Mia Strand

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Mia Strand

AREA OF EXPERTISE: Transdisciplinary and participatory research, equity in ocean governance, arts-based methods, marine cultural heritage, participatory community mapping.

AFFILIATION: Nelson Mandela University / Ocean Nexus Postdoctoral Research Fellow (South Africa)

Impact

Mia has contributed to the Hub’s Impact stories ‘Protecting children’s rights at the Ocean-Climate Nexus: Bringing the Hub’s unique perspective to the UN climate change framework’ and ‘Protecting children’s rights at the Ocean-Climate Nexus: Informing new UN guidance’ – see here >>

Mia is the co-author of the Policy Brief ‘10 key messages for reimagining ocean literacies that consider children’s human rights to development and culture.’ – see here >>

Making waves
  • Mia was the lead author of the ‘Transdisciplinarity Learning Pathway’ published on the knowledge translation platform One Ocean Learn – read here >>
  • Mia has been awarded the National Champion of the Frontiers Planet Prize 2024 – read here >>
  • Mia was a guest speaker at the One Ocean Hub Podcast episode ‘Children’s rights and the ocean’. – listen here >>
Recent publications

Strand, 2024. How to be inclusive of community in research (SAGE Research Methods: Diversifying and Decolonizing Research) – read here >>

Niner, H. J., Wilson, D., Hoareau, K., Strand, M., Whittingham, J., McGarry, D., Erinosho, B., Ibrahim, S., Tshiningayamwe, S., Febrica, S., Lancaster, A. M. S. N., & Prokic, M. (2024). Reflections on the past, present, and potential futures of knowledge hierarchies in ocean biodiversity governance research (Policy and Practice Reviews). Frontiers in Marine Science, 11 – read here >>

Mia on leadership

“The Hub encourages its members to explore arts-based and creative research methods, which are sometimes still seen as innovative in the ocean governance research realm. I have learnt so much from senior researchers and colleagues in the Hub, such as Dylan McGarry and Marly Muudeni, and love to explore the opportunities of arts-based research methods through conversations and knowledge exchange events. For example, my supervisor Dr Nina Rivers and I presented on the role of arts-based participatory research methods in highlighting intangible cultural ocean heritage at the 2021 UN World Oceans Day, and contributed with the co-researchers to the COP26 Virtual Ocean Pavilion event on UN Decades and SDG synergies at the  Ocean-Climate Nexus.”

Mia’s advice to fellow Early-career researCheRs

“For anyone working on or within a global development project, I would advise to be critical and ask questions. Interrogate who the project is benefitting and why. Whose definition of development is being implemented and what does this mean for the project, and the people the project is supposed to benefit. At the same time, I would advise fellow early-career researchers to address potential asymmetrical power relations in their own knowledge production processes and continue to consider for whom and for what you are conducting your specific research.”