This month, The Applied Ecologist is amplifying the voice of early career ecologists from around the world working in the field of applied ecology to help inspire the next generation. In this post, Wayne Stanley Rice from the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore shares his story below.
How would you describe yourself?
I love the outdoors and travel, reading, and cooking. I am also an avid rugby supporter.
My key research interests include:
- Climate governance
- Environmental stewardship
- Collaborative communication
A new research position
I recently started a new research position with the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. The research project is funded by the Social Science Research Thematic Grant (SSRTG) from the Ministry of Education, Singapore, and focuses on “Climate Governance of Nature-based Carbon Sinks in Southeast Asia.”
Southeast Asia offers huge potential for enhanced carbon sequestration in natural carbon sinks such as tropical peatlands, mangroves, and terrestrial forests. Accordingly, the project aims to contribute to Singapore’s continued efforts to adapt and build resilience to climate change challenges.
Furthermore, it strives to inform and enhance Singapore’s leadership among The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries to promote and develop low-carbon initiatives with social, economic and environmental co-benefits. It also seeks to identify institutional assemblages, relationships, and practices required to ensure the effective and inclusive governance of these natural carbon sinks in the region.
Consequently, it will contribute to regional efforts toward climate mitigation and associated co-benefits without undermining key sustainable development goals.
Addressing research gaps
Research on natural carbon sinks tends to focus on addressing the technical challenges associated with accurately measuring and verifying carbon sequestration amounts, and developing sufficient funding mechanisms.
However, there is an urgent need for more holistic and scalable forms of governance for natural carbon sinks. Consequently, the project seeks to emphasize the centrality of the social sciences to the interdisciplinary approach required to increase governance effectiveness as it relates to urgently preventing further negative effects and restoring natural carbon sinks.
Next career steps and motivations
I believe the key to promoting greater effectiveness of climate mitigation and sustainable management is facilitating equitable and socially just governance practices. At its heart governance is about striving for productive and inclusive social relations and networks, which requires improved engagement, communication, participation and leadership.
Contemporary societal challenges like climate change and biodiversity conservation require positive change agents. This necessitates holistic, critical thinkers and problem-solvers. I am motivated to use my diverse interdisciplinary educational background and experiences to contribute in a small way to this endeavour.
Career progression
I started out as a high school teacher, so have had an interesting beginning to my ECR journey. Furthermore, I have been fortunate to have had a strong interdisciplinary focus to my graduate studies throughout.
My master’s thesis explored the ‘issue’ of bycatch within a small-scale fishery in South Africa. By looking at fisheries landing data of the selected focus species from all national sectors, it sought to contextualise this ‘issue’, and highlight current limitations and make recommendations for future fisheries management in the country.
My doctoral dissertation used commons and governance theory, an extensive literature review and mixed method, and case-study-based fieldwork in three African countries, to develop a Theory of Change to guide the planning, implementation, and ongoing governance of coastal community-based conservation areas.
Accordingly, these recent experiences have shaped me as a researcher. More specifically, these experiences have developed the resilience and cultural sensitivity required to operate in multistakeholder environmental governance settings with diverse actors, interests and priorities.
I have found this journey to be most rewarding, and hope to continue to work with diverse stakeholders and within complex and challenging contexts. ECRs, and in fact, all academics and practitioners, are increasingly required to communicate effectively across diverse media. Accordingly, I have most enjoyed the journey to continually develop my science communication skills.
Role models and advice for anyone reading
I don’t want this to sound patronizing or anything, but my role models are community members. My PhD included fieldwork in South Africa, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau working with local coastal communities. Their local knowledge and understanding for the environment, and resources, and desire, and stamina, to maintain their cultures and livelihoods inspires me a lot.
Furthermore, the openness to share this understanding, and embrace me is why I got into this field of research. After all, natural resource management is about the people using the natural resources.
I think, more than anything else, ECRs require support, guidance, and encouragement to pursue their own ideas and take on challenging projects and tasks to become confident researchers and effective communicators.
So, the key piece of advice is find a good mentor with whom you can communicate and collaborate effectively, and who will support you to take on new challenges.
Discover more posts from our ECR Journeys blog series here.
