HerStory - Meet Rosi Waqanisau an Environmental Scientist

Rosi Waqanisau is an environmental scientist from Fiji. She received her Bachelor of Environmental Science degree from the University of The South Pacific. 

Her Reason Why

Rosi chose environmental science because of her love and appreciation for nature.  She explains, “ I loved going to the sea when I was a child. I love animals. Natural resources became important to me while I was growing up. My love of natural resources evolved into the protection of natural resources." 

Why having Grit Matters 

When Rosi began her university degree program, she recalls the requirements being very challenging at first.  "My transition into a bachelor's degree, from high school, was difficult. The Fijian education system is traditional. You study throughout the year and your marks determine your intelligence. In university, you are assessed in different ways."  Science programs require more effort and concentration.  Rosi wants to reassure women and girls that science programs are worth pursuing and putting in the necessary time to overcome challenges is well worth it in the end.  Her words of wisdom are, “You need to have the heart for it. It is difficult. You must work on it. You have to want it." 

My advice to girls who are undecided about studying science, "You need to find your passion.  If you are planning to study, you should have an idea of what field you want to work in. Ask yourself what you want to do. I wanted to study development management because I have a science background, and I wanted to learn about sustainability." "Science is everything. It relates to every innovative part of the world.” 

Her Giveback 

Rosi hopes to have a long career contributing to the protection of natural resources all over the world. She explains, "My focus is the sustainable development and sustainable use of natural resources. We can still use our resources sustainably and not endanger them." 

Science Opened Up Doors

Rosi has found a great deal of purpose in her work over the years.  Because of her hard work, in 2015 she was accepted to the Energy Team for Sustainable Development Pathways Cluster at the United Nations' Development Program. Along with many of her important tasks, she took on the vital responsibility of reviewing renewable energy project reports in various Pacific Island countries. Her work during the internship only deepened her love for sustainable development. Her experience there also allowed her to build on her extensive knowledge of the subject. Since then, the experience also developed a passion in her for sustainable development in the South Pacific Region, specifically. 

 In 2016, Rosi became Assistant Advisor for the Asia-Oceania region at Ramsar Convention Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland. Her internship there lasted for over a year. While in Switzerland, Rosi learned that when the Ramsar Convention Secretariat was founded many years ago, it was full of men. By the time she became an intern, however, the head of the organization was a woman. There had also been three consecutive leaders who were women. While working in Switzerland, Rosi took a work trip to Iran. In Iran, she met four amazing women who were scientists and mathematicians. She also says many of the students in her master’s degree program were women. Rosi's internship in Europe gave her insight into how complex environmental projects can be, and how necessary they are to conserve our way of life. It also inspired her to see so many women stepping into big roles in STEM. 

It also forged her professional career path and provided her with vast exposure to institutions that work in Environmental Science. The experience in Europe also helped her work in multicultural environments by allowing her to travel the world. Science has taken Rosi to several countries and exposed her to cultures and adventures she would never have had otherwise. 

 In 2019, Rosi completed her master's degree in Development Management (aka sustainable development goals) at the Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines. Students came from all backgrounds – doctors, pilots, scientists, environmentalists, and more. Anyone interested in Science, possessed a passion for sustainable development, and was qualified, could enroll in the program.

The program helped students work on development issues, including poverty and social entrepreneurship. One of the assignments was to design a sustainable – farming, roads, markets.  Rosi’s finance, economics, and public policy background was pivotal in helping her design affordable and sustainable communities. 

Her fieldwork for research also included rapid area assessments and researching local communities to find out how they are benefiting from sustainability. This provided Rosi with a deeper understanding of how necessary science is in community development.

 What Rosi loves about being an Environmental Scientist

"Science is so broad. For environmental science, you can specialize in snails and talk about nothing else in the world." You can learn about one organism and study its life cycle, or you can learn about rocks. There are a billion options for environmental scientists to specialize in. There is no end to what they can research and love about the earth."   

 Rosi on the appeal of a Science degree

"You have to be creative in your mind to be a scientist. How do you make sense out of climate change? Science pushes people to think outside of the box and find solutions to problems that affect the world."