Gonzaga Puas is a Pacific Research Fellow at The Australian National University (ANU) Department of Pacific Affairs.

With a diverse academic background including a Bachelor of Arts/Diploma of Education, Bachelor of Law (LLB), Master of Political Science, and a PhD in Micronesian history, Gonzaga uses his breadth of knowledge to inform his research and field work in the intersecting areas of climate change, Pacific history, and politics.

Born and raised in Micronesia, Gonzaga’s perspective on Pacific policy and the future direction of the region is built through an understanding of history, supplemented by indigenous knowledge and significant community engagement. His approach to his areas of study aims to balance respecting the rich traditions of his ancestors and other Pacific Islanders whilst using modern and contemporary ideas and information to their greatest effect in local environments.

A particular area of interest is climate change and adaptation, and the ability to use traditional methods of agriculture and conservation with modern tools and technology. His current projects include examining Australia’s diplomatic relations in the North Pacific, the interaction between constitutional and customary law, China in the North Pacific, the Compact of Free Association between the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the United States, and health, education, and youth culture in the FSM.