Dr Umi Muawanah is a fisheries economist. Her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering has provided her with a sound science and technology background, while her graduate work was focused on marine and fisheries conservation economics. She began her doctorate studies at the University of Rhode Island in 2008, completed her PhD at the University of Connecticut in 2012 and worked as a Knauss Fellow at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service until 2014, sharpening her interests and experiences in bridging science and policy. Her research interests include the economics of fisheries management and governance, community co-management, economic impact evaluation, and science-to-policy communication. She has strong skills in economic and bioeconomic modelling, production models, econometrics (including discrete choice models), and impact evaluation. Since her return to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in Indonesia in 2014, she has been actively involved in research on national strategic issues, including the impact of anti-illegal fishing policies, economic integration of fisheries value-adding, rights-based fisheries management, and the economics of tuna management, working to bridge the divide between scientific research and policy on oceans and marine resources. Dr Muawanah has authored and co-authored over 45 publications and working papers in both national and international journals.