negotiations and national policy making, 2018. [RA]
10. Qualitative research on the role of learning and multilevel governance dynamics in global climate negotiations, 2017. [RA]
9. Qualitative research on the soft power of non-Western small states with a focus on Bhutan and Qatar, 2012-2017. [PI]
8. Quantitative research on burnout among medical professionals in Belgium. Funded by the Belgian government, Departments of Health, Food Chain Safety, and Environment, and Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue, 2012. [RA]
7. Qualitative research on the soft power of Bhutan, 2010-2011. [PI]
6. Qualitative research on how the Bhutanese government implements Gross National Happiness in their policies, 2009. [PI]
5. National literary documentation survey conducted with the Research and Media Division and the Library and Archives Division of the National Library of Bhutan. Funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA), 2009. [RA]
4. Qualitative research on the relationship between Dutch identity and tolerance, 2009. [CO-I]
3. Qualitative research on how Dutch media discourses on Muslims living in the Netherlands influence Muslim youth living in the Bijlmer, 2009. [CO-I]
2. Qualitative research on why people in Amsterdam choose to consume organic food, 2008. [CO-I]
1. Qualitative research on how, and to what extent, the fashion designers of the Red Light Fashion Project, located in the Red Light District in Amsterdam, are influenced by the Red Light District as an awkward place, 2008. [CO-I]
Highly Experienced and Well-connected Researcher
Highly Experienced and Well-connected Researcher
Conducted > 200 semi-structured and focus-group interviews with state actors (e.g. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Members of Parliament) and non-state actors from countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, the Pacific and South America.
Collected data in 10 countries:
Fiji Islands (2022)
New Zealand (2020)
Spain (2019)
United Kingdom (2018, 2019)
Bhutan (2009, 2011, 2014)
India (2014)
Qatar (2005, 2014)
Belgium (2012)
United States (2011)
The Netherlands (2008, 2009)
Collected data at 6 major events in Bhutan, Qatar and Spain:
Twenty-fifth United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP25) at IFEMA - Feria de Madrid (Spain), 2019.
DIMDEX, the Middle East and North Africa leading maritime and naval defence exhibition and conference, at the Qatar National Convention Centre (Qatar), 2014.
Launch ceremony of Qatar's National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 at the cultural village Katara (Qatar), 2014.
Tourism in Tomorrow's World Conference, the first international conference on long-term tourism strategies in the Gulf Cooperation Council area, at the Renaissance City Center Hotel Doha (Qatar), 2014.
MEED Qatar Projects Conference focussed on opportunities and challenges of delivering sustainable mega-projects worth US$200bn leading to Qatar National Vision 2030, at the Grand Hyatt Doha (Qatar), 2014.
Regional Conference on Deepening and Sustaining Democracy in Asia, which marked the beginning of a regional dialogue on how to collectively address the challenges of deepening democratic culture, at Zhiwa Ling Hotel in Paro (Bhutan), 2009.
Research Methods
Research Methods
Descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS
Discourse analysis using NVivo
Documentary analysis
Ethnography
Event ethnography
Participant and non-participant observation
Photo voice
Regional and cross-regional comparison
Single and multiple case studies
Structured, semi-structured and focus-group interviews
Surveys
Talanoa
Walking interview
Project Reviewer for
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