Academic receives international recognition for environmental conservation
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 | Professor Randolph Thaman, an academic at USP, who has been awarded with the honorary membership of IUCN. |
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One of the longest serving staff members of the University of the South Pacific, Professor Randolph Thaman, from the Division of Geography has recently been awarded with the honorary membership of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The award, which recognizes individuals for their outstanding services to the conservation of nature and natural resources, is presented by the World Conservation Congress on the recommendation of the IUCN Council.
Professor Thaman along with 10 outstanding international members were honoured at the IUCN World Conservation Congress on 11 September, 2012. He was the only one from the Pacific region, other than Australia, to be awarded at this event in Korea.
In extending his sincere congratulations, the Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Rajesh Chandra said that the University community is proud and pleased to learn of the prestigious award presented to Professor Thaman.
“This is a timely recognition of Professor Thaman’s efforts and for his immense contributions in areas that are very critical to the survival of our Pacific region,” he added.
The Vice-Chancellor praised Professor Thaman for serving the region tirelessly through research and teaching.
Since joining USP in 1974, Professor Thaman has taught and mentored countless number of Pacific Island students, many of whom are regional leaders in natural resource conservation and management in government institutions and other organizations throughout the Pacific.
Professor Thaman’s pioneering research and teaching has focused on community-based biodiversity conservation, Pacific floras and ethnobiology, agrobiodiversity and food security, invasive species, and ecosystem restoration and species recovery in degraded small islands and marine managed areas.
He has worked extensively with local students and communities to document endangered traditional ethnobiodiversity as a basis for effective conservation.
Professor Thaman has been a member of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas since 1998, as well as a founding member of the IUCN Commission of Education and Communication, and a past member of the Oceania Regional Committee.
Most recently he represented Fiji in the successful establishment of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
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