Scientific Steering Committee 

Dr. Kazuo Nadaoka is professor emeritus at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech). He is Executive Director of Sustainability Initiative in the Marginal Seas of South and East Asia (SIMSEA) and Co-PI of the Meta-network Project. He is also Co-chair of Future Earth Asia Regional Committee and Chair of SIMSEA subcommittee in the Science Council of Japan (SCJ). He was a former Vice–President of Japanese Coral Reef Society (JCRS), a council member of International Coral Reef Society (ICRS) and Chair of Coastal Engineering Committee in Japan Society of Civil Engineers (CEC/JSCE).

His main research fields are coastal ecosystem conservation studies, integrated coastal zone management, and coastal oceanography & engineering. His main interest is how to contribute to realizing sustainable and resilient socio-ecological systems in integrated terrestrial-coastal-marine linkage frameworks (Green-Blue Linkages) under increasing threats due to various anthropogenic stressors and climate change impacts. For this basic purpose, he has put lots of effort into introducing transdisciplinary approaches in his many international projects having close collaboration with various stakeholders. He himself has introduced various methodologies and approaches, including field measurements and modeling of physical and biogeochemical processes, population genetics, remote sensing, socio-economic surveys, integrated watershed & coastal management, etc.

His recent international projects, other than the Meta-network Project, include SATREPS-BlueCARES project, STAND-InMSEA project, Belmont Forum COAST Card project. His main study sites are in the Coral Triangle and its surrounding countries, and Okinawa, Japan.

Contact email address: knadaoka@gmail.com 

Dr. Uematsu is the President of the Center for Environmental Science in Saitama, Japan. He was a Professor at the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Japan, serving as Director of the Center for International Collaboration. He received a Ph.D. in Geochemistry in 1980 from Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Japan.

Dr. Mitsutaku Makino is a Professor at the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, specializing in fisheries management and marine conservation policy. He serves as the Chair of the Human Dimensions Committee of the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) and is a Steering Committee Member of the Future Earth Ocean Knowledge-Action Network (Ocean KAN). Dr. Makino's research focuses on integrating human dimensions into ecosystem analyses and exploring sustainable development pathways from social, economic, and ecological perspectives. He has contributed to various international ocean science-policy initiatives and has authored numerous publications on fisheries management and marine policy. 

Image Source: Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Dr. Ria Adoracion A. Lambino is the Deputy Director of the Future Earth Global Secretariat Hub Japan and a Specially Appointed Associate Professor at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in Kyoto. She earned her PhD and Master's degrees from Kyoto University's Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies. With a background in Applied Physics, Dr. Lambino has dedicated her career to environmental conservation and sustainability, focusing on both the Philippines and Japan. Prior to her current roles, she served as Vice President for Sustainable Production and Market Engagement at WWF Philippines and engaged in transdisciplinary research on watershed governance at RIHN. Her research interests encompass environmental policy and governance, protected area management, water issues, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and sustainable consumption and production. 

(Image Source: https://futureearth.org/contacts/ria-lambino/ )

Yushi Morioka is a senior researcher at JAMSTEC, studying a role of global ocean in climate thereby predicting future ocean and climate using modeling approach. He received Ph.D. at the University of Tokyo in 2012, then joined JAMSTEC as a JSPS postdoctoral research fellow for two years, and has been working as a researcher. His role in the SIMSEA program is to engage more students and young researchers through Meta-network for their capacity development and sustainable management of the marginal seas in South and East Asia. He received several awards including an early career researcher award, Okada Prize, from the Oceanographic Society of Japan in 2019. Since 2021, he has been actively involved in the ECOP program of UN Ocean Decade as an ECOP Japan coordinator.

Dr. Jing Zhang is a Professor at the Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Japan. She serves as an Academy Member of Future Earth Coasts and co-chairs the IOC WESTPAC program "Healthy, Productive and Sustainable Asian Marginal Seas," focusing on understanding the impact of marine environmental changes on global climate change. Dr. Zhang is also a Nominated Member representing Japan in the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and co-chairs the Advisory Panel for the CREAMS/PICES Program in East Asian Marginal Seas. Her research encompasses chemical oceanography and environmental geochemistry, with a particular interest in the origins, distribution, and circulation mechanisms of materials in the hydrosphere and their links to global environmental changes. She has published over 140 peer-reviewed papers and has been recognized with awards such as the JOS Environmental Science Prize and the Oceanochemistry Award.

Image Source: Future Earth Coasts

Dr. Rhodora V. Azanza is a Professor Emeritus at the Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman. She serves as an Academician at the National Academy of Science and Technology-Philippines and has been instrumental in promoting science-based pathways to sustainability in the Philippines through her involvement with Future Earth Philippines. Dr. Azanza is also the former Executive Director of the Sustainability Initiative in the Marginal Seas of South and East Asia (SIMSEA).

Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz is a National Scientist of the Philippines and Professor Emeritus at the National Academy of Science and Technology. She leads the Future Earth Philippines Program (FEPP), a government-funded initiative launched in 2018 to strengthen the country's resilience and sustainability through the creation of Philippine Knowledge-Action Programs for Sustainability. Dr. Cruz's leadership in FEPP involves collaboration with approximately 70 scientists, aiming to improve the nation's capability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Her extensive research on the biochemistry of toxic peptides from Conus marine snails has significantly contributed to the understanding of these compounds, with applications in neuroscience and drug development. 

Dr. Marie Antonette Juinio-Meñez is a UP Professor Emeritus affiliated with the Marine Science Institute at the University of the Philippines, and a member of the National Academy of Science & Technology of the Philippines. She is recognized for her contributions in marine ecology, biodiversity conservation and policy. She has mentored over 35 MSc and PhD graduates in Marine Sciences and many other researchers and coastal resources management practitioners.

Her research focuses on the biology and ecology of commercially important marine invertebrates and the management of nearshore ecosystems. With her students and collaborators, they conduct research on larval development, recruitment dynamics, population genetics; biophysical modelling and behavioural ecology. She is engaged in transdisciplinary development and training programs on community-based coastal resources management, sustainable mariculture, stock restoration and environmental governance.

She led numerous transdisciplinary collaborative national research programs. She has been involved in international expert groups on marine biodiversity conservation, and integrated ocean management; and marine policy development (e.g. UNBBNJ). She is the co-chair of the IUCN Global Sea cucumber Specialist Group. She has over 90 peer- reviewed scientific publications, several book chapters, aside from conference proceedings and training manuals.

Dr. Laura T. David is a Physical Oceanographer and Professor at the Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, where she also serves as Director. Her research utilizes remote sensing and modeling to explore how ocean physics influences the distribution and state of marine flora and fauna. Dr. David's expertise is sought after regionally for matters related to climate change vulnerability and adaptation. She is the co-inventor of Fish-I©, a technology designed to estimate fish size, population density, and biomass, as well as "Resilience: Survive & Thrive©," a tabletop board game promoting sustainable coastal development. Additionally, Dr. David is an Academy Member of Future Earth Coasts, contributing to global efforts in coastal sustainability. 

Dr. Ariel C. Blanco is a Professor at the Department of Geodetic Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman, and serves as Director IV of the Space Information Infrastructure Bureau at the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA). His expertise includes Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Photogrammetry, and Environmental Informatics. He established the Environmental Systems Applications of Geomatics Engineering (EnviSAGE) Research Laboratory, focusing on environmental conservation. Dr. Blanco has led significant research projects, including the DOST-funded Phil-LiDAR 2 Program and the JICA-funded BlueCARES Project. He also served as the Program Leader of the DOST-PCIEERD-funded Integrated Assessment and Modelling for Blue Carbon Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management (IAMBlueCECAM) Program.

Dr. Ayin M. Tamondong is the Chair of the Department of Geodetic Engineering and the Director of the Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She earned her PhD in Global Engineering for Development, Environment, and Society from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, focusing on the application of remote sensing, GIS, and modeling techniques for environmental studies in the Philippines. Dr. Tamondong's research includes mapping seagrass beds to aid in conservation and climate change resilience. 

Rene A. Abesamis is a marine scientist specializing in coral reef fish ecology, fisheries and conservation. He obtained his BSc degree in Biology at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, and his MSc and PhD degrees in Marine Biology at James Cook University, Australia. Much of his research focuses on the ecological and fishery effects of marine protected areas. He became a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the SIMSEA in 2024 and is a member of WG 4 and subleader of WG6. 

Dr. Yasmin Ooi Beng Houi is a Senior Lecturer in the Nutrition Programme at the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). She earned her PhD in Nutrition from King's College London in 2006 and a Bachelor's degree in Food Science and Nutrition from UMS in 2000. Her research interests include nutritional epidemiology, with a focus on the relationship between nutrition and environmental factors affecting health in various communities in Sabah. Dr. Ooi is a member of the Ministry of Health Malaysia’s Technical Working Group for Nutritional Guidelines and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries’ National Advisory Council for Agriculture. She also serves as a Council Member of the Nutrition Society of Malaysia. In her role as the country representative for Malaysia in the Sustainability Initiative in the Marginal Seas of South and East Asia (SIMSEA), she collaborates on transdisciplinary research addressing issues from farm and sea to plate. Dr. Ooi is committed to promoting healthy eating and well-being through community engagement and education. 

Image Source: Universiti Malaysia Sabah Expertise Directory

Fadzilah Majid Cooke is an environmental sociologist with a distinguished career in academia and research. She spent 14 years at the University of Malaysia Sabah (UMS) as an Associate Professor and later Professor of Environmental Sociology, where she mentored students, led research initiatives, and secured grants totaling 1.5 million ringgit. Prior to that, she was a Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s Resource Management in the Asia Pacific (RMAP) program and a lecturer in History and Politics at the University of Wollongong, Australia. She holds a PhD in Environmental Sociology from Griffith University, Brisbane.

Since 2017, she has been actively engaged in interdisciplinary research on human and non-human relations in the South China and Sulu-Sulawesi seas, focusing on transboundary environmental governance between the Philippines and Malaysia.

Her expertise in environmental sociology and transdisciplinary research is reflected in her extensive work, including serving as a board member of the Designing Entangled Social Innovation in Asia-Pacific (DESIAP) Network since 2018 and as an advisor for the International Foundation for Science (IFS) in Sweden from 2005 to 2022. She has also led major research projects, including a multidisciplinary ecological aquaculture initiative funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Education and a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-Sabah Forestry Department study on social and ecological change in Ramsar wetlands.

Dr. Cooke’s contributions extend to global research collaborations, including studies on China’s energy initiatives in Africa and Asia, as well as investigations into land and marine access rights for island and coastal communities in the Philippines and Thailand. Her work has been recognized with the National Book Prize in Malaysia for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in Sabah, a transdisciplinary research effort on the social, cultural, and ecological implications of marine resource management in the Tun Mustapha Marine Park.

She has been a member of the international scientific steering committee for SIMSEA since 2015, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in sustainability, resource governance, and socio-ecological resilience in maritime Southeast Asia.

Amy Then is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Universiti Malaya. Her research interests are highly diverse and focused on animal- environment-human interactions to inform data-driven conservation and management efforts in the coastal and marine realms. She has over 15 years of experience working on multidisciplinary approaches to advance understanding on mangrove ecology in relation to linkages to biodiversity and fisheries, as well as restoration and ecosystem services assessment. She co-authored a review paper synthesizing the current status of blue carbon ecosystems, threats and opportunities for blue carbon projects in Malaysia, as well as a number of policy advocacy papers on nature-based solutions. She also led the Malaysian team for Integrated Network-based Management for SEA coastal zone (InMSEA), specifically to establish the Blue Carbon Core-and-Network System in Malaysia, an ongoing work relevant to SIMSEA.

Contact Information

Website: https://umexpert.um.edu.my/amy_then 

Email: amy_then@um.edu.my 

Malaysian Borneo is undergoing rapid large-scale conversions including clearing of wetlands to develop aquaculture and urbanisation. Moritz’s research focuses on biogeochemical cycles in the Anthropocene, mainly greenhouse gases, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, environmental microbiology, nutrients, and trace metals. His collaborative work has been published in Nature Communications, Science Advances, as well as other A* journals such as Nature Scientific Reports and Global Change Biology. He is Guest Associate Editor for Marine Ecosystem Ecology and Review Editor for Coastal Ocean Processes in Frontiers in Marine Sciences and also Frontiers Topic Editor (Tropical Blue Carbon). 

Over the past five years, Moritz secured national and international grants totaling close to ten million AUD as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator. His latest projects are funded by the Australian Academy of Sciences (with CSIRO, development of remote sensing algorithms for dissolved organic carbon and establishment of a DataCube), the UK GCRF (with UEA; establishment of a centre in Kuching to analyse microplastics in Borneo) and the UK+Singapore NERC/NSF under the South East Asia Plastics (SEAP) program. 

Moritz has represented Malaysia at international meetings such as the multilateral Coral Triangle Initiative or the IMBeR Continental Margins Working Group, a core project of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and Future Earth. He has also been appointed the Sarawak node of the Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences. 

Contact information:

Website: www.aques.org

Email: mmueller@swinburne.edu.my 

Mr. Affendi Yang Amri is the President of the Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences (MSMS) and serves as the country coordinator for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. He is affiliated with the University of Malaya, Malaysia, where he contributes to marine science research and education. With over two decades of experience in coral reef ecosystems, Mr. Affendi has been involved in various initiatives aimed at marine conservation and sustainable management. His work includes citizen science approaches to mapping coral reefs to enhance Marine Park management strategies. He has also contributed to publications in journals such as Regional Studies in Marine Science and RSC Sustainability. 

Image Source: Universiti Malaya 

Dr. Dongxiao Wang is a Professor at the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), where he also serves as Vice Director. He earned his Ph.D. from the Ocean University of China. Dr. Wang's research focuses on ocean dynamics and air-sea interactions, particularly in the South China Sea. He has contributed significantly to understanding mesoscale hydrological and marine meteorological processes. In addition to his role at CAS, Dr. Wang is the Dean of the School of Marine Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University. He has published extensively in his field and is recognized for his work on ocean circulation and climate variability.

Image Source: Sun Yat-sen University 

Xiaoyu Fang is an environmental scientist with over 17 years of experience in diverse landscapes, from glaciers to coastal areas. Her expertise encompasses water-balance modeling, glacial morphology, marine biogeochemistry, ecosystem functioning, species distribution modeling, and ocean observation. She holds a joint PhD in Marine Ecosystem Health and Conservation from the University of Plymouth and the University of Ghent, where she developed a framework to predict estuarine ecosystem responses to human-induced changes.

From 2019 to 2022, Xiaoyu served as a Project and Communication Officer at the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) Secretariat and SEASCAPE BELGIUM. She contributed to communication and operations for international projects, including the EMOD-PACE (EMODnet Partnership for China and Europe) and EU Horizon 2020 projects such as H2020 Blue Cloud, iAtlantic, AtlantECO, and MissionAtlantic. Her expertise spans fisheries, ocean management, marine spatial planning, cloud computing, and data management. Xiaoyu joined Future Earth Coasts (FEC) as co-Executive Director in October 2022, bringing her marine science expertise together with skills in professional Secretariat operation, project management, science communication, event planning and stakeholder engagement. She co-founded FEC’s ‘Just Transitions’ and ‘Cyber-Coasts’ working groups and leads the FE cross-cutting initiative ‘Empowering Future Leadership’. She is an Assistant Research Professor at East China Normal University and a member of the Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre Expert Group.

Xiaoyu is Co-PI of the Meta-network Project and a Science Steering Committee member of SIMSEA (Sustainability Initiative in South and East Asia). She is dedicated to inspiring others to connect with and value our oceans, fostering positive change for a more sustainable future.

Contact Information

Website: 

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiaoyu-fang-9a9474112/

• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Xiaoyu-Fang-6 

Email: xyfang@sklec.ecnu.edu.cn; fang.xiaoyu1@outlook.com 

Professor Zhong Peng is a coastal engineer and researcher at East China Normal University, specializing in ecosystem-based coastal defense and coastal resilience. His work focuses on nature-based solutions, integrating vegetation, hydrodynamics, and sediment transport to enhance shoreline stability and flood mitigation. 

With extensive international research experience, Professor Peng has collaborated with leading institutions and researchers across Asia, Europe, and North America, contributing to multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural projects on coastal hazard mitigation and sustainable shoreline management. As a key researcher in the SIMSEA project, he focuses on nature-based solutions, studying how mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses help mitigate coastal risks. His expertise in wave-vegetation interactions and hydrodynamic modeling supports climate adaptation strategies for vulnerable coastal zones. By bridging engineering and ecology, Professor Peng promotes resilient coastal infrastructure, addressing the challenges of sea-level rise and extreme weather on a global scale

Hu Yang is a climate scientist who works on climate dynamics and sea level changes. He obtained his diploma and master's degrees in physical oceanography from the Ocean University of China and a PhD degree in environmental physics from the University of Bremen. From 2017 to 2022, he spent time as a postdoc and research scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Germany. Since 2023, he has led the paleoclimate and sea level change group in the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai). His research focuses on the large-scale ocean-atmosphere circulation and sea level changes on different timescales. Recently, he is particularly interested in understanding how the astronomical factors affect the Earth’s circulation.

Dr. Arga Anil,  served as Professor and Chief Scientist at the CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, India.  He made significant and sustained contributions to the marine ecology of the Indian seas. His research is motivated by the question: do the monsoon-fluctuation cues drive monsoonal ecosystems the same way as the seasonal-temperature cues drive the temperate ecosystems. His work has shown that cues triggered by salinity changes during monsoon breaks are like short-sighted luxuries in the population dynamics of primary consumers and highlighted the importance of the duration and intensity of the monsoon-break periods. His research demonstrated the monsoonal and anthropogenic pressures impact the ecology of the plankton that constitute the base of the food web, and described the correlative and causal links between phytoplankton blooms and the resting stages of planktonic species. He has applied this expertise on plankton and biofouling  ecology to study the threat posed by marine bioinvasion.  He formulated and lead the  ballast water management program of India,  and contributed to several bilateral and multi-national and global  programs related to biofouling and bioinvasion. He furthered the understanding of fisheries forecasting in the eastern Arabian sea and laid the foundation for Trans-disciplinary research for improved forecasting of Indian marine fisheries.

Dr. Anil,  has published over 200 papers in peer reviewed journals.  He brought out the monograph  series of ballast water management for the major ports of India. He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS). He is  a board member of International Marine Biotechnology Association. He serves as an   editor for the journals  Marine Ecology Progress Series, PLOSONE and Current Science. He was a member of Indian delegation to the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime organization. 

Dr. Anil,  implemented the first ASEAN-India project ‘Extent of transfer of alien invasive organisms in South/Southeast Asia region by shipping’. He is currently involved in the SIMSEA initiative and the COAST CARD project of the BELMONT forum. 

Dr. Lidita Khandeparker is currently a Professor and Senior Principal Scientist at the Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India. She is a recipient of the Dr. Anna Mani National Award for Woman Scientist for the year 2020 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the CSIR-Young Scientist Award in the field of Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in the year 2008. Her career in Ocean Sciences spans over 29 years.

She obtained her Ph.D. from Goa University and carried out post-doctoral research at Kyoto University, Japan. She has contributed to understanding the implications of microbes in the domain of biofouling and bio-invasion, bio-communication in the oceans, diversity, food web dynamics, and functioning of the tropical monsoon-influenced marine environment.

She was associated with many National mega projects and also International collaborative programs such as the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) program, the ASEAN-India program, and the Coastal Ocean Assessment for Sustainability and Transformation (COAST) Card project by BELMONT Forum, and in these projects she played a lead role in the evaluation of microbial diversity. Presently, she has been working on metagenomics to unravel the genetics of uncultured microorganisms through environmental DNA (eDNA) using novel analytical and molecular methods and proteomics. She is also working on monitoring commercially important fishery resources through eDNA. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed and reputed International journals and authored book chapters and monographs. She has presented her research work at several national and international conferences. She has also mentored Ph.D. students, graduate, and postgraduate students from various universities and research institutions in India.

Email: klidita@nio.res.in 

Website: https://www.nio.org/profile/1197/dr-lidita-ds-khandeparker 

Dr. Rabindra Kumar Nayak is a Scientist 'SG' and Head of the Land Surface Processes & Climate Studies Division within the Earth and Climate Science Area at the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Goa University in 2006. Dr. Nayak's research focuses on Earth observations, regional carbon cycles, and ocean modeling and climate studies. He has contributed to over 68 publications, garnering more than 650 citations. In 2018, he participated in the Professional Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program (PESEP), collaborating with NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office to enhance understanding of terrestrial carbon cycles, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. 

Image Source: LinkedIn

Dr. Vo Si Tuan is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Oceanography, under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, located in Nha Trang City, Vietnam. He is recognized for his expertise in coastal and marine ecology and conservation planning, with over 30 years of experience in marine research and teaching. Dr. Tuan has coordinated more than 20 projects at provincial, national, and regional levels, focusing on the science and management of protected areas for marine conservation and sustainable use. He has collaborated with various national and international organizations on marine ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and protected area management. Previously, Dr. Tuan served as the Director of the Institute of Oceanography and has been involved with the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research.

Image Source: IOC WESTPAC

Dr. Hoang Xuan Ben is the Vice Director of the Institute of Oceanography at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST). He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the institute's Scientific Council. Dr. Ben's research focuses on marine ecology, with an emphasis on coral reef ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. He has contributed to over 30 publications, including studies on the spatial recruitment patterns of Chaetodon butterflyfishes and the biodiversity of coral reefs and associated seagrass beds in Vietnam. His work aims to enhance the understanding and preservation of marine biodiversity in the region.

Image Source: ResearchGate

Dr. S. U. Priyantha Jinadasa is the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Management at the Ocean University of Sri Lanka. He also serves as the Director of the Center for International Relations at the university. Dr. Jinadasa's research interests include ocean dynamics and ocean circulations. He has contributed to studies on the interplay of the Indian summer monsoon and intermonsoon periods in the Bay of Bengal. Dr. Jinadasa has been involved in international collaborations, including a memorandum of understanding between the University of Notre Dame and Sri Lankan agencies for oceanographic research. He has also been nominated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka to participate in workshops organized by the International Seabed Authority. 

Image Source: Ocean University of Sri Lanka

Dr. R. M. Wasantha Rathnayake is the Vice Chancellor of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka. Prior to this role, he was a distinguished Professor in Environmental Management at the Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, where he also served as Dean from 2011 to 2017. He earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Economics and an M.Sc. in Forestry & Environmental Management from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. Dr. Rathnayake has over 25 years of experience in natural resources management and has contributed to more than 50 development projects as an Environmentalist, Ecotourism Planner, Environmental Impact Assessment Consultant, Environmental Economist, Wildlife Expert, and Botanist. He is also a freelance journalist, having published over 50 articles on topics such as biodiversity, environmental management, coastal conservation, wildlife management, ecotourism, and disaster management. Dr. Rathnayake has held leadership positions, including serving as the past President of Section F of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science. 

Image Source: Metro Colombo Urban Development Project

Dr. Luky Adrianto is a Professor in the Department of Aquatic Resources Management at the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University (Bogor Agricultural University), Indonesia. He also serves as the Dean of the Faculty and is affiliated with the International Research Institute for Maritime, Ocean, and Fisheries at IPB University. Dr. Adrianto specializes in social-ecological system analysis of fisheries and coastal resource governance. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Fisheries Socio-Economics from IPB University, and both a Master's and Ph.D. in Fisheries Sciences from Kagoshima University, Japan. With over 15 years of experience, he has contributed to capacity-building programs in countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, and Timor-Leste through his role as a Regional Task Force Member for the Partnership for Environmental Management of the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). His research has been published in prominent journals, and he has led initiatives to develop national fisheries policy platforms in Indonesia. 

Image Source: Coral Triangle Center

Kevin is a Ph. D. graduate from the Graduate School of Environmental Studies (Tohoku University) specializing in socio-environmental studies, particularly on ecosystem services, and community perceptions. The research field and interests involve coastal ecosystems of mangrove and seagrass, land-use change, community-based conservation, and sustainable tourism development.

Dr. Udhi Eko Hernawan is the Head of the Research Center for Oceanography at Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). His research focuses on marine ecology and population genetics, with a particular emphasis on seagrass ecosystems and blue carbon. Dr. Hernawan has extensively studied the genetic structure and connectivity of seagrass species, contributing valuable insights into their conservation and management. His work has been published in various scientific journals, reflecting his commitment to advancing marine science in the Indo-Australian Archipelago.

Image Source: inreef.org

Dr. Pramaditya Wicaksono is a Professor and Head of the Cartography and Remote Sensing Study Program at the Faculty of Geography, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia. His work focuses on applying remote sensing technologies to monitor coastal and marine ecosystems, including seagrass and mangrove habitats, contributing to blue carbon conservation. Dr. Wicaksono has been involved in research projects aligned with SIMSEA’s objectives, such as advancing geospatial tools for sustainable coastal and marine resource management. He has authored over 50 scientific publications and collaborates extensively with regional and international partners to promote environmental sustainability through geospatial science. His expertise supports efforts to integrate data-driven solutions into marine ecosystem conservation and climate resilience initiatives in Southeast Asia.

Image Source: Universitas Gadjah Mada

Dr. Thamasak Yeemin is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, Thailand, where he has been a faculty member since 1992. He specializes in marine biodiversity, coral reef ecology, and the management of marine protected areas (MPAs). Dr. Yeemin serves as the President of the Marine Science Association of Thailand and is Thailand's Coordinator for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) in Southeast and East Asia. He also holds the position of Thailand's Focal Point for the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) and is a Steering Committee Member of the Asia Pacific Coral Reef Society (APCoRS). His extensive experience includes nearly three decades of fieldwork across Thailand and the Western Pacific, contributing significantly to coral reef conservation and sustainable coastal resource management. 

Dr. Wichin Suebpala is a Lecturer in the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University in Bangkok, Thailand. He leads the Marine Biodiversity Research Group at the university. His research focuses on the ecological impacts of fishing gear, particularly concerning bycatch and habitat damage in Thailand's coastal regions. Dr. Suebpala has contributed to studies assessing the effects of various fishing practices on marine ecosystems, aiming to inform sustainable fisheries management. He has collaborated with organizations such as Pacific Environment to support marine conservation efforts in Thailand. His work emphasizes an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, contributing to the conservation of marine biodiversity in Southeast Asia. 

Image Source: ResearchGate

Dr. Tanuspong Pokavanich is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine Science at the Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Thailand. He earned his Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.) in Mechanical and Environmental Informatics from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. His research focuses on numerical simulations of coastal and estuarine hydrodynamics and water quality processes, hydrographic surveying, and instrumentation. Dr. Pokavanich has contributed to studies on sea surface height measurements using UAV altimeters equipped with nadir LiDAR or low-cost GNSS sensors. He also serves as an Assistant Dean for Research at the Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University.

Image Source: Kasetsart University

Hsiao-Chun (Jean) Tseng is a chemical oceanographer and is equipped with skills in marine and coastal management. Her research primarily focuses on aquatic greenhouse gas emissions, marine biogeochemical cycling, the impacts of climate and environmental change, and the interactions between anthropogenic activities and the marine and coastal environment. She is also working on transferring ocean knowledge into action. She became a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the SIMSEA in 2024 and is a member of WG 1 and subleader of WG6.

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsiao-chun-jean-tseng-ph-d-43794196/ 

Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0561-607X 

E-mail: hctseng@email.ntou.edu.tw 

Dr. Huey-Shian Chung is an Associate Professor in National Taiwan Ocean University. She obtained her PhD on the topic of social justice and equity in marine protected area governance from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) in the University of Wollongong. Her research highlights the need to shift legal and institutional frameworks to a system of marine laws and regulations that that can adapt to a changing future. She also acts as a consultant on marine law and policy for government agencies and NGOs. Dr. Chung joint SIMSEA in 2024 and is also a senior research fellow in the Earth System Governance network. 

Contact: hschung@mail.ntou.edu.tw 

Dr. Jyun-Long Chen is a Research Fellow in the Marine Fisheries Division at the Fisheries Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Taiwan. He earned his Ph.D. in Marine Affairs and Resources Management from National Taiwan Ocean University. Dr. Chen's research focuses on marine ecosystem services, sustainable fisheries management, and the socio-economic development of fishing communities. He has been involved in projects promoting community-based sea farming and collaborative governance in coastal regions of Taiwan. As a working group member of the Ocean Knowledge-Action Network under Future Earth Taipei, Dr. Chen contributes to integrating scientific knowledge with policy and practice to advance ocean sustainability. 

Image Source: ResearchGate

Dr. Pen Sytharith is a Lecturer and Researcher at the Coastal and Wetland Environmental Research Laboratory within the Faculty of Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC). He earned his Ph.D. from the River and Watershed Engineering Laboratory at Hokkaido University, Japan, in 2018. His research interests include river mechanics and morphology, theoretical and computational sediment transport modeling, river engineering, computational hydraulics engineering, and hydrology and watershed management. Dr. Sytharith has extensive experience in various irrigation and water resources development projects and is an active member of a research team focusing on coastal regions. 

Image Source: Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

Dr. Khan completed his B.Sc. (Hon’s) in Forestry from Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University in 1997. He obtained an MSc (2002) and Ph.D (2005) in Marine and Environmental Sciences with a major focus on Mangrove Production Ecology from the University of the Ryukyus, Japan under Japanese Government Monbukagakusho scholarship. He was awarded an Alexander Von Humboldt Postdoc fellowship, Germany (2009-2011) and a FNRS (National Science Foundation of Belgium) Postdoc fellowship in Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium (2011-2013) for advanced research. Dr. Khan published a significant number of articles in international journals. His research focuses on forest biomass inventory, allometric equations, forest carbon assessment, computer simulation modelling of forest dynamics and their utilization in forest management. He is now working as a Professor in Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, at Khulna University, Bangladesh.

Image Source: Khulna University

Dr. Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen is a Science Integrator at the Integration and Application Network (IAN) within the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). She also serves as an Associate Graduate Faculty member at both UMCES and the University of Maryland College Park. Dr. Vargas-Nguyen earned her Ph.D. in Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Science with a focus on Environment and Society from UMCES. Her research interests include transdisciplinary approaches, socio-environmental assessments, environmental justice, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive environmental governance. Originally from the Philippines, she has a background in molecular biology and marine science, specializing in microbial communities and molecular processes associated with harmful algal blooms and various diseases. Dr. Vargas-Nguyen has shifted her focus toward how science can benefit society, utilizing ethnographic approaches to investigate the role of socio-environmental report cards in fostering collaboration and adaptive governance for sustainability. She has been involved in developing holistic socio-environmental assessments for complex systems such as the Mississippi River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds and coordinates a multi-year international transdisciplinary research consortium involving the U.S., Norway, the Philippines, Japan, and India.

Image Source: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Aimee T, Gonzales is the Executive Director of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), a regional coordinating mechanism to foster healthy and resilient coasts and ocean through applying science based integrated management solutions and strategic partnerships in the East Asian Seas. 

PEMSEA manages an interactive online platform called the SeaKnowledge Bank which serves as a knowledge platform for policymakers, planners, managers, investors, academe and other stakeholders to scale up Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and other area-based management tools, training and capacity development and investment in sustainable development of coasts and oceans across East Asia.