SAEON formalises long-standing relationship with Rhodes University

Rhodes University has been an important partner and stakeholder of SAEON’s Elwandle Node since 2006 (Picture: Albrecht Götz)

By Tommy Bornman and Albrecht Götz, SAEON Elwandle Node

SAEON and Rhodes University (RU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the first week of October 2014, thereby formalising a long-standing, mutually beneficial and productive relationship between the two organisations.

The Elwandle Coastal Node of SAEON was established in Grahamstown in 2006 and due to the proximity and their marine and coastal expertise, RU immediately became an important partner and stakeholder for the Node.

Dr Albrecht Götz is an alumnus of RU and currently supervises/co-supervises one post-doc, three PhD, four MSc and two BSc Honours students from the Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science and the Department of Zoology and Entomology.

Dr Tommy Bornman collaborates closely with Professor Rosie Dorrington, South African Research Chair in Marine Natural Products, on a suite of marine and coastal research projects within the Algoa Bay Sentinel Site.

Coastal research platform with access to a harbour

It is anticipated that the relationship with RU will strengthen with the planned relocation of the Elwandle Coastal Node from Grahamstown to Port Elizabeth, as the Node will then be in a better position to provide their collaborators and students from RU with a research platform situated directly at the coast and with access to a major harbour capable of accommodating safe launches of all sizes of research vessels.