Here we bring you the latest news and press releases about SAIAB’s aquatic biodiversity research and events such as the SAIAB Seminar Series which are open to the general public.
Dr Albert Chakona Promoted to Chief Scientist at the NRF-SAIAB: advancing aquatic research in Africa
October 2, 2023By Siyamthanda Ndinisa and Andisile Klaas (DSI/HSRC SAIAB Communications Interns) SAIAB’s former student and esteemed Senior Scientist, Dr Albert Chakona, takes the helm as the new Chief Scientist in leading the NRF-SAIAB to promote the already ongoing initiatives to advance...
Calling 2nd & 3rd year and postgraduate (Honours) students to apply for the SAIAB Summer School
September 22, 2023The NRF-SAIAB is proud to be running a Summer School again this year. Undergraduate (2nd and 3rd year students) and postgraduate (Honours) students, with a view of continuing to post-graduate levels in the field of Aquatic Biodiversity, are invited to...
Inspiring Tomorrow’s Conservationists: Port Alfred High School Learners Explore Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation
September 8, 2023In the quest of making scientific knowledge accessible to the public and to encourage sustainable environmental practices, the Coastal and Ocean Sciences Team (COST) from the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB), in collaboration with the Royal Alfred Marina,...
SAIAB Annual Smith Memorial Lecture – ‘Knysna Estuary: Jewel of the Garden Route’
September 7, 2023SAIAB holds the Smith Memorial Lecture in memory of J.L.B and Margaret Mary Smith to commemorate their legacy of discovery and research in Ichthyology and related fields. This year, we invited former Chief Scientist Emeritus & Research Associate of SAIAB,...
NRF-SAIAB Hosts Successful First Rotational NCBF Meeting at its Makhanda Facility
August 8, 2023In an effort to foster better employee relations, a pivotal meeting with the National Coordinating and Bargaining Forum (NCBF) was held at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB) from 31 July to 1 August 2023, with representatives coming...
NRF-SAIAB launches pop-up ‘street’ exhibition in celebration of National Science Week
August 8, 2023The NRF-SAIAB (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity), in collaboration with Rhodes University’s Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science (DIFS), hosted a pop-up science exhibition for Makhanda residents outside the institution in Somerset Street on Friday, 04 August 2023. The...
NRF-SAIAB contributes to the management of aquatic ecosystems in an age of climate uncertainty – Highlights from the SASAqS Conference
July 24, 2023The Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists (SASAqS) hosted its highly anticipated annual conference from 25 to 29 June 2023. This year’s event, held under the theme ‘Managing Aquatic Ecosystems in an Age of Climate Uncertainty’, brought together researchers, scientists...
SAIAB Seminar: Dr Kerry-Ann van der Walt – “Tiny Titans? Evaluating the resiliency and functional connectivity of Brachyuran early life stages within a southern African urban coastal system in a changing climate.”
July 24, 2023Presented by: Dr Kerry-Ann van der Walt (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, NRF-SAIAB) Tiny Titans? Evaluating the resiliency and functional connectivity of Brachyuran early life stages within a southern African urban coastal system in a changing climate. The recording of this seminar...
Mastering Fish Identification: A Comprehensive Guide for Aspiring Marine Enthusiasts
July 17, 2023By Yonela Sithole In September 2022, the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB), a national facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF), published the highly anticipated five-volume book titled Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean (CFWIO). This comprehensive...
NRF-SAIAB hosts Makhanda High School learners for a Science Internship Programme
July 14, 2023The NRF-SAIAB (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity) recently welcomed enthusiastic learners from various Makhanda high schools as part of the Science Internship Programme. Running for more than 10 years, the programme was initiated by SAIAB’s Prof Francesca Porri and...
SAIAB Seminar: Dr Taryn Murray – Do Marine Protected Areas really protect mobile aquatic species?
July 7, 2023Dr Taryn Murray (Instrument Scientist, NRF-SAIAB), will present: Do Marine Protected Areas really protect mobile aquatic species? Thursday 13 July 2023, 10.30am Zoom registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUtcOygrzssGt1_W96Z7PffBUaiWSo-6wIR#/registration See attached poster for more details.
From Seascapes to Sacred Traditions: MzanSea Film Shines Light on South Africa’s Deep Ocean Connections.
June 8, 2023Joint press release – SANBI, SAHRA, NRF-SAIAB 8 June 2023 – This World Oceans Day we dive into South Africa’s coastal and marine heritage, through a film that recognises and surfaces the tangible and intangible connections of our people to...
MSc and PhD Project Opportunities at NRF-SAIAB
June 5, 2023Projects with SAIAB’s Seascape Ecology Research Group Two MSc and one PhD projects are available for zoology and/or ichthyology students. These projects are available from 2024 with full running costs, but students will have to apply to the National Research...
SAIAB Seminar Series – Coming up on 8 June 2023
June 1, 2023Using bioindicator organisms to understand chemical pollution in intertidal systems Presented by: Dr Nokubonga Mbandzi (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, SAIAB) Date: Thursday 8 June 2023, 10.30am (Johannesburg) Zoom Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJclfuqgrTksGNx84Je1POoxdgkvcreMY_EC
Nursery role of red algae dominated reef in temperate Algoa Bay
May 26, 2023By: Nicola James, Lucienne Human and Gavin Rishworth, SAIAB, SAEON Elwandle Node and Nelson Mandela University One of the most critical ecosystem functions provided by shallow coastal habitats is as nurseries for the juveniles of marine fish, many of which...
A REFRESHing journey to update knowledge on aquatic parasite species in South Africa
May 1, 2023Authors: Marliese Truter, Anja Erasmus, Kerry Malherbe, Nico J SmitWater Research Group (WRG) Aquatic biodiversity of South Africa Did you know that South Africa is a megadiverse country that hosts a range of exceptionally diverse and endemic organisms? Despite having...
SAIAB researchers contribute to new series of Open Access journals by Cambridge University Press to address global challenges
May 1, 2023Cambridge University Press (CUP) has announced a new series of Open Access journals that will address “global challenges by bringing together researchers across national and subject boundaries”. Cambridge Prisms: Coastal Futures https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-prisms-coastal-futures/information/about-this-journal is one three new open access journals launched...
Molecular biology training brings researchers from across the country together
May 1, 2023SAIAB’s Yonela Sithole (middle) assisting UniZulu PhD Students, Sazi Nzama (left) and Lungelo Nsibande). By Andisile Klaas, (SAIAB Communications Intern) The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), in collaboration with DIPLOMICS, hosted a training workshop aimed at upskilling researchers...
Women science graduates celebrate Master’s and PhD degrees
May 1, 2023Women in science shine at the Rhodes University 2023 graduation during International Women’s Month MSc graduate Annah Mthombeni after her graduation ceremony on 29 March 2023. Photo: Andisile Klaas. By Andisile Klaas (SAIAB Communications Intern) March is widely known as...
SAIAB students and interns use World Water Day to clean up two Makhanda water sources
May 1, 2023Cleaning Kowie River and Fairview Spring for World Water Day By Andisile Klaas (SAIAB Communications Intern) The United Nations first established 22 March as World Water Day in 1993. The day has been celebrated ever since as a day highlighting...
In Celebration of Professor Olaf Weyl
February 7, 2023Join the NRF-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity in celebrating the life, research excellence and the legacy of the late Olaf Weyl. Olaf joined SAIAB in 2009 from the Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science at Rhodes University and wholeheartedly served the...
Science with and for Society: The SAIAB IMIsEE Project Case Study
December 7, 2022Enhancing Ecological Engineering Solutions in Urban Coastlines Through the Transdisciplinary NRF–SAIAB Funded IMIsEE Project In August, the NRF-SAIAB Indigenous Marine Innovations for sustainable Environments and Economies (IMIsEE) project held its first official event, an imbizo, with members of the rural coastal community of Hamburg in the...
SAIAB Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr Fortunate Phaka awarded the Mail & Guardian premier environmental award
December 7, 2022The Mail & Guardian celebrated the 18th edition of its flagship Greening The Future event with emphasis on the significance of this year’s alignment of the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties — COP 27 Global Summit. This year’s focus was on...
SAIAB Student Symposium
December 1, 2022The NRF-SAIAB hosted its fourth instalment of the Student Symposium on Friday, 9 December 2022. The symposium provided an opportunity for SAIAB postgraduate students to showcase their work to a public audience, featuring more than 30 research talks which were presented...
SAIAB Seminar Series 2022: Two presentations by Dr Antony Knights and Dr Louise Firth
August 15, 2022Associate Professors of Marine Ecology, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth Friday 22 July, 12.00pm (Johannesburg) Zoom Registration link: https://bit.ly/3c5ZlMf Assessing ecological networks: A primer for diversity and distribution Presentation by: Dr Antony Knights Friday 22 July, 12.00pm (Johannesburg) The Anthropocene is characterised by...
Dr Chantel Elston shows the wonders beneath the waves at Plett’s Keurbooms estuary
August 15, 2022By: Lucky Dlamini and Dr Chantel Elston The first-ever Plett Marine Science Symposium took place from 1 – 3 July 2022 to celebrate Plettenberg Bay’s most beloved treasures: our ocean, marine life, and beaches. The three-day marine science symposium included...
Refresh: A new biodiversity project to fill knowledge gaps in South Africa’s freshwater systems
August 15, 2022The unique freshwater biodiversity of South Africa is under increasing pressure from multiple impacts including global climate change, habitat degradation, hydrological modification through excessive water abstraction, as well as the spread of invasive species. The most recent National Biodiversity Assessment...