Degree program: Ph.D.
Year accepted: 2022
Advisor: Yoshitaka Ota and Amelia Moore
Research: Indigenous epistemologies and ontologies; Decolonial methodologies; Indigenous ocean governance; Small-scale and international fisheries; Political ecology; Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination; Relational justice; Environmental justice; Ocean security; Climate change and adaptation; Traditional ecological knowledge; Pacific Island studies.
Background: B.A. Religion, Pacific Islands University; Master of Divinity, Multnomah University
Joe Enlet is a Rewinipwosun Chuuk (Indigenous Chon-Chuuk) scholar, diplomat, and public policy practitioner from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). He is a Ph.D. candidate in Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island, where his scholarship examines Indigenous ocean governance, political ecology, relational justice, and the intersections of sovereignty, security, and environmental change in Oceania.
His doctoral research draws on the intellectual traditions, relational worldviews, and lived experiences of the Indigenous peoples of Chuuk to critically examine dominant paradigms of marine resource governance. Central to his work is an exploration of Indigenous political thought and customary institutions as foundations for reimagining governance, environmental stewardship, and collective well-being beyond conventional Western frameworks.
Enlet brings extensive experience in diplomacy, international relations, public administration, and community leadership to his scholarship. He previously served as Consul General of the Federated States of Micronesia in Portland, Oregon, establishing the FSM’s first diplomatic consulate on the United States mainland. He also served as Deputy Head of Delegation for the FSM at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow and as President of the COFA Alliance National Network, advocating for the rights and well-being of Micronesian communities in the United States.
He currently serves as Senior Policy Advisor to the Mayor of Weno Municipality in Chuuk, advising on environmental policy, economic development, international partnerships, and Indigenous-led municipal governance. His work bridges scholarly inquiry and practical policymaking, particularly through initiatives advancing climate resilience, institutional development, and community-centered development.
Across his academic and professional engagements, Enlet is committed to advancing Indigenous intellectual sovereignty and strengthening the capacity of Pacific Island communities to define and govern their own futures.