Emily Nicklin

Emily is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the People in Nature and Climate (PiNC) Lab at ACDI. Her research focuses on the intersection of climate, water, human health and nature-based solutions.

She recently completed her PhD research in UCT’s Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, investigating the fate, mobility and persistence of emerging contaminants in rivers impacted by informal settlements, and the potential of constructed wetlands to improve water quality. Her research on contaminant uptake by irrigated crops also formed part of a Water Research Commission (WRC)-funded project, on which she was a lead researcher.

Emily has worked closely with UCT’s Future Water Institute on water sensitive design projects and, more recently, with the Freshwater Research Centre (FRC) on water quality compliance monitoring and capacity development in the Breede-Gouritz catchment. Her earlier work includes research on ecosystem-based adaptation with the Association for Water and Rural Development (AWARD) and co-authoring the Africa chapter of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. She has also lectured and tutored in UCT’s Environmental and Geographical Science Department.

She holds a BSc in Applied Biology and Environmental and Geographical Science and an MSc in Environmental and Geographical Science, both from UCT. Outside of academia, she remains actively involved in river and wetland conservation through Friends of the Liesbeek in Cape Town.