PhD student Neil Malan brings vital capacity to Egagasini Node

Neil Malan recently completed a Masters in Ocean and Climate Dynamics, looking at shelf-slope upwelling off Port Alfred

Neil Malan has joined the Egagasini team as of November this year.

For his PhD, Neil is co-affiliated with the University of Cape Town (UCT) and under the supervision of Prof. Chris Reason (UCT), Dr Juliet Hermes (Manager of SAEON's Egagasini Node), Dr Bjorn Backeberg (Nansen-Tutu Centre) and Dr Mike Roberts of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).

Modelling shelf processes

Neil's work at SAEON will focus on the use of numerical modelling to investigate the coastal circulation on the east coast of Southern Africa, with a particular focus on exploring the mechanisms of upwelling and their long-term variability and sensitivity to change.

The results of this study should feed well into increasing the understanding of data produced by long-term observational monitoring programmes, especially the Algoa Bay monitoring project being headed up by SAEON's Dr Wayne Goschen. An end goal to the project is a better understanding of the impact of the Agulhas Current on South Africa's coastline.

Neil will bring an increase in capacity in the use of ocean models to the node, while his collaborations with both South African and international institutions will add to SAEON's presence in Agulhas Current research. The enthusiastic young researcher hopes to collaborate with other Egagasini Node staff members on inter-disciplinary projects.

Studying tropical cyclones

Born in the little fishing village of Hout Bay, just outside Cape Town, Neil has always been close to the water, leading to studies in Oceanography and Marine Biology at UCT. His Honours project focused on changes in Tropical Cyclone activity in the South-west Indian Ocean and he recently completed a Masters in Ocean and Climate Dynamics, looking at shelf-slope upwelling off Port Alfred.

After finishing his Masters, Neil took some time off to travel and coach the SA youth sailing team, before hopping on a research vessel for a month long research trip from Namibia to Mauritius with German collaborators from GEOMAR.

Outside of science, Neil spends his time windsurfing, surfing and sailing, just to remind himself what all the gigabytes of data are all about.

Neil's collaborations with both South African and international institutions will add to SAEON's presence in Agulhas Current research