dr. M (Maria) Pafi

I am a postdoctoral researcher at Wageningen University and Research, contributing to the OR ELSE project , which focuses on ecosystem-based marine sand extraction. My work revolves around two key themes: the politics of blue growth and marine spatial planning and the use of simulation games and geospatial technologies for environmental decision-making . With a PhD in Environmental Planning from Queen's University Belfast and an MSc in Geoinformatics, I draw on both technical expertise and social sciences to investigate stakeholder interactions, sustainable resource management strategies, and the impacts of blue growth on marine and coastal spaces and cultural heritage.

In the realm of marine governance , my research explores how stakeholders negotiate complex trade-offs in shared marine and coastal spaces. I examine how institutions adapt to uncertainty, foster cross-sectoral collaboration, and integrate reflexive approaches into decision-making processes. At present, my work primarily involves sectors such as sand extraction, and its interactions with fisheries, and offshore developments in a Dutch North Sea context through the OR ELSE project. Previously, I have concentrated on coastal tourism and community development along the Atlantic coast of Ireland. I have a strong interest in exploring how stakeholder empowerment and multi-stakeholder platforms can foster sustainable outcomes.

In the domain of digital tools and geoinformatics for learning and decision-making , I focus on leveraging technologies like GIS, simulation games, and remote sensing to analyze spatial patterns, facilitate deliberation, and support reflexive governance. My work investigates how these technologies can both enable and disable participation, influencing who is learning and empowered to act or do things differently in the decision-making process. My experience at the European Commission's Joint Research Center (JRC) and the Cyprus Lands and Surveys government department, where I worked with geospatial methodologies for urban planning, underpins my technical expertise in this area. In the OR ELSE, I collaborate closely with game developers from Breda University of Applied Sciences to co-design a simulation game about sand extraction on the MSP challenge simulation platform .

I am particularly passionate about how these combined approaches empower stakeholders and institutions to anticipate and respond to the complexities of marine governance and I welcome opportunities for research or education related to marine governance, stakeholder engagement, and the use of digital technologies for sustainable environmental governance.

You can find a list of publications here