About
Hazard Analyst ,National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA)
Summary
May 2015 to Present: Hazard Analyst, NIWA, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Mar-2015 to May-2015: Individual Consultant, UNDP Adaptation Fund Assignment – Status Review of the National Coastal Infrastructure Management Plans in Samoa.
Nov-2014 to Jan-2015: Samoa National Coordinator, ADB funded Strengthening Disaster and Climate Risk Resilience in Urban Development in the Pacific Project, Phase II – Samoa Case Study.
June 2014: Field Collaborator, Archaeo-Environmental Investigations along the mid-Holocene shoreline near Aitape, PNG.
Jan to Dec-2011: NZ MoRST-Fulbright Visiting Graduate Researcher, Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering, University of Hawai’i at Manoa.
Aug-2004 to Jan-2007: Senior Scientific Officer, Geophysics Section, Meteorology Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Government of Samoa.
Dec-2003 to Aug-2004: Scientific Officer, Climate Applications Section, Meteorology Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Government of Samoa.
Qualifications and credentials
PhD, 2010-2014, Completed, University of Canterbury
MSc (First Class Honours), 2007-2009, Completed, University of Canterbury
BSc, 2001-2003, Completed, The University of the South Pacific
Health & Safety Field Activity Training, November 2013, Completed, University of Canterbury
Distance and Flexible Learning Tutors Workshop, November 2006., Completed, The University of the South Pacific
Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Technical Training Programme, September 2005, Completed, USGS Albuquerque, NM
Global Seismograph Network (GSN) Technical Training Program, September 2005, Completed, USGS Albuquerque, NM
APN funded Pacific Islands Training Institute on Climate and Extreme Events, June 2004, Completed, The University of the South Pacific
International Association for Promoting Geo-ethics, Member, 2013- Present
Geoscience Society of New Zealand, Member, 2013-Present
Tsunami Society International, Member, 2012-Present
New Zealand Fulbright Alumni, Member, 2012-Present
American Geophysical Union, Member, 2011-Present
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), Member, 2011-Present
US International Exchange Alumni, Member, 2006-Present
English, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent
Samoan, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent
Work experience
Tsunami and coastal inundation hazards
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA), Hazard Analyst, Christchurch, New Zealand
Geomanage Environ Oceania Limited (GEOL), Specialist - Hazard and Disaster Management, Christchurch, New Zealand, Samoa, National Coordinator, Strengthening Disaster and Climate Risk Resilience in Urban Development in the Pacific Project, ADB funded “Strengthening Disaster and Climate Risk Resilience in Urban Development in the Pacific Project”, Phase II – Samoa Case Study (60 day indiv, Samoa, Technical Assistant (Individual Consultant), Enhancing the Resilience of Coastal Communities in Samoa to Climate Change Project, UNDP Adaptation Fund Assignment – Status Review of the National Coastal Infrastructure Management Plans in Samoa (40 day individual consultant assignm
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Senior Scientific Officer, Apia, Samoa
Enhancing the Resilience of Coastal Communities in Samoa to Climate Change Project, Planning and Urban Management Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Technical Assistant (Individual Consultant), Samoa, Inception report outlining the proposed approach and detailed work programme.
Draft report and expected consultancy products outlined in the TOR - ass
Publications
Deep Charcoal Found at Fagali’i village, Upolu Island, Samoa: Natural or Anthropogenic in Origin?, Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, doi: 10.1080/15564894.2014.961665
Geological Investigation of Palaeotsunamis in the Samoan Islands: Interim Report and Research Directions, Science of Tsunami Hazards, 32(3): 156-175
Catastrophic flank collapse on Ta'u Island and subsequent tsunami: Has this occurred during the last 170 years?, Science of Tsunami Hazards, 31(3): 178-198
Flank collapse on Ta’u Island, Samoan Archipelago: Timing and Hazard Implications. In: Sassa, K., Canuti, P., Yin, Y., (eds). Landslide Science for a , Springer International Publishing, Vol.3, pp. 583-588
Palaeotsunamis and Ethnoarchaeological Engimas in Samoa: Exploring the Associations, National University of Samoa
Characterising diagnostic proxies for identifying palaeotsunamis in a tropical climatic regime, Samoan Islands, IEEE OCEANS 2011 –MTS/IEEE Kona Conference Proceedings
Sands of Time: Evidence for palaeotsunamis and/or palaeostorms in Samoa, and what this means for tsunami risk reduction, MNRE, Proceedings of the Samoa National Environment Forum 2010
Exploring the status of tsunami early warning systems in Samoa, MNRE Proceedings of the Samoa National Environment Forum 2005