Nina Wambiji, a Kenyan citizen, is a graduate of the University of Ryukyus, Japan and holds a PhD degree in Marine and Environmental Sciences. She began her career in 2005 as a Fisheries Scientist with Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombasa, Kenya.
She is currently the Institute’s Assistant Director in the Marine Fisheries Department. Nina has been the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science (WIOMSA) Country Coordinator for Kenya since 2014 to date.
Nina describes herself as a Marine Fisheries scientist, with extensive experience in various multidisciplinary aspects of fisheries biology and ecology, stock assessment, fish genetics, marine mammal’s research and marine biodiversity data management through global databases.
Her widely published research focuses on rabbitfishes, marine megafauna (whales, dolphins, sharks, rays and sea turtles) and billfishes, with numerous collaborations with local communities and experts at different career levels.
She has successfully led various national and regional projects, and developed extensive collaborations with national, regional and international academic and research institutions.
Nina is a recipient of various prestigious fellowships: the African Women in Research and Development (AWARD) fellow 2013, Australia Awards Africa fellow (2019), a Pew Marine fellowship (2020) and most recently Women in the Environment fellow 2022. She is also very dedicated on marine data management.
Throughout her collaborations with various institutions, researchers and communities, she has always been passionate about data – who works on what, where and how is their data and information archived to enhance management of our biodiversity and for future generations.