Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology

Achievements and Activities

08/06/2009 The Undergraduate and Honours Prospectus for 2010 is now available on the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology's webpage. Click on the cover page icon (above) to access the PDF document. There are six Undergraduate programmes (including module choices for BA students in the Faculty of Humanities) and four Honours programmes (for BSc and BSocSci students) to choose from. Module descriptions and contact details for further enquiries are specified for each programme. Please take note that contact by e-mail is preferable. On the 18th of June 2009 Henno Engelbrecht (middle of photo) was awarded the SAAG (Southern African Association of Geomorphologists) Student Certificate of Excellence for his Honours research project titled "Changes in the Matigulu/Nyoni Estuary: A time series analysis". Henno successfully read for his BSc Honours in Environmental Science in 2008 in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology. The award comprised a certificate and a cash prize, which was presented by the SAAG President, Dr Werner Nel of the University of Fort Hare (to the left in the photo). SAAG council member David Hedding of UNISA (to the right) was also in attendance at the presentation function. Well done Henno! Ingrid Booysen (left) of the Unit for Geoinformation and Mapping in our Department and Naas Schutte (right) are two of the four-member team involved in a Geology and Geosite Project in the Kruger National Park (KNP). More than 120 geological sites have been identified, georeferenced, photographed and mapped across the Park. Information panels, interactive models and rock samples are already on display in two of the seven identified camps.  Two publications, one book focusing on the training of field guides, and the other tourist-friendly guide are near completion. Topics dealt with include the origin of the earth, the geology and interrelationship with soil, vegetation, ecozones, rainfall, topography and the living environment. Extensive use of diagrams, maps, photographs and descriptive text lead to easy interpretation and fulfill an educational role.

Ian Meiklejohn, Jacqui Davis and David Hedding from the University of Pretoria at SANAE in January 2007 Ian Meiklejohn from the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics & Meteorology has been appointed Shore-Based Scientific Coordinator for the 2009/10 Annual Relief voyage.  He will undertake research as part of a project to investigate geomorphological responses to climate change.  This involves establishing inventories of periglacial landforms and the monitoring of the thermal properties of the active layer in Western Dronning Maud Land.  This is the fourth visit by researchers from this department to SANAE.  This is Ian's third visit to the Antarctic and he will be accompanied by Dr Jen Lee of the Centre for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University.  Other components of the project include work on Marion Island for which two students from the Department, Barend van der Merwe and Jacqui Davis, will spend a year on the Island.  An Honours student, Gareth Issenegger, and a Masters student from Rhodes University will be taking part in the 2010 Annual Relief Voyage to Marion.   Dr Jane M Olwoch is part of an international team that is assessing the Economic impacts of Climate change in Rwanda. She is seen in the picture talking to the steering committee members before the project was launched officially. She feels privileged to be working with a group comprising some international Senior Climate change Scientists and looks forward to bringing the expertise to the department. The objectives of the project include assessment of the likely impacts of Climate Change, costs and risks these impacts cause on the growth and development objectives of the country. The overall methodology is based on the Stern Study and both sectoral and case study approaches will be used. Some of the outcomes of the project are anticipated to be informing public opinion of the urgency of Climate Change among others.