Mxolisi Mukhawana | Climate Changes | Best Researcher Award

Mr Mxolisi Mukhawana | Climate Changes | Best Researcher Award

Scientific Manager / PhD Candidate at  Department of Water and Sanitation / University of the Western Cape, South Africa

Mxolisi Blessing Mukhawana is a distinguished scientific manager and research scientist specializing in water resources management, hailing from Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. Armed with an M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Pretoria and holding the esteemed designation of Pr. Sci. Nat (Physics), Mukhawana is currently pursuing a PhD in Water and Environmental Science at the University of the Western Cape.

Publication Profile:🌟👨‍🎓

Education:

🎓 M.Sc. Physics from the University of Pretoria. 🎓 Pr. Sci. Nat (Physics). 🎓 PhD Candidate in Water and Environmental Science at UWC

Notable Achievements:

  • Spearheaded the design, development, and maintenance of the National Integrated Water Information System (NIWIS).
  • Coordinated the implementation of the Data Management Strategy (DMS) for Water and Sanitation in South Africa.
  • Lead researcher on “Investigations of Multi-Index Approaches for Integrated Drought Monitoring in South Africa.”

 

🌱 Research Focus: Climate Changes

Mxolisi’s research primarily revolves around the impacts of climate change on water resources, particularly in the context of South Africa. Their work involves studying patterns of climate variability, assessing the vulnerability of water systems to extreme weather events, and developing strategies for adaptive water resource management in a changing climate.

Publications Top Notes:

  1. Application of the Standardised Streamflow Index for Hydrological Drought Monitoring in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: A Case Study in the Berg River Catchment
    • Published in Water (Switzerland) in 2023, this article explores the application of the Standardised Streamflow Index for hydrological drought monitoring in the Western Cape Province, with a specific focus on the Berg River Catchment.
  2. Review of In-Situ and Remote Sensing-Based Indices and Their Applicability for Integrated Drought Monitoring in South Africa
    • Also published in Water (Switzerland) in 2023, this review article conducted by Mukhawana and colleagues assesses various in-situ and remote sensing-based indices for their applicability in integrated drought monitoring in South Africa.
  3. RECENT TRENDS OF DROUGHT USING REMOTELY SENSED AND IN-SITU INDICES: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED DROUGHT MONITORING SYSTEM FOR SOUTH AFRICA
    • Presented at the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) in 2021, this conference paper, co-authored by Mukhawana, highlights recent trends of drought using remotely sensed and in-situ indices, aiming towards the development of an integrated drought monitoring system for South Africa.

Susannah Sallu | Climate Change | Best Researcher Award

Dr Susannah Sallu | Climate Change | Best Researcher Award

Associate Professor at School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, United Kingdom,

Dr. Susannah M. Sallu is an Associate Professor in Environment and Development at the Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, UK. With a background in interdisciplinary research, she focuses on rural livelihoods, environmental change, marginalization, natural resource governance, and agricultural development in tropical and subtropical environments. Dr. Sallu specializes in the theoretical and empirical intersections of political ecology, complex systems science, and environmental justice, with regional expertise in Africa.

 

Publication Profile:🌟👨‍🎓

📚 Education:

  • DPhil. Geography, University of Oxford, UK (2003-2007)
  • MSc. Environmental Technology, Imperial College, University of London, UK (1998-1999)
  • BSc (Hons). Tropical Environmental Science, University of Aberdeen, UK (1994-1998)

🌱 PhD Supervision:

With a strong commitment to early career researchers, Dr. Sallu is currently supervising four PhD researchers and has successfully mentored 15 others to completion, covering diverse topics in environmental science and development.

🌍 Academic Service and Leadership:

Dr. Sallu serves as the Director of Masters Education at the School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, and has been actively involved in various leadership roles, committees, and research groups.

📚 Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:

Dr. Sallu has contributed to impactful research, including an upcoming article that challenges universal applications of Western definitions and measurement indicators of women’s empowerment.

Research Focus 📝:

Dr. Sallu’s research encompasses transformative adaptation for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa, as evidenced by her recent article in Nature Food. 🍽️ Stakeholder-driven approaches are vital for addressing climate challenges in agriculture and nutrition.

Additionally, she explores the dynamics of gender mainstreaming in Tanzania’s climate-smart agricultural policy, contributing to the discourse on inclusive and equitable climate strategies. 🌱 Her work extends to international humanitarian narratives, investigating the intersection of disasters, crises, and Indigeneity.

Dr. Sallu’s expertise also shines in methodological lessons for negotiating power and resilience in climate change research, as demonstrated in World Development. 🌐 Lastly, her contribution to understanding the role of agricultural fallows in natural forest regeneration in Tanzania is highlighted in Environmental Research Letters. 🌳

Citation Metrics:

  • Total Citations: 1,735
  • Total Documents: 1,604
  • Total Number of Publications: 63
  • h-index: 22

The h-index is a measure that combines both the productivity and impact of a researcher’s work. An h-index of 22 suggests that there are 22 publications that have each been cited at least 22 times.

Publications Top Notes:

  1. “Stakeholder-driven transformative adaptation is needed for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa”
    • Authors: Jennings, S., Challinor, A., Smith, P., Horgan, G., Benton, T.
    • Journal: Nature Food, 2024, 5(1), pp. 37–47
  2. “How gender mainstreaming plays out in Tanzania’s climate-smart agricultural policy: Isomorphic mimicry of international discourse”
    • Authors: Smith, R., Mdee, A., Sallu, S.
    • Journal: Development Policy Review, 2023, 41(6), e12718
  3. “International humanitarian narratives of disasters, crises, and Indigeneity”
    • Authors: Mosurska, A., Clark-Ginsberg, A., Ford, J., Sallu, S.M., Davis, K.
    • Journal: Disasters, 2023, 47(4), pp. 913–941
  4. “Methodological lessons for negotiating power, political capabilities, and resilience in research on climate change responses”
    • Authors: Tschakert, P., Parsons, M., Atkins, E., Steen, K., Ziervogel, G.
    • Journal: World Development, 2023, 167, 106247
  5. “Agricultural fallows are the main driver of natural forest regeneration in Tanzania”
    • Authors: Doggart, N., Mugasha, W.A., Mpiri, A., Sallu, S.M., Spracklen, D.V.
    • Journal: Environmental Research Letters, 2023, 18(5), 054008