PEOPLE
The people listed below comprise the core group of researchers involved in the WIOMSA MASMA funded project "Seagrass Protect"
Dr. Blandina R. Lugendo
Principal Investigator
Professor Johan Hollander
Principal Investigator
Dr. Lugendo has an acknowledged expertise in marine ecology in general. She has studied seagrass ecology, fish ecology as well as food-web ecology. She has worked in inter-and multi-disciplinary research, supervised a number of postgraduate students in various fields ranging from marine ecology, fisheries, genetics, to climate change related research.
Dr. Mwanahija Shalli
Social science
Dr Shalli is a researcher and lecturer in Coastal Resources Management at Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam. She study livelihood of coastal communities, comparative economical analysis and the socio-economics along the mainland coast of eastern Africa.
Professor Hollander’s research is strongly associated to applied marine science such as global climate change effects, ecosystem-based adaptations and sustainable management in our oceans. In Sweden and in Western Indian Ocean (WIO), he currently studies how to mitigate coastal erosion by using green infrastructure such as beach nourishment and re-implantation of seagrass meadows.
Dr. Yohana W. Shaghude
Geology
Dr. Shaghude is a marine geologist at University of Dar es Salaam, Institute of Marine Science. He has have been responsible for soil management research, sedimentological study of Lake Tanganyika South Block and factors influencing shoreline changes in Tanzania and Kenya.
Dr. Salomão Bandeira
Seagrass ecology
Dr. Salomao Bandeira is a marine botanist and an acknowledged expert on seagrass and mangrove ecology. He is Associate Professor at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique. His interest extends to mangrove and seagrass governance, sand dunes biodiversity management and and restoration.
Dr. Siajali Pamba
Coastal engineering
Dr. Pamba is an engineer and received his PhD in Marine Sciences from the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam (IMS-UDSM), Tanzania. His research in this project focus on numerical models to simulate the physical impact of ecosystem based coastal protection.
Manuela Amone Mabuto
PhD student
MSc. Mabuto is a PhD student studying the regulating functions particularly how seagrasses supporting biodiversity. But also investigate on the best practices for seagrass restoration to providing technical guidelines on how seagrass can be restored and inform evidence-based decision making for sustainable coastal management.
Marcelina Mushi
PhD student
MSc. Mushi is a PhD student in the project focusing on needs and perceptions of stakeholders cultural ecosystem services. She also have a great interest of understanding numerical models about how seagrass beds can mitigate sediment movement.