Dr Sarah Hemstock

Programme Leader Geography

Sarah holds a PhD in bioenergy systems modelling from King’s College London and is an author and adviser to the Alofa Tuvalu “Small Is Beautiful” project—recognised by UNESCO as one of its “Decade of Achievement Projects”. She authored and led the €6 million European Union Pacific Technical Vocational Education and Training on Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Adaptation Project (EU PacTVET) at the Pacific Community (SPC). She was a Visiting Fellow at Nottingham Trent University is now an Adjunct Fellow of the University of the South Pacific where she led the €8 million Global Climate Change Alliance Project. Her interest in the Pacific region began while lecturing at King’s College London & as a consultant for Imperial College when she researched biomass resources in several Pacific small island developing states. Sarah is a founder of the Pacific Regional Federation of Resilience Professionals and was a member of the EU Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Steering Committee; and numerous international project steering committees. In 2010 she was made Government of Tuvalu Honorary Ambassador—Officer for Environmental Science.

Teaching

Sarah contributes to the teaching of the undergraduate programme in Geography. Sarah’s teaching interests include: rural communities; climate change adaptation; aid effectiveness; sustainable/ resilient development; reducing disaster risk; and sustainable energy.

Research, knowledge exchange and public engagement

The majority of Sarah’s project work and research relates to practical resource management and sustainable development issues relevant to some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities and vulnerable ecosystems. Her research now examines various aspects of community initiated sustainable/ resilient development, including aid effectiveness, sustainable energy and capacity building, and novel ways of communicating climate change issues and mechanisms.

Recently, Sarah has been on the organising/ academic committees for the following:

  • World Symposium on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies to Costal Communities, Samoa (2017)
  • Organizing partner for the UNISDR Science and Technology Conference – January 2016
  • 12th Pacific Science Inter-congress (2014)
  • 2nd International Conference on Renewable Energy and Climate Change (2013)
  • 2nd Sustainable Sea Transport Talanoa (2014) (https://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=14096)
  • Restoring the Human to Climate Change – ECOPAS (2013)
  • Local Governments: Structures, Functions and Climate Change (2012) (https://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=11317)
  • Pacific Regional Industry Standards Advisory Committees for Resilience (Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management/Disaster Risk Reduction) and Sustainable Energy (administered by the Fiji Higher Education Commission – in line with the New Zealand Qualifications Framework).

Sarah is also a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and the 21st Century Trust and a founder and trustee of the Pacific Regional Federation of Resilience Professionals. Sarah is now external supervisor for 7 PhD students and has supervised 12 MSc (Climate Change) by research students.

Current and recent research/ projects include:

2013 – EcoArts. Funded by the European Union EDF10 and the ECOPAS project.

2012-2015 – European Union Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Project . Leading the 8 million Euro EUGCCA Project. “Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change in the Pacific Islands through Training, Applied Research and Community Engagement”. The project ambit consisted of 15 small island developing states across the South Pacific. This project also partnered the GIZ Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region project – developing/integrating climate change into primary and secondary school curriculum for 5 countries and providing teacher training at provincial level across the 5 countries. During this time Sarah also secured funding for the University of the South Pacific – Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (1.9 million Euro for extending the EU GCCA project and 3.05 million Euro for participation in the EU PacTVET project).

2014-2016 Communicating Climate Change – a 15k GBP project researching the effectiveness of visual arts in communicating climate change to a Pacific audience in both an educational sense and through people’s active involvement in art practice. University Research Council Funded (University of the South Pacific).

2015-2018 – the European Union Pacific Technical Vocational Education Training in Sustainable Energy and Climate Change project. Author and Leader of the 6+ million Euro EU PacTVET project. Project ambit includes all 15 Pacific-ACP countries. Leading the development and delivery of regional formal qualifications in Sustainable Energy, Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction at levels 1 to 4 on the Pacific Qualifications Framework – working with national government agencies (e.g. Higher Education Commissions and Qualifications Authorities) and aligning qualifications with the regional Educational Quality Assessment Programme (formally the South Pacific Board of Educational Quality) which is directly aligned with the NZQF. Leading the development of recognition of prior learning to provide a practical Pacific solution for skills recognition.

3 Global Firsts for this project:

1. Regional rather than national development and accreditation of formal qualifications – Regional Certificates 1-4 in Sustainable Energy and Regional Certificates 1-4 in Resilience (Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction);

2. The development of formal qualifications at levels 1-4 (on the Pacific Qualifications Framework) which cover the subject areas of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction – “Resilience”;

3. The recognition and professionalization of a “Resilience Sector” via the introduction of an industry association the Pacific Regional Federation for Resilience Professionals.

2016-2018 – GIZ ‘Sustainable Community-Based Biogas Schemes for Domestic Energy and Improved Livelihoods’ project. Author and Leader for the 500,000 Euro project in Tuvalu. Funded by the European Development Fund and the German development agency (GIZ).

Recent Awards:

  • IVETA (International Vocational Education and Training Association) 2016 World Conference Award for project having the most impact in the Pacific region (EU Pacific Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Adaptation).
  • International Symposium of Climate Change Impacts in the Pacific – winner of the Springer-Verlag Science Publishers award for research/ project with most impact in the Pacific region (Fiji, 2016).
  • Joint winner of the University of the South Pacific’s VC’s Prize for Research (creative works – Pacific EcoArts) 2014 & (project – European Union Global Climate Change Alliance) 2016.
  • UNESCO Decade of Achievement Award for the “Small is Beautiful” project in Tuvalu. Renewable energy and capacity building.
  • Motufoua Secondary School won the Oceania category in the Global High School section of the 2018 Zayed Future Energy Prize (UAE), a competition promoting energy solutions, for the GIZ community biogas project (Tuvalu).

Selected Publications (past 5 years)

  1. Chandra, V. V., Hemstock, S.L., Mwabonje, O. N., De Ramon N’Yeurt, A. and Woods, J. (2018) Life Cycle Assessment of Sugarcane Growing Process in Fiji. Sugar Tech. pp. 1-8. ISSN 0972-1525
  2. Havea, P. H., Hemstock, S. L., and Jacot des Combes, H. (2018). Improving Health and Well-being through Climate Change Adaptation. In: Advances in Health and Disease. Volume 4. Nova Science Publishers. ISBN: 978-1-53613-345-5
  3. Chandra, V. V. and Hemstock, S.L. and De Ramon N’Yeurt, A. and Surroop, D. (2017) Environmental and economic study for a prospective ethanol industry in Fiji. Progress in Industrial Ecology, 11 (2). pp. 146-163. ISSN 1476-8917
  4. Havea, P. H., Hemstock, S. L., and Jacot des Combes, H. (2017). Preparing for Better Livelihoods, Health and Well-Being—A Key to Climate Change Adaptation. In: Climate Change Adaptation in Pacific Countries: Fostering Resilience and Improving the Quality of Life. Climate Change Management . Springer International Publishing, Berlin, pp. 87-99. ISBN 978-3-319-50093-5
  5. Havea, P. H., Hemstock, S. L., and Jacot des Combes, H., Luetz, J. (2017). “God and Tonga Are My Inheritance!”—Climate Change Impact on Perceived Spritiuality, Adaptation and Lessons Learnt from Kanokupolu, ‘Ahau, Tukutonga, Popua and Manuka in Tongatapu, Tonga. In: Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies for Coastal Communities. Springer International Publishing, Berlin, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-70703-7_9; ISBN: 9783319707020; ISSN: 1610-2010
  6. Hemstock, S.L. and Capstick, S. and Senikula, R. (2017) Perspectives of artist-practitioners on the communication of climate change in the Pacific. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management. ISSN 1756-8692.
  7. Hemstock S.L., Jacot Des Combes H., Martin T., Vaike F.L., Maitava, K., Buliruarua L.-A., Satiki V., Kua N., Marawa T, (2017). A Case for Formal Education in the Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Sector for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Pacific Islands Region. In: Climate Change Adaptation in Pacific Countries: Fostering Resilience and Improving the Quality of Life. Climate Change Management . Springer International Publishing, Berlin, pp. 309-324. ISBN 978-3-319-50093-5
  8. Martin, T., Hemstock, S. L., Jacot Des Combes, H., Pierce, C. (2017) Capacity Development and TVET: Accredited Qualifications for Improving Resilience of Coastal Communities—A Vanuatu Case Study. In: Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies for Coastal Communities. Springer International Publishing, Berlin, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-70703-7_6; ISBN: 9783319707020; ISSN: 1610-2010
  9. Chandra, Vineet V. and Hemstock, S. L. (2016). The Potential of Sugarcane Bioenergy in Fiji. Sugar Tech, 18 (3). pp. 229-235.
  10. Hemstock, S.L., Buliruarua, L. A., Chan, E.Y.Y., Chan, G., Jacot Des Combes, H., Davey, P, Farrell, P., Griffiths, S., Hansen, H., Hatch, T., Holloway, A., Manuella-Morris, T., Martin, T., Renaud, F.G., Ronan, K., Ryan, B., Szarzynski, J., Shaw, D., Yasukawa, S., Yeung, T., Murray, V. (2016). Accredited qualifications for capacity development in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies. 20 (1). 15-33.
  11. Hemstock S.H., Jacot Des Combes H., Martin T., Vaike F.L., Maitava, K., Buliruarua L.-A., Satiki V., Kua N., Marawa T. (2016). Establishing the need for and sustainability of accredited and quality assured TVET qualifications for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management in the Pacific islands region. Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN). Conference 2016.
  12. Jacot Des Combes, H., Buliruarua, L. A., Hemstock, S.H., Kua, N., Marawa, T., Martin, T., and Satiki, V. (2016). Report of the P-ACP Regional Industry Standards Advisory Committee – Fiji, Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The Pacific Community (SPC), 2016.
  13. Martin T., Hemstock S.H., Jacot Des Combes H., Buliruarua L.-A., Satiki V., Kua N. (2016). Recognition for Climate Change: A EU-PacTVET initiative to recognize informal and non-formal learning in the Pacific region. International Vocational Education and Training Association World Conference 2016.
  14. Sanerivi, L., Prasad, R., Martin, T., Jacot Des Combes, H., Hemstock, S. L. (2016). Changing Climate for Quality Assured Regional Qualifications in the Pacific: An innovative collaboration (EU-PacTVET & EQAP). Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN) Conference 2016.
  15. Buliruarua, L. A., Hemstock, S.H., Jacot Des Combes, H., Kua, N., Martin, T., Satiki, V. and Manuella-Morris, T. (2015). P-ACP Training needs and gap analysis. Reports for Fiji, Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The Pacific Community and The University of The South Pacific. (EU PacTVET – FED/2014/347-438).
  16. Chandra, V., Hemstock, S. L. (2015). A Biomass Energy Flow Chart for Fiji. Biomass and Bioenergy 72: 117-122
  17. Hemstock, S. L. and Singh, R. D. (2015) The Assessment of Biomass Consumption. In: The Biomass Assessment Handbook: Energy for a sustainable environment, 2nd Edition. Routledge, ISBN 978-1-138-01965-2
  18. Martin, T., Hemstock, S.H., Jacot Des Combes, H., Kua, N., Satiki, V., Buliruarua, L.-A., Marawa, T. (2015). P-ACP Training needs and gap analysis. Synthesis Report. European Union Pacific Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Adaptation project (EU PacTVET) The Pacific Community and The University of The South Pacific. (EU PacTVET – FED/2014/347-438).
  19. Rosillo-Calle, F., De Groot, P., Chandra, V. V. and Hemstock, S. L. (2015). General Introduction to the Basis of Biomass Assessment Methodology. In: The Biomass Assessment Handbook. Routledge, 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN. ISBN 978-1-138-01965-2 (pbk)ISBN: 978-1-315-72327-3 (ebk)
  20. Rosillo-Calle, F., Hemstock, S. L., Chandra, V. V., and Manuella-Morris, T. (2015). Case studies. In: The Biomass Assessment Handbook. Routledge, 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN. ISBN 978-1-138-01965-2 (pbk)ISBN: 978-1-315-72327-3 (ebk)
  21. Hemstock, SL; Manuella-Morris, T. (2014) ‘Small is Beautiful: An analysis of the NGO Alofa Tuvalu’s 10 year renewable energy project in Tuvalu.’ In: Pacific Voices: Local Government and Climate Change (USP Press; ISBN 978-982-01091-4-8 ). 141-155.
  22. Jacot des Combes, H, Hemstock, SL, Holland, E, Iese, V (2014) ‘Integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction at local level: How to combine modern science and local knowledge to reduce communities’ vulnerability’. In: Pacific Voices: Local Government and Climate Change (USP Press; ISBN 978-982-01091-4-8 ). 54-62.
  23. N’Yeurt ADR, Hemstock SL, Iese,V. (2014). Pacific Community Development Through Fertilizer Production and Biofuel Generation from the Seaweeds Gracilaria edulis and Sargassum polycystum. 5TH CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR APPLIED PHYCOLOGY. Sidney, June 2014.
  24. Prasad S, McNamara KE and Hemstock S (2014) ‘Learning from the past to assist local climate change adaptation planning: Case study from two communities in the Pacific’. In: Pacific Voices: Local Government and Climate Change (USP Press; ISBN 978-982-01091-4-8 ). 155-164.
  25. Hemstock, S. L. (2013). The potential of coconut toddy for use as a feedstock for bioethanol production in Tuvalu. Biomass and Bioenergy. 49: 323-332.
  26. Hemstock, SL, Manuella Morris, T, Woods, J, Wang, L (2013). ‘Modernizing Traditional Biomass Energy use for Improved Energy and Food Security in the Outer-Islands of the Pacific Island Region: A Case-Study of Vaitupu Island, Tuvalu’, 12th Pacific Science Intercongress, July 2013, USP, Suva, Fiji. Conference Abstract.
  27. Singh R.D. and Hemstock S.L. (2013). Economics of households in Pacific Island Countries: A case study of Vanuatu and Tuvalu. Theoretical Economics Letters.[3], 1-8. ISSN 2162-2078
  28. Swapna, S, Singh, A, Prasad, S, and Hemstock, SL (2013). ‘Municipal solid waste (MSW) as a Source for Energy and Biogas Production in the PICs’, 12th Pacific Science Intercongress, July 2013, USP, Suva, Fiji. Conference Abstract.
  29. Tekinene, M, Iese, V, Hemstock, SL, (2013) ‘An Assessment of the Resilience of Agricultural Systems in Coral Atolls: A Case Study of Pulaka Cultivation Tuvalu’, 12th Pacific Science Intercongress, July 2013, USP, Suva, Fiji. Conference Abstract.
  30. McNamara, K.E., Hemstock, S.L. and Holland, E.A. (2012) Practices of Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific: Survey of Implementing Agencies (Phase II). Final report to the European Union – Global Climate Change Alliance. Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji (35pp.).
  31. McNamara, KE, Hemstock, SL, Smith, R and Holland, EA (2012) ‘Relocation due to climate change: Mapping the divergent responses of the Governments of Tuvalu and Kiribati’, AGU Conference Abstract, Dec, 2012.
  32. Prasad S, McNamara KE and Hemstock S (2012) ‘Learning from the past to assist local climate change adaptation planning: Case study from two communities in the Pacific’, Regional Conference: Local Governments, Structures, Functions and Climate Change, July 2012, USP, Suva, Fiji Islands.
  33. Smith, R. and Hemstock, S. L. (2012). The impacts of international aid on the energy security of small Island developing states (SIDS ): a case study of Tuvalu. Central European Journal of International and Security Studies, 6 (1). pp. 81-102. ISSN 1802-548X

Book:

Rosillo-Calle,F.; De Groot,P.; Hemstock,S.L.; Woods,J. (Eds)(2015). Biomass Assessment Handbook: bioenergy for sustainable development, London: Earthscan. Second Edition. 336 pages, ISBN-10: 1138019658