“Communities and Coasts: Contrasting Perceptions Surrounding the Rezoning of Africa’s Oldest MPA” in the conference “MARE X People & the Sea: learning from the past, imagining the future”

The grant allowed me to fly to present my work at a conference and allowed me to attend another conference nearby where my work received a special mention. I then went on to present the same work at WIOMSA where it won a student award.

In-person conferences provide a level of connection and visibility to the part of the world one is working in. For example, at the conference I was able to screen a short documentary about the area I was working in and generate conversation, interest and support for solutions in addition to my presentation.

As part of a connected world, I met researchers with whom I have now organically become colleagues with. These are intangible benefits that I am grateful for and manifest in the form of shared ideas. There are publications that came about because of this. I do not know if I can link them specifically to the grant but being in those spaces fostered certain conversations that led to publications based on shared values and discussions.