eNews

#01 2025

Meet the manager of SAEON’s award-winning uLwazi Node*

Leo Chiloane leads the uLwazi team in managing and curating NRF-SAEON’s research data and information for environmental observation and global change-related projects. With an MSc in Project Management and a BSc Hons in Geographical Information Systems under his belt, his professional interests range from spatial data infrastructures and data curation to information management and information systems (IS) project management.

Leo has contributed to several significant IS projects and data portals in South Africa and internationally, including the initial implementation of the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure metadata catalogue and the Marine Information Management System, a component of the National Oceans and Coastal Information Management System. He currently represents SAEON in the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) information management committee and is a member of the Group on Earth Observations Data and Knowledge Working Group.

SAEON eNews spoke to Leo to learn more about the lessons he has learned during his pioneering work at SAEON, which forced him to step out of his comfort zone to embrace change.

The uLwazi team at the 2023/24 NSTF Awards where the Node won the Data for Research Award. From left: Persephone Singh, Feziwe Mooi, Angelique MacDonald, Leo Chiloane, Shaun Swanepoel, Mark Jacobson, Lindsay Callaghan, Dr Anne Treasure (SAPRI), Daniëlle Seymour and Dylan Pivo.

Q  Your qualifications include a BSc in Chemistry and Ocean & Atmosphere Science, followed by a degree in GIS. Did this spark your initial interest in information technology and the Big Data you are currently dealing with? Where did your interest in the environment originate?  

The degree in GIS sparked my interest in data and bridged the gap between ICT and my background in environmental sciences. At the time GIS was still a scarce skill, and my desire to be involved in work that might have a positive impact on the environment is what led me to join SAEON.

Q  SAEON (and specifically the uLwazi Node) has been integral in your journey – progressing from intern to your appointment as acting manager, and finally as manager of the uLwazi Node in 2023. What are the skills you gained and vital lessons you learned along the way?  

I’ve been at SAEON for a long time and have been fortunate to occupy different roles. Operating in the open science space has accelerated my career growth because there haven’t been any barriers to collaboration. I have gained several skills along the way, mostly related to the development and provision of research data infrastructures.

I would say the most vital lessons have been in managing complexity. SAEON has a very diverse stakeholder landscape. In the context of data infrastructures, this translates into many different technical requirements often competing at the same time. Additionally, SAEON’s role in data provision carries a long-term outlook, so balancing the trade-off between data infrastructure sustainability and creating short-term innovative solutions requires a thoughtful approach because everything needs to be scalable. I have come to the realisation that sustainable progress is slow, and this remains the most challenging message to communicate to stakeholders.  

Q  Please give our readers a concise overview of what your position at the uLwazi Node entails. What are your key responsibilities as manager of this crucial node in the SAEON portfolio?  

I lead the data node of SAEON, which comprises four teams working in data curation, data science, systems development, and ICT infrastructure management. Our work involves the management of data and the development of data products and decision-support systems. We run a shared infrastructure called the SAEON Open Data Platform linked to several systems and projects, including SAEON’s Data Portal and the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas.  

Q  You head up a team of 19 (and counting) players in a dynamic IT and data landscape who are engaged in managing research data for environmental observation and global change-related projects. How do you ensure strategic alignment within the node and within the broader SAEON context? 

Our work is linked to SAEON’s overall strategy to provide infrastructure that enables environmental research. In our context, this primarily involves data management services. However, because we operate within a field that is highly dynamic and resource-scarce, we need to find a balance between working with external stakeholders and the technical teams within SAEON. Sustainable progress is sometimes slow in this regard, but we try to ensure that our externally funded projects can complement the core services we provide to SAEON.

Q As we are approaching critical environmental limits – nationally, Africa-wide and globally, what role do you see your work at uLwazi playing in the mitigation of climate risks and climate change?  

In this area we collaborate with local and national stakeholders on work we do for the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas, which also relies on externally contributed data. We further support the ongoing development of the National Climate Change Information System, where we’ve partnered with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).

Another critical contribution is the co-development of the Marine Information Management System with the DFFE in support of the National Ocean and Coastal Information Management System. Globally, we contribute datasets to the Group on Earth Observations’ GEOSS portal, which mobilises Earth Observations data across the globe. All of these initiatives are critical to global change research.

Q  How do you ensure that the uLwazi team members stay abreast of the rapidly advancing frontiers of knowledge in these divergent fields?  

We prioritise continuous learning through workshops, conferences and partnerships with data-science-driven initiatives such as Zindi Africa. The team is diverse, so internal knowledge-sharing sessions help. External project deliverables aligned with emergent technology also force us to step out of our comfort zone. All this work needs to be balanced out with stakeholder expectations, which can be challenging at times.

Q  Arguably one of the most important requirements in environmental science, is the need for verifiable data. If there is no trust in the data source, the data itself is virtually useless. How do you ensure the quality, accuracy and integrity of the uLwazi Node’s data products? 

The Node adheres to established international standards and principles, including FAIR,  TRUST and CARE. These principles provide detailed guidelines on not only providing accessible data, but also balancing that with data infrastructure sustainability. The overall data infrastructure, SAEON’s Open Data Platform, is also certified with the CoreTrustSeal. The CoreTrustSeal is an international body that certifies sustainable and trustworthy data centres. Additional partnerships with trusted data providers further ensure accuracy and reliability.

Leo delivering his opening remarks for Session 8: Building infrastructures and scaling up – data sharing on a global scale at the International Conference on Research Infrastructures held in Brisbane, Australia, in December 2024. (Photo: Joseph Byford Photography)

Panel discussion at the International Conference on Research Infrastructures held in Brisbane, Australia, in December 2024. The discussion was on building and scaling global data infrastructures, focusing on economies of scale, interoperability and the impact of AI. The session was moderated by Hilary Hanahoe, Secretary-General of the Research Data Alliance (pictured on the far right). Panellists (from left) included Leo Chiloane, NRF-SAEON uLwazi Node; Dr Lesley Wyborn, Australian National University Honorary Professor; Dr Nigel Smith, Executive Director and CEO TRIUMF, Canada’s Particle Accelerator Centre; and Inmaculada Figueroa, Deputy Director-General for International Consortia, Organisations and Research Infrastructures at the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain. (Photo: Joseph Byford Photography)

Q Stephen Hawking once said that the universe does not behave according to our pre-conceived ideas. It continues to surprise us. How do you deal with that element of surprise when it comes to research data management? 

For this I believe flexibility and being able to adapt your work to emergent change is important. Collaboration and approaching problems from a systems thinking perspective is key. Drawing relationships across all our projects allows us to prioritise common data-related challenges faced by our stakeholders, before dealing with divergent issues. 

Q  It is said that Big Data gathers data every second. To be relevant, Big Data must be able to cope with the speed at which data is generated to store it and retain the most up-to-date and relevant information. This is useful in most areas but vital in early warning systems ahead of natural disasters, for example. So, the Big Data you are dealing with can be utilised to strengthen the impact of environmental sciences in promoting environmental stability and aiding conservation. It can also offer organisations and sectors opportunities for innovation and development. How does uLwazi deal with the magnitude of it all?  

Fortunately, the volumes of data produced by SAEON are still manageable. However, we do project rapid growth in the future. Development of an integrated data infrastructure sustainability plan in collaboration with SAEON-hosted research infrastructures – EFTEON, SMCRI and SAPRI – will soon be critical to manage the ongoing demands. Our externally funded projects also contribute to this sustainability by supplementing human capacity and skills.  

Q  People in a decision-making capacity are looking for answers to direct their actions. You are responsible for ensuring that the knowledge generated by SAEON’s nodes and research infrastructures is used in policy-related decisions. The SAEON Open Data Platform offers products and services to enable decision support. How do you communicate and promote the advances that are being made to decision-makers, environmental managers and other stakeholders, including the general public? Have you had any previous experience of the science-policy-innovation nexus and ensuring that science data reaches policymakers?  

This work is primarily carried out through the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas (SARVA) and the National Climate Change Information System, as both projects are aimed at decision-makers within the national, provincial and local spheres of government. This year the SARVA team has been fortunate to be granted an opportunity to contribute to the production of an updated Climate Risk Report for South Africa. The work was commissioned by the Presidential Climate Commission and the African Climate Foundation and involves partnership with the South African Weather Service.  

Q  In terms of Data Science, your node is responsible for the conceptualisation, design and development of data products to assist with the interpretation of data and its translation into knowledge. How do you promote this function to current and possible future stakeholders? 

Most of our projects include a stakeholder engagement component where we co-host workshops with our funders and collaborators. Through the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas we partner with Centres for Global Change, hosted at five South African universities, to host capacity building workshops.

For the National Climate Change Information System, we support the rollout of the system to provincial government departments and district municipalities. Wherever possible, we also assist the SAEON Science Engagement team with public exhibitions where we showcase some of our work.  

Q  How do you track usage? Do you keep a handle on the uptake of knowledge generated by the node? How important is global exposure of SAEON’s online platforms?

In our online platform, we enable feedback from users by allowing them to voluntarily provide comments when they access our data. The comments provided through this mechanism do provide some insights on whether we are reaching our target audience. In addition to being a member of DataCite, which enables tracking of data citations, sharing our data with global initiatives such as the Group on Earth Observations has also expanded our reach.  

Q  How important is collaboration? Who are your key stakeholders? Which other partners do you think are most valuable for the programmes of the uLwazi Node? 

Collaboration is critical to our work because we also rely on external data to develop products and services. Locally, our key stakeholders include the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

A significant proportion of our work is informed by international standards, so it is also important to link with global organisations and bodies like DataCite, ILTER, the Group on Earth Observations and CoreTrustSeal.

Q  What is the uLwazi Node’s interface with the research infrastructures associated with SAEON – EFTEON, SMCRI and SAPRI?  

Work with the research infrastructures is driven through internal collaboration. For EFTEON this is primarily done by working with SAEON’s terrestrial technicians, for SMCRI we engage with the data team at the Elwandle Node and for SAPRI we work with their Data, Products and Society Integrated Facility. We also host the SAPRI Data Centre on the SAEON Open Data Platform.

Q  What role do you expect AI to play in future projects of the uLwazi Node? 

Considering rapid advancements in technology, I believe AI can help alleviate the skills gap in areas where we are constrained. However, we need to be adequately prepared for such disruption by having enough skilled people at senior levels to leverage the full capabilities of AI.

SAEON team at the International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER) Network 3rd Open Science Meeting held in Xishuangbanna, China, October 2024. From left: Dr Lucienne Human (Elwandle Node), Prof Tommy Bornman (Elwandle Node), Dr Anthony Swemmer (Ndlovu Node), Dr Phumlile Cotiyane-Pondo (Elwandle Node), Dr Mfundo Bizani (Elwandle Node), Dr Mary-Jane Bopape (SAEON Managing Director), Dr Marc Pienaar (uLwazi Node) and Leo Chiloane (uLwazi Node).

SAEON team in front of the Department of Science and Innovation’s exhibition stand at the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Ministerial Summit, Cape Town, December 2023. From left: Dr Sagwati Maswanganye (Fynbos Node), Dr Warren Joubert (EFTEON), Thomas Mtontsi (Egagasini Node), Sisipho Njokweni (Egagasini Node), Leo Chiloane (uLwazi Node) and Dr Ryan Blanchard (Fynbos Node).

Q  Is there a specific motto/philosophy that you live by? 

“Do not react, respond.”  I cannot recall where I found the exact phrase, but this is easier said than done. I’ve managed to navigate most of my adult life and how I engage with people with this principle in mind.

Q  Due to the nature of your work, you obviously spend long hours in the office and boardroom. What do you do to achieve balance in your life?  

It’s important to have dedicated time for family and friends. I have been fortunate because I interact with many people at work; I find these conversations stimulating and they often lead to new explorations.  

Q  Do you find time for hobbies? 

My interests change often, but reading has been a constant hobby. Right now, I’m a bit obsessed with historical fiction.    

* uLwazi (meaning “knowledge”) is one of SAEON’s seven nodes. It was established in 2018 to support data management and the development of information platforms and decision-support tools for government departments. The node’s open access data systems focus on long-term environmental observation data and operate on the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) data principles. Data and associated products are integrated and published in an understandable and accessible manner to facilitate the decision-making process and allow for a defensible response to a range of social, economic and environmental drivers in South Africa.

The uLwazi Node was the Data for Research Award winner of the #NSTFawards2024. The award is for the management of a metadata repository that facilitates the FAIR publication, discovery, dissemination and preservation of Earth observation and environmental data in South Africa.