Mohamed Salman

I am originally from India, but I grew up in Oman. I completed my undergraduate studies in Malaysia, earned my Master’s, and worked in Dubai before moving to New Zealand to pursue my PhD. 

I speak English, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Gujarati, Malay, Malayalam, and French. 

I enjoy travelling, watching movies/series, and recently, I recently started playing tennis, which has been surprisingly fun (and humbling). 

A trip around Europe to explore the different countries, cultures and cuisines. I believe wandering through the art museums, enjoying gelato and coffee, and taking the train through the Alps would be a perfect way to refresh and recharge before the last lap of my PhD.

I am most passionate about sustainability and renewable energy, especially finding ways to balance technology and the environment. I am equally passionate about contributing to society through education, entrepreneurship, or community initiatives that create a meaningful impact. 

Tidally Driven Floating Upweller System for Shellfish Aquaculture with Self-Powered Sensors.

As clichéd as it may sound, the smell of petrol first sparked my curiosity about oil and gas, leading me to study petroleum engineering. During my final year project, I developed a strong interest in sustainability, which inspired me to shift my focus and pursue a Master’s in renewable energy. That journey has led me to my PhD, where I’m exploring the vast potential of marine energy.

I hope it will result in a more sustainable and efficient shellfish aquaculture practice, lower shellfish losses, increased profitability for the industry, and better income for small-scale farmers in rural communities. Ultimately, this means more fresh, local seafood for all of us to enjoy.

I plan to keep working in research and development, possibly in academia or a startup. I want to continue exploring solutions to real-world challenges and am excited to see where that journey leads me.

I would invite all of my PhD supervisors. (I have five!) It would be a rare chance to have all of them in one room without a whiteboard or deadline hovering over us, where we can share stories, reflect on the journey so far, and perhaps have a few laughs about the chaos of research life.