PEOPLE
EXPERT DATABASE
We are establishing a database of South African marine and polar researchers to provide a platform where experts in the various specialisations can be found by, for example, potential collaborators, students looking for supervisors, organisers of speaking events, media reps, etc.
Finding experts in the field of polar and offshore marine research, within South Africa
ATTENTION: Polar & Offshore Marine Researchers
Want to add your details to this page? Simply follow the link below to complete the sign-up form.
SIGN UPAlternatively, contact Rabia Mathakutha for more information.
r.mathakutha@saeon.nrf.ac.za
Riesna R. Audh
Research Coordinator: SAPRI Polar Lab Integrated Facility
My research focuses on sea ice biogeochemistry in the Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone (AMIZ) within the broader field of polar oceanography. I have a strong background in the development and implementation of protocols for sea ice sampling, processing, and analysis, ensuring high-quality data collection under challenging conditions – I am particularly skilled at sea ice coring, with over 250 sea ice cores collected during my postgraduate research.
Prof. Sarah Fawcett
Associate Professor
Prof. Fawcett's is a chemical oceanographer and isotope geochemist whose work is largely laboratory- and field-based. Her research is focused on the cycling of biologically important elements in the marine environment, with a view to addressing questions related to ocean fertility, local and global biogeochemical cycling, ecosystem health, and past and present climate. Sarah has worked, and continues to work extensively in the Southern Ocean, the Benguela upwelling system and greater Agulhas Current region, and the open subtropical ocean. Sarah and the Marine Biogeochemistry Lab that she co-directs are additionally affiliated with BIOGRIP (the Biogeochemistry Research Infrastructure Platform; biogrip.ac.za), another SARIR initiative.
Dr Tokoloho Rampai
Senior Lecturer
Dr Tokoloho Rampai's research focus is mainly Materials Engineering, this is applied both in Antarctic sea ice research and advanced ceramic materials development for application in catalytic processes. Under the sea ice research; she focuses on improving the understanding of the dynamics of sea ice growth and how these give rise to the material properties (microstructure and mechanics) of Antarctic Sea ice. This is predominately carried out through artificial sea ice growth experiments in temperature-controlled laboratory conditions and nominally through field testing in the Marginal Ice Zone in the Southern Ocean.
Prof. Juliet Hermes
Manager
Research focuses on the Agulhas, the Indian Ocean, the Benguela and the Southern Ocean, coastal-offshore interactions, observations, numerical modelling
Prof. Sebastian Skatulla
Professor
I have founded and lead the Polar Engineering Research Group of the University of Cape Town since 2016. The group has been studying the impact of global warming on the Antarctic cryosphere, with a particular focus on sea ice and shelf ice dynamics.