An academic from the University of Western Australia has been chosen by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as Australia's representative on the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group for an initial period of two years.

 

UWA's senior honorary research fellow and Inaugural Professor of Indian Ocean Studies, Dr Dennis Rumley is a member of the group which is part of a social policy network - the Indian Ocean Research Group - initiated by researchers at UWA and India's Panjab University to take on leadership role in the Indian Ocean region.

 

The network includes members from around Australia, India and Canada.  Its meetings, held in locations around the Indian Ocean region, aim to encourage research on geopolitical, economic, socio-cultural, environmental, scientific and technological issues relating to the region.

 

The group promotes dialogue on the peaceful uses and ecologically sustainable development of maritime resources and initiates informed debate on issues of concern within the region.

 

The group has also published books whose titles include The Security of Sea Lanes of Communication in the Indian Ocean Region; Crucible for Survival: Environmental Security and Justice in the Indian Ocean;  and Fisheries Exploitation in the Indian Ocean Region: Threats and Opportunities.

 

Dr Rumley is also Chief Editor of the Journal of the Indian Ocean Region.