Researchers

Qualifications

• M.A. (Strategic and International Relations), University of Malaya
• B. A. (International Relations) (Hons), University of Malaya

Research Interest

• Strategic and Defense
• Governance in Straits of Malacca
• Maritime Security

Overview

Sumathy Permal is a Fellow and Head of Centre for Straits of Malacca, with the Maritime Institute of Malaysia. Ms. Permal’s research areas are on geo-politic and geo-strategic in the Asia Pacific and maritime security issues in the Indo Pacific. Sumathy Permal is on the editorial board of the Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs Australia and Associate Member of the Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies. She was also the International Expert Panel for National Bureau of Asian Research and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA on Maritime Awareness Program, 2016. She is a Profession Fellow On- Demand Exchange Program by the U.S. Department of State for Think-Tank in Asia and in the East Asian International Relations (EAIR) Caucus, a Network for Researchers Studying Scholarly and Policy Issues in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia.

Qualifications

• MSc (with Merit) in Marine Science, Policy and Law
  National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, United Kingdom
• BSc (Hons.) Marine Biology, University Malaysia Terengganu
• Diploma in Multilateral Environmental Agreements, University of Eastern Finland

Research Interest

• Marine Pollution
• Marine Protected Areas Management
• Natural Resources
• Marine Tourism

Overview

Cheryl Rita is Head of the Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment. Her research and consultancy focus has been extensive, particularly in ocean governance, natural resources, marine protected areas management, and marine pollution at national, regional, and international platforms. Among her experiences include an attachment to the government Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in Lowestoft, UK, for research on spatially managed areas, an Asian Conservation Fellowship award from the Earthwatch Institute of Australia, the JICA Programme for Young Leaders in Japan, Visiting Scientist at the Academia Sinica in Taipei, and country representative under the International Leadership Programme to the US on Coastal and Marine Management for emerging leaders.

She completed an Interdisciplinary Certificate on Ocean Governance focused on Policy, Law, and Management, at the International Ocean Institute, Dalhousie University in Canada in 2015. Subsequently, she gathered a Certificate in Sustainable Environmental Management from the University of California, Berkeley in 2016, and a Certificate in Economics of Climate Change Adaptation at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok in 2018.

She is currently an Associate Fellow at the Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS) of University Malaysia Terengganu, and served as an Adjunct Lecturer at the China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, on integrated coastal zone management.

Research Interest

• National Port & Shipping Strategy
• Geo-politics in the Indian Ocean
• Global & Regional Maritime Trade

Research Interest

• Social security (Seafarers)
• International Conventions