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SAEON Elwandle Node appoints first doctoral candidate
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It was with great pleasure that Dr Angus Paterson, Manager of the SAEON Elwandle Node for Coastal and Inshore Ecosystems, welcomed the Node's first doctoral student, Lukhanyiso Vumazonke. The reason for this is that Angus and Lukhanyiso's paths have crossed before in an interesting way.
In 2000, as a young researcher at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) in Grahamstown, Angus initiated an estuarine ecology field camp with Honours students from Fort Hare. On this field trip one student (Lukhanyiso) stood out clearly from the rest and Angus urged the young man to carry on with his research.
From 2000 to 2006 the two had little to no contact as Angus went into consulting and Lukhanyiso went on to complete his MSc. It thus bodes well that when Angus was appointed Node Manager of Elwandle in June, he again ran into his former protege at SAIAB. Lukhanyiso, currently a Marine Biologist at SAIAB, indicated that he was looking to undertake a PhD under Professor William Froneman at Rhodes University, and enquired about the possibility of linking up with SAEON.
Oddly enough, Lukhanyiso never considered Marine Biology as a possible career option. He wanted to study medicine. After matriculating from Nonceba Senior Secondary School in King William's Town, he enrolled for a BSc at the University of Fort Hare, with the aim of doing one year and then going on to medical school.
But the science bug bit hard and he was soon doing an Honours in Zoology. He was selected to join a group of scientists from Rhodes University on a research trip to the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands on board the research vessel mv SA Agulhas.
Lukhanyiso soon found himself drawn to the ocean, completing an MSc through Rhodes University on the biology of the shrimp found around the Southern Ocean Islands. He has since participated in several sub-Antarctic cruises and has published several academic papers and popular articles on Antarctic research.
Due to his involvement with the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP), he was invited to participate on the first-ever international, multi-disciplinary expedition dubbed ICEFISH. The ICEFISH 2004 cruise started in Punta Arenas, Chile, and sailed for the Falklands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich and Bouvet Islands, Tristan da Cunha and finally to Cape Town.
Being the only black person on the cruise and also one of the first two black people to join SAIAB's Research Division, has enabled Lukhanyiso to inspire other black students into joining the field of aquatic science. He has delivered popular talks during National Marine Week, National Science Week, Sasol SciFest and Antarctic Month celebrations. He has also been involved with SAIAB's Communications Division in communicating aquatic sciences to the pupils of the rural Eastern Cape.
Although still a SAIAB staff member, Lukhanyiso is based at the SAEON Elwandle Node and is preparing for his PhD studies, for which he will register in 2007. The focus of his studies will be on the understanding of spatial and temporal trends in coastal zooplankton in Algoa Bay.
Lukhanyiso will be supervised by Prof William Froneman of Rhodes University, a recipient of the University's distinguished young researchers medal as well as a Gold medal from the Royal Society. The study will be aimed at contributing to the broader research on long-term ecological monitoring around Algoa Bay conducted at the SAEON Elwandle Node.
