Amanda MararuaiPapua New Guinea representative
Manager, National Agriculture Insect Collection
National Agricultural Research Institute,
Lae, Papua New Guinea
Email: Amanda.mararuai@nari.org.pg
Entomologist Amanda Mararuai has been with the Papua New Guinea National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) since 1998, when she was recruited to work on a regional project researching management methods of economically important fruit fly species (Diptera, Tephritidae, Dacinae) in Pacific Island countries and territories such as Papua New Guinea (PNG).
From 2001-2004, she was head of entomology programme for NARI’s Islands Regional Centre in Rabaul; working in all of PNG’s five island provinces, supervising and participating in national and regional research projects in insect pest management for fresh commodities.
In 2005, she carried out postgraduate research; investigating the market accessibility of export destined PNG banana fruit with respect to banana fruit fly (Bactrocera musae) infestation for her postgraduate degree at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane Australia. She completed her research in July 2009 and was awarded her PhD degree in 2010.
Amanda returned to NARI in 2009 and is currently manager of NARI’s National Agriculture Insect Collection, a project leader for internationally funded research projects in crop protection with the institute, and is involved in collaborative research projects in the areas of biosecurity, biodiversity and conservation.
