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Meet our core research team
Meet our core research team
We conduct research, advisory work, and capacity building in ways that center marginalized communities, Indigenous knowledge, and grounded approaches to systemic change. Our core research team brings deep field experience, methodological rigor, and a shared commitment to work that begins with listening and grows from the root.
Mohammad Zainuddin
Mohammad Zainuddin
MBA, MSc, PhD
MBA, MSc, PhD
Zain currently serves as a core Research Consultant with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation Japan, and holds visiting positions at BRAC University Bangladesh and ESPM Brazil. He is an RLI Research Affiliate with the School of Advanced Study, University of London, and is also associated with the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at the Australian National University.
Engaged in projects across South Asia and the Indian Ocean island nations, he brings over nine years of academic and industry experience, with substantial exposure to work in rural regions and marginalized contexts. He has received numerous competitive scholarships, grants, and recognitions from institutions including the European Academy of Management (Belgium), IMD Lausanne (Switzerland), Council for Cultural Relations (India), Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Malaysia), Australian National University and Macquarie University (Australia).
Zain has presented his work at academic events across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. He is a certified professional trainer by Swinburne University of Technology and an accredited lecturer in intercultural management by The Culture Factor, Finland. He is also a member of the Academy of Management and the European Group for Organizational Studies, and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK.
Engaged in projects across South Asia and the Indian Ocean island nations, he brings over nine years of academic and industry experience, with substantial exposure to work in rural regions and marginalized contexts. He has received numerous competitive scholarships, grants, and recognitions from institutions including the European Academy of Management (Belgium), IMD Lausanne (Switzerland), Council for Cultural Relations (India), Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Malaysia), Australian National University and Macquarie University (Australia).
Zain has presented his work at academic events across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. He is a certified professional trainer by Swinburne University of Technology and an accredited lecturer in intercultural management by The Culture Factor, Finland. He is also a member of the Academy of Management and the European Group for Organizational Studies, and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK.
Ishtiaque Arif
Ishtiaque Arif
MBA, MPM, PhD
MBA, MPM, PhD
Arif is a seasoned academic with nearly two decades of experience in higher education and research. He is a certified professional trainer accredited by Swinburne University of Technology and also holds professional certifications from the University of South Florida. His academic journey builds on earlier industry exposure, which continues to inform his grounded and practice-oriented approach to research and teaching.
He has held academic positions at institutions including UITS, Presidency University, Southeast University, and MBUST, where he continues to serve as a non-resident fellow. He has published in leading peer-reviewed journals including the International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Cogent Social Sciences, Energy & Environment, and Social Movement Studies. He has presented his work at academic conferences across multiple countries and also contributes as a reviewer for respected international journals.
Arif brings substantial experience working in emerging markets and maintains an active interest in contextualised learning, interdisciplinary inquiry, and community-grounded engagement. At Rootwards Global, he contributes to research, capacity building, and work at the intersection of livelihoods, tourism, and systemic change.
He has held academic positions at institutions including UITS, Presidency University, Southeast University, and MBUST, where he continues to serve as a non-resident fellow. He has published in leading peer-reviewed journals including the International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Cogent Social Sciences, Energy & Environment, and Social Movement Studies. He has presented his work at academic conferences across multiple countries and also contributes as a reviewer for respected international journals.
Arif brings substantial experience working in emerging markets and maintains an active interest in contextualised learning, interdisciplinary inquiry, and community-grounded engagement. At Rootwards Global, he contributes to research, capacity building, and work at the intersection of livelihoods, tourism, and systemic change.
Tangina Afrin
Tangina Afrin
MSS, PGD
MSS, PGD
Tangina is currently a researcher at Universiti Sains Malaysia working in the field of Anthropology and Sociology. With specialised research training at SOAS University of London, her academic pathway builds on earlier studies in Finance, Banking, and International Relations, giving her an interdisciplinary lens on social systems, inequality, and economic participation.
Her research interests span Indigenous knowledge, gender-based violence, and social exclusion, with emerging scholarship published in international outlets. She has co-authored work on child marriage during COVID-19 and contributed research commentary on corruption, governance, and development issues. Her recent research explores Indigenous entrepreneurship in Bangladesh, with a focus on hill women navigating intersecting barriers of gender, ethnicity, and class.
At Rootwards Global, Tangina contributes to research, field engagement, and growing work at the intersection of Indigenous worldviews and bricolage. She brings research rigor, cultural sensitivity, and a strong commitment to amplifying marginalized voices. She remains interested in collaborative work that bridges research, policy, and lived realities—particularly in contexts marked by identity and discrimination.
Her research interests span Indigenous knowledge, gender-based violence, and social exclusion, with emerging scholarship published in international outlets. She has co-authored work on child marriage during COVID-19 and contributed research commentary on corruption, governance, and development issues. Her recent research explores Indigenous entrepreneurship in Bangladesh, with a focus on hill women navigating intersecting barriers of gender, ethnicity, and class.
At Rootwards Global, Tangina contributes to research, field engagement, and growing work at the intersection of Indigenous worldviews and bricolage. She brings research rigor, cultural sensitivity, and a strong commitment to amplifying marginalized voices. She remains interested in collaborative work that bridges research, policy, and lived realities—particularly in contexts marked by identity and discrimination.
Join the team
Join the team
We’re building a community of researchers, practitioners, and collaborators who care about grounded work, ethical engagement, and meaningful change. If you share our values and want to contribute to research, fieldwork, or advisory projects, we’d love to hear from you.
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