Experience

SAEON

• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Ecological & data technician

  • Aug 2013 - Present

  As an ecological technician my role has been diverse, and has ranged from performing and analysing field vegetation surveys, climate, and land cover change trends, to maintaining an 'R' package for processing and archiving big continuous hydro-meteorological data streams. SAEON has promoted learning and encouraged me to do my PhD from which I have recently graduated! This was a great learning experience! As an ecological technician my role has been diverse, and has ranged from performing and analysing field vegetation surveys, climate, and land cover change trends, to maintaining an 'R' package for processing and archiving big continuous hydro-meteorological data streams. SAEON has promoted learning and encouraged me to do my PhD from which I have recently graduated! This was a great learning experience!



University of the Witwatersrand

• South Africa
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• PHD Student

  • Apr 2017 - Oct 2022

  A deep-dive into modelling grassland-habitat and land cover change, fire dynamics, socio-ecological interactions, and the consequences for grassland biodiversity. I got to use some cutting-edge ecological analyses, involving HGAMS, the 'silver-bullet' of machine learning, and apply Bayesian hierarchical models to plant species, use ML to detect fire scars, and identified almost1500 grassland plant species in the mountains of the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg. A deep-dive into modelling grassland-habitat and land cover change, fire dynamics, socio-ecological interactions, and the consequences for grassland biodiversity. I got to use some cutting-edge ecological analyses, involving HGAMS, the 'silver-bullet' of machine learning, and apply Bayesian hierarchical models to plant species, use ML to detect fire scars, and identified almost1500 grassland plant species in the mountains of the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg.



Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

• Environmental Services
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Ecological & data technician

  • Apr 2011 - Sep 2012

  Collection, management, and analysis of geo-spatial data pertaining to conservation management and research in six small- to large- protected areas. Manage collection data in these protected areas by maintaining mobile applications. Analysis and reporting on climate-plant-animal dynamics. Field surveys including animal censuses (aerial and indirect catch methods e.g., camera traps and spoor counts), vegetation condition, and fire mapping. Management of hydro-meteorological stations and associated data. Assisting with maintaining good communication between conservation managers, researchers, and community stakeholders. Working with dangerous game. Show less