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Frank Mirobo, Marine scientist, WIOECSN Secretary-General.

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Frank Mirobo, Marine scientist, WIOECSN Secretary-General.

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Hi everyone, Am Frank Mirobo!  Secretary-General of the WIOECSN and the Co-Coordinator of writing the Ocean Decade Challenges (ODC) booklet for the African Continent. Am a marine scientist with an interest in Megafauna ecology and biology, fisheries, Plastic Pollution, and the conservation of marine Organisms. Am a graduate of MSc in Aquatic ecosystem management at Addis Ababa University from ACEWM, and my research focused on Examining the Impact of the shark liver oil trade in the conservation and management of Threatened Shark Species in Zanzibar-Tanzania.

Am continuing to build up my career in the benthic ecology targeting the megafauna and am really interested to work with different people to save the mother ocean, including diving. I continue standing as a voice not an echo to early-career scientists in making a difference in the WIO region. Through networking and coming together as youth, we can impact our own communities and make our future as custodians of the matter ocean brighter and better every single day.

Let us all make a difference by making use of the Science we gained to have the mother ocean we want for future sustainability. It’s time for a change, change starts with you, change makes a difference, and change brings results.

Feel free to contact me any time.
Email: frankmirobo.fm@gmail.com / frank.mirobo@aau.edu.et
WhatsApp: +255779001008

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Pacific Ocean coast (Real, Quezon, Philippines)

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I am from the Philippines. I am currently pursuing my Juris Doctor studies while teaching social sciences courses. I am highly interested in the laws of the sea, international security, South China Sea issues, and the cultures and societies of coastal/ littoral communities, particularly on beliefs and narratives about the seas and oceans (cultural anthropology).

I posted my picture which was taken in a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean (Real, Quezon, Philippines). Mabuhay po ang WIOGEN! Malugod pong pagbati at pasasalamat mula sa Pilipinas at Southeast Asia!

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Hello every I am sadak mohamed ali from somalia somali national university

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Reine Cernero - eternally curious MSc in Human Ecology

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Reine Cernero - eternally curious MSc in Human Ecology

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Hello everyone!
I am a recently graduated biologist (Human Ecology, at VUB, Belgium) eager to get involved in experiences abroad, keep learning and exchanging with actors in various sectors. I am very interested in knowledge exchange, knowledge transfer, and science and conservation with positive social impact. I am currently involved in a project supported by WWF Belgium, working on creating small documentaries with clear actions points for citizens in Belgium. This conference was truly inspiring and I wish we would have met in person too.
Do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email (reinecernero@gmail.com)

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Nico Fassbender  - Research Assistant (Nekton) / PhD Candidate (University of Western Australia)

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Nico Fassbender  - Research Assistant (Nekton) / PhD Candidate (University of Western Australia)

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Hi everyone, I am Nico and I currently work for Nekton, a UK-based NGO that is working on mesophotic and deeper reef ecosystems around the WIO. We are especially keen to bridge the knowledge gap between shallow and deeper reefs, and we try to do this by conducting research cruises, but also knowledge exchange and taxonomy workshops amongst a variety of other capacity-building efforts. If you were in the deep-sea session today, you saw the fantastic presentation by my colleague Paris and our current project on Deeper Reefs and MPAs.
If you are interested to learn more, you can check our website: https://nektonmission.org/
If you believe that there is potential for us to collaborate on future work, or if you want to know more then please feel free to email me anytime: nico@nektonmission.org

I am myself a benthic ecologist and are going to be starting my PhD in 2022 researching the effects of habitat complexity on reef shark behaviour.

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Josheena Naggea (Mauritius)- PhD Candidate, Stanford University

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Josheena Naggea (Mauritius)- PhD Candidate, Stanford University

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Hi everyone,

I'm an interdisciplinary PhD student in Environment and Resources from Mauritius.

My research is situated at the nexus of political ecology and marine policy, focusing on adaptive management of marine protected areas (MPAs), community inclusion, and the valorization of natural and cultural heritage in marine governance.  I have most recently worked on assessing the compounding socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 and the 2020 Wakashio oil spill disaster on coastal communities in Mauritius.

It was great sharing some findings from my PhD research at the WIOGEN conference!

Contact details: josheena.naggea@gmail.com
Twitter handle: josheena_naggea

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Lillian Daudi, Seagrass Ecologist, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

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Lillian Daudi, Seagrass Ecologist, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

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Hi. My name is Lillian Daudi, a seagrass ecologist at Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI). My current research focus is on the impacts of ecosystem disturbance on the ecological functioning of seagrass meadows with the aim of providing the ecological basis for decision support on the functioning of nearshore marine habitats. You can contact me on lillynduku@gmail.com.

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Mouna Chambon- PhD student - KMFRI & Autonomous University of Barcelona

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Mouna Chambon- PhD student - KMFRI & Autonomous University of Barcelona

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Hi everyone,
My name is Mouna and I am a PhD student at the UAB (Spain) and KMFRI (Kenya).
My PhD research aims to understand the role of gender in community-based small-scale fisheries and how gender mediates their adaptation to climate change impacts. Taking a transdisciplinary approach, my doctoral thesis is grounded in the case of Locally Managed Marine Areas in Kwale county, Kenya, under the supervision of Dr. Wambiji.

My PhD is  embedded in a ERC-funded project titled "LICCI – Local Indicators of Climate Change Impacts" that aims to bring insights from indigenous and local knowledge to climate research.

Feel free to contact me at : mouna.chambon@gmail.com

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Mouna Chambon has a dual education in tropical ecology and social sciences. She is committed to reconciling biodiversity conservation and community development. Her areas of interest include indigenous and local knowledge systems, climate change, gender equity and conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity. From 2017 to 2018, she was awarded Laureate of the Mentorship Programme Women4Climate for her work as a project manager on gender and climate change for the youth-led NGO " CliMates ". She has also worked in the marine environment protection field and has significant field experiences in Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Mouna has now joined the LICCI project to start a 4-year PhD on the Gendered Perceptions of Climate Change Impacts. This doctoral project will explore the gendered patterns in local perceptions of climate change impacts with a particular focus on marine fisheries and aquaculture in target regions in both developed and developing countries.

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Mouna Chambon has a dual education in tropical ecology and social sciences. She is committed to reconciling biodiversity conservation and community development. Her areas of interest include indigenous and local knowledge systems, climate change, gender equity and conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity.

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Mialy Andriamahefazafy - Research Fellow, Centre for Blue Governance

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Mialy Andriamahefazafy - Research Fellow, Centre for Blue Governance

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Hello everyone, great to connect here. I am a geographer working on fisheries management and ocean governance. Did my PhD on the politics of tuna fisheries management in the WIO. Currently doing a postdoc on achieving SDG 14 in the WIO as well. If you are involved in projects directly aimed at achieving SDG 14 or one of its targets, please get in touch. I would love to hear from you, your experience and your perception on these global policies.
Here are my contacts:
mialy.andriamahefazafy@port.ac.uk
Twitter: @mialyzanah

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Am Albert Derrick Fiatui, Executive Director , Centre for International Maritime Affairs ,Ghana ( CIMAG ) , a Research , Advocacy and Policy Think Tank with focus on the Maritime industry ( Blue Economy ) and Ocean governance .
It’s a privilege to be part of this conference , I look forward to learning more on the protection of the marine - eco system ,conservation and biodiversity .
Am

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Nina Wambiji- Marine Fisheries scientist-KMFRI/WIOMSA Country Coordinator/ WiMS member

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Nina Wambiji- Marine Fisheries scientist-KMFRI/WIOMSA Country Coordinator/ WiMS member

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Hello everyone, I am Nina Wambiji a marine fisheries scientist working at Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute Mombasa, Kenya. I engage in a myriad of things science. I am currently a Co-PI in a WIOMSA funded MASMA project ( BILLFISH-WIO), (https://billfishwio.com) which together with a Pew Marine fellowship has enabled us to work on billfish species in 10 WIO countries. I also engage in sharks and rays studies and the the family Siganidae, which I begun my research on.

Over and above data management is key to me thus engage fully in activities related to it. Check out the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (https://obis.org) of which we have an Kenya OBIS node, the the World Register of Marine Species- WoRMS (https://www.marinespecies.org) and the African Register of Marine Species.  (www.marinespecies.org/afremas)

I look forward to building networks that will continue to contribute to ocean governance.

Feel free to contact me at nwambiji@gmail.com

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A reknown billfish fisher Mr Zuberi at Old Town Fishing Port Mombasa in the early 1970's. Looking on is Madam Erestina the Fisheries Officer.

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Hello, I'm Christine Nyangweso from Kenya. Currently I am PhD student undertaking research on communities perspectives in coral reef economic value in the Southern Coastline of Kenya at the University of Nairobi-Kenya.   I work with Conservation Organization in Kenya mandated with law enforcement and protection on marine Biodiversity within MPAs. I am an advocate for peaceful coexistence with nature. I have an interest in socio-economics research to matters pertaining to ocean governance and clean ocean. My research always focuses on the gendered perspectives of issues around terrestrial and marine conservation and sustainable resource use.
I look forward to collaborating with a team of like minded individuals for a business startup  in the WIO region, aimed at uplifting the livelihood of costal communities to reduce over-reliance on ocean systems , at the same time reducing carbon foot prints and the impact of climate change.
Let Support local communities to be aware of the SDGs 2030 and appreciate their role in realizing the global targets for cleaner oceans.
Looking forward for lasting networks and relationships beyond the three day conference period.
# Ecosystem Services
#human race
Reach me out on +254724818677
email: xtinegeorges@gmail.com

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A page from my field diary from the Lakshadweep Islands - studying people-nature interactions in small islands 

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Meenakshi Poti - PhD researcher and art enthusiast

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Meenakshi Poti - PhD researcher and art enthusiast

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Hi everyone! I am Meenakshi Poti from India, a Phd researcher from Universite Libre de Bruxelles & Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). I study the responses to environmental change in small tropical islands in the Indian Ocean (WIO islands and on-site work in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in India). My research interests are ocean / environmental governance in small islands, participatory methods, social-ecological systems, mangroves and adaptation.  I use watercolour art and creative writing to communicate science and policy to a wider audience. I am so excited to learn from all of you at WIOGEN!
Please feel free to get in touch:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/meenakshi_poti
meenakshipoti@gmail.com

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Hello everyone, I am Gildas Todinanahary, Senior Lecturer at the Fishery and Marine Sciences Institute of the University of Toliara (Madagascar). I am among the WIOGEN Management committee co-lead the WIOGEN working group on Biodiversity conservation, Habitat Protection and Pollution. My research activities concerns critical habitats such as coral reefs and covered wide range from the study of biodiversity, ecology, restoration, fisheries and management of these ecosystems. I look forward to share and exchange about these during the conference and open to further discussion and project perspectives.

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The black marlin (124kg) was landed by an artisanal fisher at Watamu, Kenya. Photo credit: Shadrack Simba

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Damaris Kinyua- PhD Candidate Pwani University, Kenya

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Damaris Kinyua- PhD Candidate Pwani University, Kenya

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Hello everyone, My name is Damaris Kinyua from Mombasa, Kenya. I am currently a part-time lecturer and a Ph.D. Candidate at Pwani University, Kenya. My thesis is focusing on the socio-economic contribution of billfishes to local livelihoods, the value-chain framework, and the perceptions of management and governance on billfish resource use. My research interest is in sustainable natural resources management and climate change adaptation. My work is pegged to the region WIOMSA funded,  MASMA project (BILLFISH WIO) (https://billfishwio.com).

I am a conservation enthusiast advocating for marine conservation and advising communities on how to enhance their livelihoods while sustainably utilizing marine resources. I hope to be part of the link connecting the research world and community ensuring the research findings reach the public and inform how they interact with the ecosystem.

connect with me:
Twitter: @damarkinyua
Email: damakinyua@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +254721252324

project

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Hi Everyone, We are the Western Indian Ocean Early Career Scientist Network (WIOECSN). Our network is engaged with Early careers along WIO region and our focus is Bring together ECS to networking, Capacity development, Ocean literacy awareness and to strengthen skills and promote marine science in WIO region.

For more info visit our website:
Western Indian Ocean Early Career Scientists Network (WIO-ECSN)

Webpage: https://www.wiomsa.org/wio-ecsn/

E-mail:      wioecsn@gmail.com

WhatsApp  +255779001008

Also you can visit our our social platforms.
Facebook: WIO-ECSN

https://www.facebook.com/Western-Indian-Ocean-Young-and-Early-Career-Scientists-Network-1763292820637227/
Instagram: wioecsn

https://www.instagram.com/wioecsn
LinkedIn: WIO-ECSN

https://www.linkedin.com/in/western-indian-ocean-early-career-scientists-network-4a108a15b/
Twitter: WIOECSN

https://twitter.com/WIOECSN
Youtube:  WIO-ECSN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd7nY3rBdmU&t=11s

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Juliet Karisa- KMFRI, WIOGEN WG3 Co-Lead

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Juliet Karisa- KMFRI, WIOGEN WG3 Co-Lead

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Hi Everyone, I'm Juliet Karisa currently working as a research scientist at KMFRI-Kenya. I'm passionate about coral reef conservation. My research interests are on the resilience of coral reef ecosystem from anthropogenic disturbances. I'm also involved in coral reef restoration activities, as a way to build the resilience of coral reefs. I also focus on Marine Protected areas as a tool to conserve coral reefs and safeguard biodiversity. My work involves spending lots of time in the field diving and collecting data, and I recently qualified as a divemaster giving me more ability to explore deeper reefs at aprox. 40m. Recently, I have also been using ROV to explore deeper reef habitats I hope I will be able to contribute to the identification of mesophotic reefs in the WIO.
I'm looking out for collaborations to broaden my research outputs jfuraha@gmail.com

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Désirée Schwindenhammer - PhD University of Freiburg / ZMT Bremen

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Désirée Schwindenhammer - PhD University of Freiburg / ZMT Bremen

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Hi everyone! I'm a German social scientist with a background in environmental governance, now starting a PhD in sustainability governance. My topics of interest are knowledge commons, data sharing, transdisciplinarity, participatory stakeholder engagement, ICZM, knowledge politics, power dynamics in sustainable development, post-colonialism, and environmental justice. I feel very lucky to focus my research on the WIO region and interact with such a vibrant network of researchers! :)

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Kaylee Smit - WIMS member and ocean lover

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Kaylee Smit - WIMS member and ocean lover

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Hello everyone, I am a marine ecologist by trade but I have been navigating through some new spaces like Marine Spatial Planning and Science-to-policy. I am currently doing a postdoc at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), as part of the EU-funded Mission Atlantic project. My current research interests include advancing ecosystem condition assessments and developing an indicator framework to support this, using rocky reef ecosystems as a test case. Please feel free to contact me on kayles.smit@gmail.com
(Really missing in-person events, but this is great too!)

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Hi everyone, I'm Bryan Galligan, a Jesuit currently based in Nairobi at Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA). I am working on the ecology and ethics of small-scale fisheries, both here in Kenya and globally. My current projects include a blue justice perspective on coastal infrastructure development and a food security analysis of gear based management in a coral reef artisanal fishery.

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The Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA)

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The Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA) is a diverse community of faith- inspired Jesuit NGOs, also known as Social Centers, related Jesuit institutions, individual Jesuit peace and development activists and scholars working collaboratively to fight poverty and related injustices around Africa empowering marginalized voices, communities and groups, and facilitating policy innovation to enable people to unlock their potential, exercise their rights and manage their own lives

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Hi to all, I am Fadhili Malesa, currently working as an Assistant Lecturer at the School of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Technology (SoAF), University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. My research interest areas of collaboration are; in the field of ocean productivity and plankton ecology, mariculture, characterization of different-sensitive life stages of aquatic organisms in response to changing climate. Also, looking to undertake PhD study abroad. Any link please share with me using Email: fadhilim98@gmail.com; Whasup +255 7151 299 75

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Hi to all, I am Fadhili Malesa, currently working as an Assistant Lecturer at the School of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Technology (SoAF), University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. My research interest areas of collaboration are; in the field of ocean productivity and plankton ecology, mariculture, characterization of different-sensitive life stages of aquatic organisms in response to changing climate. Also, looking to undertake PhD study abroad. Any link please share with me using Email: fadhilim98@gmail.com; Whasup +255 7151 299 75

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Common Kenyan delicacy of Ugali and Fish (Photo credit - Omukoto, 2021)

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Johnstone Omukoto Omuhaya - Research Scientist, KMFRI; PhD Student - Lancaster University, UK.

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Johnstone Omukoto Omuhaya - Research Scientist, KMFRI; PhD Student - Lancaster University, UK.

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I am a fisheries scientist by training and practice. Currently pursuing research on sustainable fisheries for food and nutrition security towards tackling malnutrition in tropical contexts. Interdisciplinary research approaches is my preferred practice to fisheries sustainability. Get in touch by email: jomukoto@gmail.com

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Hello everybody! My name is María Fernanda. I'm from Costa Rica. I am currently doing my Ph.D. at Erasmus University Rotterdam (The Netherlands) on the subject of climate change adaptation by the artisanal fishers here in my country. Looking forward to sharing and learning lots of things during these days of conference.

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This is Rebecca Lahl from ZMT, Germany. I am part of the coordinating team of the WIOGEN Conference. I love bringing people together, creating useful formats for exchanging knowledge and networking. I hope this conference is a nice opportunity for you to meet in times of corona. Anyway, what are your wishes for the WIOGEN Conference? What would you like to learn?

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I'm Leticia Greyling, with the International Ocean Institute (IOI) - Southern Africa. We're one of the institutes involved in this conference coordination team, and looking forward to lots of new insights, learning from each other, and networking during the next few days! :-)

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Hi, I am Shannon Hampton! I am with the International Ocean Institute - Southern Africa. We are passionate about capacity development in ocean governance! IOI-SA is part of the coordinating team of WIOGEN. If you want to know more about IOI - get in touch

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Hi everybdy! My name is Hauke. I am currently with the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen, Germany. I am originally trained as a marine microbiologist but have been recently more and more intrigued by ocean governance processes and science-policy interactions. I am keen to learn from my colleagues from the WIO region in the coming days. If you want to exchange about project ideas or catch up about what we are doing at the ZMT feel free to contact me!

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Hi, I'm Hannah Jansen from ZMT in Bremen, Germany. I am supporting the WIOGEN coordinating team in organizing this conference and am looking forward to the next three days!