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SAEON Elwandle Node: Have staff … will proceed swimmingly


Since his appointment on 1 June 2006 as Manager of the SAEON Elwandle Node, Dr Angus Paterson has wasted no time in appointing suitably qualified staff members for the Node's key functions.

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Elwandle Coastal Node staff - 2007: Back row: Nikki Bailey (postdoc); Angus Paterson (node manager); Ntuthuko Masikane (National Ports Authority MSc intern); Tracy Lindsay (PA and office manager); Lulama Poni (Murray & Roberts Lab intern); Mandisa Rubuxa (National Port Authority MSc intern); Lukhanyiso Vumazonke (researcher). Front row: Kim Bernard (Data Scientist); Lungisile Koliti (Murray & Roberts Lab intern); Kholekile Mpako (Murray & Roberts Lab intern); Sean Bailey (technician). Sitting: Albrecht Götz ([postdoc).
  

This Node for the coastal-inshore zone will have four main thrusts, for which the following key staff will be responsible:

  • Monitoring data collection - Node manager
  • Data management - Database manager
  • Primary analysis - Node manager & database manager
  • Education outreach - Education outreach officer

 
Building vital capacity in marine and environmental observation science

Angus has also recruited two postdoctoral students and four interns. Mindful of the chronic shortage of young scientists (in particular black scientists) entering the system, Elwandle is using this opportunity to turn the short-term appointment of students and interns into a cyclical capacity building exercise. The fact that the students are supervised and trained by established scientists will also allow for immediate use of the research platform provided by SAEON.

In order to prevent any issues that may arise in terms of continuity in data collection and analysis, the following measures have been put in place:

  • Intensive taxonomic training will be provided to each set of students. This will include a practical exam for all students prior to them being allowed to work on SAEON samples.
  • A reference collection of all types of marine invertebrates will be built up for comparative purposes.
  • A quality control system of duplicate samples and regular competency testing will be implemented.


For more information on the SAEON Elwandle Node, visit www.saeon.ac.za

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