Rich experience through diverse roles in Academia, International Development, Open Access Publishing and Media Industry, Education, Research, Project/Team Management, Program Leadership and Mentoring, across different cultural and institutional contexts.
Established record as a Supervisor/Mentor for Communication & Social Change Research.
Research Fellow, Japan Foundation
January-July 2025
Center for Advanced Tourism Studies, Hokkaido University, Japan
Executive Editor ePress
Aug 2018- present
Editor in Chief ePress
Dec 2011-Aug 2018
Open Access Scholarly Online Publishing House operating under the Creative Commons Licence System
Activities: chairing advisory/editorial committees, overseeing editorial policy and processes, managing budget and overseeing website design and content.
EPress: Open Access publishing at Unitec
Program Lead-Associate Professor
Oct 2018-Sept 2020
Communication and Media Program - Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
University of Central Asia, Naryn campus, Kyrgyzstan
Visiting Faculty
Jan 2021-Jun 2021
Activities: Faculty Research Committee Chair; Member: Academic Committee & Ethics Committees; Lecturing; Research; International and Regional Partnerships; Faculty Recruitment and Team building; Program Management; Undergraduate Curriculum Design and Development.
Courses taught and developed: Structures & Economies of Media Organizations; Writing for Media; Communication for Development and Social Change.
Visiting Researcher
Research Institute for Islands and Sustainability, Ryukyus University, Okinawa, Japan May-June 2019
Research Collaborator
Research Center for the Pacific Islands, Amami Islands Station, Kagoshima University, Japan, June-August 2019
Research Fellow
Sept 2018 - present
Tūāpapa Rangahau: Research and Enterprise, Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Research Fellow
July 2017-December 2017
Research Center for the Pacific Islands, Kagoshima University, Japan.
Activities: Carrying out a research project at the Amami Islands (see under research), delivering research seminars. For field-trip media report click here
Research Support
August 2020-present
Research Office: Research Ethics Committee; Research support (Chairing PGRS Committee and MIT Research Leaders and Research Committees); Faculty Strategic Research Grants Evaluation; Co-convening of Pacific Research Symposium
Associate Professor
Oct 2008 - Aug 2018
Communication Studies, Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
Senior Lecturer
Oct 2006 - Oct 2008
Activities: Lecturing & Supervising research in the Undergraduate & Master programs; Chair of Dept’s Research Committee; Chair of Unitec EPress Advisory & Editorial Committees; Member: Faculty Research Committee, Unitec Research Committee, Senior Academic Promotions Committee; Undergraduate, Postgraduate & Curriculum Development Committees; Pasifika-Maori Research Support Group; international relations: program promotion in South East Asia.
Courses taught: Postgraduate level: Communication for Development & Social Change; Research Methods; Government, Media and Politics; Supervision of Research Projects;
Undergraduate level: Communication Production/Campaigns; Global Media Issues; Communication Principles; Research Practice; Introduction to Communication Studies; Creative Communication; Guest lecturing in Pacific Media, Communication and Development issues in various other courses.
Visiting Professor
Sept 2013 - Dec 2013
Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Activities: Lecturing on intercultural and crosscultural communication and research.
Research Associate
2007 - 2014
Pacific Media Centre/AUT University, Auckland
Activities: Contributor to the Pacific Journalism Review (former Reviews Editor, Editorial Board Member), conference co-convenor, publishing projects, contributor to PMW.
Head of Department
Oct 2003-July 2006
Communication Arts, Divine Word University, Madang, Papua New Guinea
Activities/Achievements: Curriculum review & development (Development & Communication model); Established & supported research activities at staff/student levels; Contributed towards capacity building (sustainability) & institutional development; Networking (strengthened the departments & University’ ability to collaborate & network with local, national, regional & international organizations); Fundraised for teaching & training resources; Advised/designed & supervised external training; Coordinated & supervised projects/grants; Supervised the running of the Department’s regional News Bureau; Maintained & strengthened relations with national media; Initiated & co-ordinated a partnership with the East-West Centre in Hawaii & other regional organizations/institutions
Courses developed/taught: Applied Social Science Research Methods with development focus; Development & Communication; PNG Media & Society; Supervision of Research Projects
Visiting Faculty Fellow
2000-2003
Civic Education Project INGO - Central Asia/Mongolia & Caucasus Programs (INGO specializing in providing support to educational reforms in the former Soviet Union, now part of the Open Society Institute)
# Caucasus program: Based in Georgia (Aug 2002- June 2003)
Visiting Faculty Fellow: Journalism/Communication Programs at Tbilisi State University and Western Culture & Languages University
Activities/achievements: Lecturing in Journalism/Communication Programs; Journalism/Communication curriculum development; Outreach activities in the Caucasus region: guest lecturing in regional universities Armenia, Azerbaijan, organising/facilitating regional & national youth, student & faculty conferences, seminars, training & debate forums & fundraising for academic activities
Courses developed/taught: Civic Society & Journalism; Civic Education & Human Rights; Media in Conflict; Introduction to Journalism; Writing Skills for Print Journalism
# Central Asia program: Based in Mongolia (Oct 2001- July 2002)
Project Manager: Social Science Reform Project, National University of Mongolia (Project supported by Mongolian Foundation for Open Society, the Higher Education Support Program of Open Society Institute, Hungary and Civic Education Project)
Activities/achievements: Management of the Project; Strengthening individual capabilities (supervision of the curriculum development of the Sociology and Political Sciences Depts and the training of faculty on new teaching and research methods; Coordinating the Central European Curriculum development exchange program with local faculty and the Siberian-Mongolian Academic Network); Institutional building; Liaising between the funding and implementing organizations; Financial/logistical management
Journalism Education Advisor: Press Institute of Mongolia / Media Program - Mongolian Foundation for Open Society & Mongolian Journalism Institutes
Activities/achievements: Curriculum evaluation & development; assisted journalism institutes in designing & implementing new curricula; Designed an open competition for a journalism curriculum development grant sponsored by the MFOS Media Program; Evaluated journalism schools and proposals submitted for grant competition; Assisted the Media Program in networking and organizing of study tours & trainings abroad; advised on the development of a methodology for a journalism education standards survey; Advised on the improvement of the free-flow wed-site for journalism; evaluated the first phase of the intensive curriculum project and provided follow up strategy
Other Activities/achievements:
Curriculum development; Guest lecturing at the Press Institute of Mongolia; journalism training (Political Reporting); On-line teaching (co-ordinated & taught two courses at the Journalism Dept, American University in Central Asia & supervised the University Newspaper); Fundraising & networking (established co-operation with local foundations & media NGOs)
# Central Asia program: Based in Kyrgyzstan (Aug 2000-Sept 2001)
Visiting Faculty Fellow & Co-Head: Journalism Department, American University of Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Oct 2000-Sept 2001)
Activities/achievements: Curriculum development (designed & implemented a new Curriculum for the Department of Journalism at the AUCA based on credit system); Contributed to organizational capacity building & institutional development; Developed & taught new courses; Supervised the University newspaper; Guest lectured at institutions in the Central Asian region (Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan); Established links with local & international organisations for students internships; Fundraised for teaching resources & sponsoring of students’ activities
Courses developed/taught: International Communication, Writing & Editing for Print Media (Basic, Advanced), Introduction to Journalism, Newspaper Lab
Associate Lecturer
1998
School of Journalism, Media & Cultural Studies, University of Wales, Cardiff, UK
Teaching Assistant
1995
Film and Media Studies Department, University of Stirling, Scotland, UK
1995-06 Freelance Journalist: Foreign news correspondence for Planet FM, Greek Radio Station