Chandani Appadoo (PhD, Marine Biodiversity and Biology) is Associate Professor and works as an academic at the Department of Biosciences and Ocean Studies Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius. She has 30 years’ experience in teaching and research supervision. Her research interests are in coastal and marine ecosystems especially mangroves, taxonomy of marine crustaceans, fisheries and marine litter. Topics of research in mangroves range from forest structure, fauna, public perception, carbon sequestration and socio-economic importance. She has published widely in many peer-reviewed journals (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chandani-Appadoo) and is reviewer for several journals. She has also been lead author for Small Islands chapter for the book- Mangroves of the Western Indian Ocean, status and Management. She is also lead author for the macro-litter and meso-litter monitoring protocols in mangroves for African Marine Litter Monitoring Manual. She is currently country representative for Western Indian Ocean Mangrove Network and also member of Board of Trustees