DR MORGAN Wairiu is the new Pro Chancellor and Chairperson of the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) Council
Hailed from Marau Sound, East Guadalcanal, Wairiu has been formally appointed as Pro Chancellor and Chairperson of the 4th SINU Council by the Minster of Education and Human Resources Development.
“Wairiu is a respectable person of high standing in the academic circle and has wide experience in teaching, research and publication and managing an education institution,” a statement from SINU said.
“He is currently the Chief of Party of SCALE-NRM Project, implemented by Winrock International and funded by USAID,” it added.
Prior to joining the SCALE-NRM Project, Wairiu was the Acting Director of the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PACE-SD) at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji.
He also served as the Deputy Director, Programme Manager and Research Fellow at the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development.
Wauriu also served as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in 2001.
A Fulbright Scholar, Wairiu obtained Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Ohio, United States of America in 2001; Master of Science in Soil Science at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland; Postgraduate Certificate in Agriculture and Rural Development at Wye College at the University of London in the United Kingdom and Bachelor of Agriculture at the University of Papua New Guinea.
At the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PACE-SD), Wairiu was the Lead Author of the IPCC 1.5 Special Report on Climate Change and the Coordinating Lead Author of the Small Islands Chapter in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.
His research interest is in climate change and resilient development. He has also supervised over 20 research students (both Masters and Ph.D.) in this research area.
Wairiu has published several publications in some leading and reputable journals.
He has been awarded Best Paper Award in 2017 in the International Journal of Climate Change Impacts and Responses.
Wairiu also serves as member of renowned Committees, Advisory Working Groups, Councils, Taskforces, Conference of Parties, Trusts, Institutes and Forums.
