Developing ocean particle tracking tools for cross-disciplinary oceanic research

Michael Hart-Davis, a recent graduate supported by SAEON, investigated the ability of numerical ocean models to represent the transport of marine life and objects in the Agulhas Current region. (Photo: Diane le Gouvello)

Science and technology in action

Shallow Marine and Coastal Research Infrastructure (SMCRI) acquires fully functioning hyperbaric platform

The chamber will be operated as a 24-hour emergency facility available to the entire diving community – scientific, commercial, search and rescue and recreational.

Filling gaps in Africa’s air quality sensor network through a successful public-private partnership

SAEON’s uLwazi Node and Zindi launched a data science competition to detect and predict fine particulate matter. The winning model was used to predict air quality for 73 cities and 496 population centres.

Characterising vegetation in flux tower footprint at Benfontein Nature Reserve

Tracking vegetation changes, estimating biomass and cover, and characterising the vegetation types are crucial for understanding ecosystem fluxes.

SAEON Grasslands platforms as enablers at the heart of science

The SAEON Grasslands Node’s platforms for multidisciplinary science provide human capital development opportunities for students and facilitate collaborations across diverse disciplines.

The science we need for the ocean we want

Professor Juliet Hermes, manager of SAEON’s Egagasini Node, shares her insights on Africa’s involvement in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021–2030.

Conceptualising the value of Nature to society

The Ocean Accounts Framework provides a means to incorporate natural capital, environmental sustainability and social equity into an accounting framework to assess the wealth and human well-being of a country.

Scientific riches retained at Arid Lands Node

2020 saw significant changes at the Arid Lands Node with the retirement of Dr Joh Henschel and the end of Dr Betsie Milne’s postdoc. These two scientists have accepted invitations to become SAEON Research Associates.

Message from the MD

SAEON will soon be welcoming a new baby… SAPRI

The combination of SAEON’s three research infrastructures (SMCRI, EFTEON and SAPRI) would integrate research sites and platforms from the Limpopo River in the north to the SANAE 1V Base in Antarctica in the south, 5 800 km apart, and will fully exploit South Africa’s geographical advantage. SAPRI will add an intercontinental dimension to SAEON’s research infrastructure footprint to span an environmental gradient from semi-arid landscapes on the African soil over three large oceans to the ice desert of Antarctica, and will thus incorporate a multitude of terrestrial and marine platforms.

Building vital capacity

Joseph captures data next to the flow-cam

SAEON Kid wows international research community

Joseph Duda was invited to present his research project – Microplankton distribution, from inshore to offshore – at the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Forum, a first for any SAEON Kid.

Understanding the ocean through Argo floats

The interactive and engaging Argo Float workshop gave learners a glimpse into the methods used by oceanographers to obtain data in the ocean to further our knowledge of the oceans around us.

SAEON in the media

SAEON’s people and projects received coverage in national and international print, online and social media.

If you are curious, you’ll find the puzzles around you. If you are determined, you will solve them.

~ Ernö Rubik, inventor of the Rubik’s Cube

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