If I had to ask myself the question: “how did your year go?” I would say: “Brilliantly, one I will never forget”. The past year has been extremely tough for many people throughout the world, far removed from what we may consider easy. I, however,…
During my PhD, I have been conducting research to produce the first peatland map of the Angolan Highlands. As a young scientist, the opportunity to present this research at a conference was extremely exciting. Academic conferences provide a platform in…
Remote based work has taken on a whole new level and flavour for me since June 2021. After much deliberation, I decided to complicate my life somewhat and visit my family in Portugal. In preparation for this journey, I bought myself a new laptop for re…
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. The IPCC was created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization(WMO) and the United Nations Environment…
As a PhD student, my supervisors have become the most important people in my academic life. That said, it is unusual that I have only met with each of them once since my PhD began. I enrolled in the beginning of 2020 and shortly after our initial face …
I have been reading a book called Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, written by Yuval Noah Harari. As the title suggests, the author paints a picture of typical human behaviour, skill, and intelligence through time. During the period in which human…
I was asked by my supervisor Prof. Jen Fitchett to present at the University College London (UCL)- University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) climate workshop during May 2021. I was excited because she had planned for me to demonstrate to a live audience h…
I often watch a show on the History Channel called American Pickers – two guys that travel around America picking (buying) up old treasures from memorabilia to bicycle parts, old toys, collectables, signs and so on. They often resonate strongly with th…
In any other year, the title of this blog would be ‘in 2017/2018/2019 I would like to travel the world’. Travelling makes me happy, from the moment I start planning my trip to the day I return home and many years later. Travelling has alway…
The natural world is fading, the evidence is all around… But if we act now, we can yet put it right. Sir David Attenborough Growing up we are constantly reminded by our parents to eat our fruits and vegetables, drink water, and go to bed early. T…
