Doug is a Professional Engineer specializing in climate, coastal and fluvial risk reduction and climate change adaptation. He has over 32 years post-graduate experience of international coastal and climate-related applied research and consultancy projects with wide experience of coastal engineering and coastal strategy studies, climate coastal and fluvial hazard and risks assessment, disaster risk management, climate change and long-term adaptation planning for development resilience (including for infrastructure development, urban and rural/village areas).

He has 26 years’ experience of living and working in the Pacific Islands region, initially as coastal management adviser to the Government of Kosrae, FSM between 1998 and 2000. Between 2008 and 2024, Doug was a member of the NIWA senior science leadership team with responsibility for all NIWA’s activities in the Pacific. This covered technical services and applied science support across a diverse portfolio including: operational hydrometeorological support, weather-related early warning systems, climate services, variability and change, natural hazard and risk assessment, community water and sanitation, ocean science, marine and freshwater biosecurity and biodiversity. Key responsibilities included managing the relationships and project delivery with key Pacific Government, regional technical organisations, donor and implementation agencies, and acting as Project/Technical Director on a wide variety of applied science and development-related projects.

Doug has extensive experience of both atoll and high-island environments and has been involved in projects across all independent Pacific Island Countries and some territories, with a particular focus on the Micronesian and Polynesian regions. This has included a wide range of infrastructure-related, hazard and risk assessment and adaptation-related projects in both urban centres and rural/outer islands. He has extensive experience of working collaboratively, providing technical assistance and capacity strengthening with both Government agencies and communities.