ACDI is coordinating UCT’s involvement as a Host University in the Climate Impact Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement in Sub-Saharan Africa programme (CIRCLE). The CIRCLE programme provides support for Visiting Fellows (junior academic staff) from African universities to come to UCT for one year to undertake a research project related to climate change. Once they are back in their home institutions, the research project will continue via collaboration. The programme runs from 2014 to 2018.

UCT has hosted three CIRCLE fellows in 2017. As their fellowship is drawing to an end, this lunchtime seminar is a chance to hear about their research findings and their experiences of the CIRCLE programme.

  • Esther Mvungi (Post-PhD) is from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) in Tanzania.  Her research topic is "Investigation of the synergistic effects of climate change and nutrient enrichment on productivity and biochemical characteristics of seagrasses". At UCT, Esther was supervised by Dr. Deena Pillay from the Department of Biological Science.
  • Ayinde Adefunke Fadilat Olawunmi (Post-PhD) is from Nigeria at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). Ayinde’s research topic is “Adaptation of Arable Crop Farmers to Climate Variability in Rain Forest and Derived Savanah Ecosystems of Nigeria”. At UCT, Ayinde was supervised by Dr. Peter Johnston from the Department of Environmental and Geological Science.
  • Nana Ewusi – Mensah (post-PhD) is from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. Nana’s research topic is “Exploiting biochar and rhizobial inoculants as climate – smart agricultural options in enhancing soybean productivity in smallholder farms in Ghana”.  At UCT, Nana was supervised by Dr. Samson Chimpango from the Department of Biological Science.

Please join us to hear more about their research, home institutions and experiences of the CIRCLE programme.

Light snacks will be served. Please RSVP to Paballo: Paballo.chauke@uct.ac.za before the 13th of November 2017 for catering purposes.