The Team

This is an interdisciplinary and collaborative project, combining expertise from academia and the policy / advocacy sector, and from history, marine environmental science, public health, sustainable development, and natural resource management.

The project is led by researchers from Mzuzu University (Malawi) and the University of Strathclyde (U.K.) in collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (Malawi).

Mzuzu University

Dr Elias Chirwa is a Senior Lecturer in Fisheries and Aquatic Science in the Faculty of Environmental Science at Mzuzu University with expertise in fisheries management and aquatic ecology. He is a Co-Investigator, focusing on environmental sampling in Lake Malawi.

Professor Wapulumuka Mulwafu is Professor of History and Vice Chancellor of Mzuzu University with expertise in colonialism, environmental science, and governance in Malawi. He is Lead Co-Investigator.

Professor Bryson Nkhoma is Professor of Environmental and Agricultural History at Mzuzu University with expertise in precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial interventions related to agriculture, irrigation, food security, and Indigenous knowledge. He is a Co-Investigator, focusing on archival research at the National Archives of Malawi and conducting oral histories in Chikombe.

University of Strathclyde

Dr Milo Gough is a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Strathclyde. He is a historian of colonial urbanity on the West African littoral. On this project, he will be focusing on research in the British National Archives. 

Dr Charles Knapp is Reader in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He is a water-quality environmental scientist with expertise in ecology and genetic analyses to explain trends in historical context. He is a Co-Investigator, focusing on analysis of environmental samples gathered in Lake Malawi.

Professor Tracy Morse is Senior Lecturer and Head of Strathclyde Centre for Sustainable Development. She is a public health researcher who was based in Malawi for 20 years where she led an interdisciplinary team addressing the determinants of health. This includes work focused on fishing communities both in Malawi and the wider Great Lakes region. She is a Co-Investigator, leading on the formation and dissemination of practical recommendations.

Dr David Wilson is a Lecturer in Maritime History at the University of Strathclyde. His research focuses on British colonialism, maritime enterprise, and marine spaces. He is an early career researcher and Principal Investigator, focusing on archival research in The British National Archives and on constructing the StoryMaps.

Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy

The Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA) is the Community Partner on this project, collaborating on the workshop and pop-up exhibitions as well as the practical recommendations. CEPA is a non-profit, public interest organization which was registered in 2002. CEPA’s vision is a just and equitable society that promotes sustainable development. The goal is to carry out policy analysis and advocacy for sustainable environment and natural resources management. CEPA is working on three thematic areas, namely: i) natural resources; ii) biodiversity; and iii) climate change. CEPA undertakes its policy advocacy work by linking: a) policy and practice; and b) policy makers and local communities that are affected by policy implementation. CEPA also facilitates grassroots communities’ engagement in policy processes through local policy dialogue.