Gilbert David, who pursued his Msc in Geography and PhD in Marine Geography at the University of Western Brittany, France, has spent his entire professional life working for French Research Institute for Development (IRD) in various locations including Vanuatu, New Caledonia, France and La Reunion. His research expertise is in the fisheries and coastal systems, integrated coastal zone management and the design and implementation of marine protected areas. He is also interested in studying island systems in the globalization dynamics especially the aspects of their viability, vulnerability and resilience.
Since 2002, Dr. Gilbert has implemented five international projects in the WIO region mostly on socio-economic evaluation and the integrated approach to managing marine protected areas. Over the same period, he has also supervised seven PhD students within the WIO region. He has been the social science expert in the scientific committee of Reunion Island Marine Research and member of the steering committee of the island’s integrated costal zone management programme. Since 2004, he has been a member of the MASMA Programme Committee. He is credited for playing a key role in the increase in number and quality of research conducted by social scientists in MASMA supported projects
