Speakers

CSIR@80 | G-STIC Conference

Confirmed Top experts (alphabetically)

Alejandro Saez Reale

Unit Coordinator

WMO – Global Heat Health Information Network

Alexander Turra

Professor and UNESCO Chair on Ocean Sustainability

University of São Paulo, Brazil

Aloys Mosima Osano

Senior Lecturer, Chemistry

Maasai Mara University

Amy Pieterse

Senior Researcher

CSIR

Anban Pillay

Deputy Director General

South African National Department of Health

Andries Mahlase

Executive Head of Operations

Land Bank Insurance Company (South Africa)

Angela Heyburgh

Special projects and products manager

Abalobi

Anieke Swanepoel

Researcher

CSIR

Ankur Malyan

Policy Researcher Energy & Climate Change

RMI India

Anshuman

Director Water Resources

TERI

Aubrey Muswema

Researcher Smart Places

CSIR

Ayanda Sithole

Education and project management leader

VVOB

Ben Bladergroen

Coordinator National Flagship Programme on Energy Storage & Head Energy Storage Innovation Laboratory

University of Western Cape, South Africa

Ben Durham

Chief Director: Bio-Innovation

Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, South Africa

Bienvenu Comlan Soglo

Vice President for Technology, Policy & Innovation

Blacklin Associates

Bongani Memela

Interim Executive Manager: Hosted Programmes

CSIR

Bongi Ntsoelengoe

Executive Manager for Future Production: Mining

CSIR

Brian Mantlana

Impact Area manager: Holistic Climate Change

CSIR

Brigadier General Mpaka Samuel Senamela

Director of Information Warfare, Command and Management Information Systems Division

South African National Defence Force

Caradee Wright

Chief Specialist Scientist

South Africa Medical Research Council (SAMRC)

Caroline Cerruti

Lead Financial Sector Specialist, Southern Africa Region (South Africa)

World Bank

Caryn M. Upton

Clinical Researcher and Project Lead

University of Cape Town (UCT) Lung Institute

Charles Akataobi Michael

Senior Technical Officer

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)

Charles Dos Santos

Managing Director

Air Products South Africa

Charles Reed

MycoSure

Chen Ning

JITRI

Coleen Vogel

Distinguished Professor

University of the Witwatersrand

Connie Bolte

Multilateral Programme Coordinator

Belmont Forum

Coralie Van Reenen

Research Group Leader

CSIR

Cyrus Karingithi

Sheer Focus Global Consulting Ltd

Danielly Magalhães

Researcher

Fiocruz

Deshni Govender

Country Lead: FAIR Forward

AI for All, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Didier Cadelli

Intervention Manager

Enabel

Diego J. Rodriguez

Lead Water Economist

Eastern and Southern Africa Office, The World Bank

Dores Cirne

Researcher & Project Lead Circular Water Technologies

VITO

Doris Wangari

Senior Programme Officer, Science Innovation, Translation & Entrepreneurship (SITE)

Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation)

Edwin Magidimisha

Research Group Leader, Digital Optronics Research - PhD Candidate, Remote Sensing

CSIR

Eleanor Kigen

Business Development Lead, East and Southern Africa

ARC Ltd

Eliane Segati Rios

Chief International Office

Arucaria Foundation

Ereck Chakauya

Network Manager of the African Union Development Agency NEPAD

Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (AUDA NEPAD SANBio)

Ernesto Massigue

Project Manager

Mozambique Red Cross

Evelien Storme

Senior Researcher

KU Leuven – Research Institute for Work and Society

Fangming Jiang

Scientific Coordinator

Laboratory of Advanced Energy Systems, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Felix Reinders

Former Chair of WASAG, Former President ICID

Fernando Ferreira Carneiro

Researcher and Coordinator of the Participatory Program in Health and Ecology of Knowledge

Fiocruz- Ceará

Frederik Ragé

Chief Operational Officer

Turbulent Hydro

Ghaneshree Moonsamy

Principal Researcher

CSIR

Gideon Wolfaardt

Senior Researcher

IWW / Stellenbosch University

Grant Stentiford

Chief Scientist

Centre of Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), UK

Greg Kuzmak

Director Health

Rockefeller Foundation

Grietus Mulder

Researcher

VITO

Guicai Liu

Research Fellow at Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI)

Nanyang Technological University

Guotian Cai

Professor, Energy Strategy and Carbon Asset Research Center

Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Hamid Y. Hassen

Researcher

VITO

Haoran Yuan

Deputy Director General

Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Heather Martin

Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance Principal

Global Parametrics / Celsius Pro Group

Heila Lotz-Sisitka

Distinguished professor Environmental Learning Research Centre

Rhodes University

Henry Igugu

Tshwane University of Technology

Ian Shynkarenko

Agricultural Risk Manager, International Business Development

VITO

Ida Breed

Independent Principal Researcher

University of Pretoria

Ilke Geleyn

Programme Manager

G-STIC

Jabu Mtsweni

Chief researcher & Information and Cybersecurity Research Centre Manager

CSIR

Jacob Bossaer

CEO

BOSAQ

James Smallcombe

Senior Postdoctoral Fellow

Heat and Health Research Centre, University of Sydney

Jane Malony

Executive Director

Paper Manufacturers Association, South Africa

Janez Potočnik

Chair International Resource Panel

Janine Scholefield

Research Group Leader: Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics

CSIR

Jay Bhagwan

Water Research Commission

Jayita Roy

Principal Researcher

CSIR

Jayson Fortuin

Skipper and Community Representative

Abalobi

Jelle Evenepoel

Manager Marine Environmental Department

Jan De Nul

Jennifer Molwantwa

Chief Executive Officer

Water Research Commission

Jente Broeckx

International business development and project manager

VITO

Jeroen Büscher

Roadmap Responsible Optimal Management of Electrical energy Storage

VITO/EnergyVille

Jo Dean

Board member & Spokesperson

South African Energy Storage Association (SAESA)

José Luíz Moutinho

Nations Enablement Director

OceanQuest

Juliet Hermes

Professor and oceanographer

University of Cape Town, South Africa

Jürgen Vangeyte

Scientific Director Agricultural Engineering

ILVO

Kahesh Dhuness

CSIR Research Group Leader: Industrial Sensors

CSIR

Kama Chetty

Senior Manager Air Quality Services

South African Weather Services (SAWS) for Air Quality Services

Karen Surridge

Project Manager Renewables and Cleaner Fossil Fuels

SANEDI

Katrien Van Hooydonk

Project Lead Strategic Partnerships and Internationalisation Water4All

VITO

Kay Tuschen

Head of Climate Resilience Solutions

Celsius Pro Group

Koen De Ridder

Principal Researcher

VITO

Laetitia van der Merwe

University of Pretoria

Laurenz Devers

Regional Director Africa

Waterleau

Lee-Hendor Ruiters

Principal Project Manager

National Cleaner Production Centre, South Africa

Leen Govaerts

Director Water & Energy Transition

VITO

Lefa Ndlovu

Landbank Insurance Company

Lerato Ditshego

Programme Director

Lewis Hove

Resilience Team Leader

FAO Regional Office of Southern Africa

Lien Bakelants

Project manager

Nazka Mapps

Lieve Fransen

Senior Policy Advisor Social Infrastructure Investment

PlusValue

Linda Godfrey

Manager Circular Innovation South Africa

CSIR

Llewellyn van Wyk

Private sector consultant

Lorren Haywood

Senior Researcher, Sustainability Economics and Waste

CSIR

Lucia Steenkamp

Chief Researcher II and Research Group Leader

CSIR

Ludo Diels

Professor & Senior Advisor to VITO

Antwerp University

Luiz Augusto Galvão

Senior Researcher

Fiocruz

Lulama Wakaba

Executive Manager NextGen Enterprises and Institutions

CSIR

Luyanda Ndlela

Researcher

CSIR

Luyolo Mabhali

Executive Manager: Future Production: Manufacturing

CSIR

Maanda Rashaka

Fund Manager

Palladium – UK Pact South Africa

Maarten Pelgrims

International Programme & Strategy Coordinator

VITO

Malese Ndhlovu

Head of Space Innovations

Technology Innovation Agency

Mamela Luthuli

CEO

TakeNoteIT (Pty) Ltd

Marc Sherratt

Managing Director

Marc Sherratt Sustainability Architects (MSSA)

Marie Smith

Senior Researcher

CSIR

Mark Napier

Research Group Leader Housing and Urban Studies

CSIR

Mat Richardson

Head of Community Development

Abalobi

Max Pichulik

Co-founder

Impact Amplifier

Maya Mathew

Principal Researcher

CSIR

Mike Masiapato

CEO and Commissioner

Border Management Authority

Mohau Mateyisi

Senior researcher

CSIR

Moses Cho

Chief Researcher

CSIR

Moses Khanyile

Director

Defence Artificial Intelligence Research Unit (DAIRU)

Mothibeli Pita

Associate Professor and Associate Chair (Lab commercialisation and collaboration)

Unisa's College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Department of Mechanical, Bioresources and Biomedical Engineering

Mphahlela Thaba

Impact Area Manager, Technology for Special Operations

CSIR

Mthobisi Clyde Zondi

CEO and Executive Chair

Sandock Austral Group Holdings

Musarrat Safi

Scientist

Council for Geoscience

Mutsa Takundwa

Senior Researcher

CSIR

Neil Cole

Financing Manager

Just Energy Transition (JET) project

Nick Rahier

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Anthropology

Social and Cultural Anthropology, KU Leuven; Centre for Anthropological Research on Affect and Materiality (CARAM), UGhent University

Nico Elema

Director

Centre for Collaboration in Africa, Stellenbosch University

Nico Kroese

Manager within the Research Dept of SAWS, responsible for overseeing remote sensing and numerical weather prediction research activities

South African Weather Service (SAWS)

Nicole Arbour

Executive Director

Belmont Forum

Nthabiseng Motete

Executive Cluster Manager: Advanced Agriculture and Food

CSIR

Nuno Ibra Remane

Executive Director & Diplomat

DIMSUR – Southern Africa

Olivier Rogier

Technical Project Manager

Belgian Red Cross - Flanders

Paul Campling

International Business Development

Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)

Paulo Lotufo

Professor of Public Health

University of São Paulo, Brazil

Peng Wang

Deputy Director, Energy Strategy and Carbon Assets Research Center

Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Peta de Jager

South African Institute of Architects

Peter Mukoma

Principal Research Engineer & Research Group Leader - Energy System Planning & Just Energy Transition

CSIR Energy Centre

Pierre Rialland

Economic and policy Analysist

Join Research Council, European Commission

Poulomi Banerjee

Vice President and ESG Lead

ABIS Exports India Private Limited. IB Group

Priyen Pillay

Senior Researcher

CSIR

Qasir Iqbal

Scientist, Geothermal Energy and Energy Conservation Technology Research Center

Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Rachel Chikwamba

Group Executive CSIR Advanced Chemistry and Life Sciences

CSIR

Raj Naidoo

Full Professor and Head of the Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering

University of Pretoria

Rashid Khan

Senior Specialist Consultant

Ernst & Young

Rebecca Maserumule

JET IP Green Hydrogen Programme Director

Industrial Development Corporation

Reevana Balmahoon

Research Group Leader Artificial intelligence and extended reality

CSIR

Refiloe Mokoena

Senior Researcher

CSIR

Rembu Magoba

Water Centre Manager

CSIR

Richard Taylor

Director

Taylor Made Water Solutions

Robin J. White

Technology Innovation Manager & Senior Lead Scientist for H2 & CO2

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)

Roman Shynkarenko

Agricultural Risk Manager, International agricultural insurance and disaster risk management expert

AgroInsurance International Pty Ltd (Australia)

Rouba Onaissi

Project Administrator

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

Ruchi Gupta

Senior R&D Energy and Climate Strategy

VITO

Ruth Masanje

Project officer

Plan International Malawi

Sam Mulawa

Program Manager, Digital Financial Services

United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) (Sierra Leone)

Samson Bel-Aube Nougbodohoue

Head of Energy Information System & Statistics Division at African Energy Commission

The African Energy Commission (AFREC)

Sandile Ndlovu

Executive Chair

Aerospace and Defence Industry Association (AMD)

Sandy Thomalla

Research Group Leader in Southern Ocean Carbon-Climate Observatory

CSIR

Shannon Bernhardt

Environmental & Social Specialist

African Risk Capacity (ARC) (South Africa)

Shanon Neumann

Acting Executive: Investment Facilitation

Freeport Saldanha

Shukuru Tweve

Good Food for Cities (GF4C) Country Program Coordinator &Coffee Cocoa Country Representative

RIKOLTO

Siyamthanda Gxokwe

Remote Sensing Scientist

South African National Space Agency (SANSA)

Sofie Ignoul

Business & Relationship developer Electrical Storage

VITO

Sonja Venter

Program Director

Agricultural Research Council (ARC)

Steff Deprez

Co-Founder & Partner

Voices That Count

Steffen Schröder

Managing Director

Reclite SA

Stéphane Cytryn

Energy & Climate Expert

ENABEL

Steyn du Plessis

CSIR

Stijn Vermoote

Head User Outreach and Engagement Section

European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)

Stijn Vranckx

Senior Researcher

VITO

Sujo Mulamattathil

Managing Director

Threeframes/Sparcx

Taahira Goga

Researcher Smart Places

CSIR

Taitum Lee

Community Development and Onboarding

Abalobi

Tara Southey

Founder & CEO

Terraclim

Thandi Mgwebi

Group Executive Business Advancement

National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF)

Theopolina Kapani

Head - Technical and Construction

Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme

Thomas Roos

Principal Research Engineer

CSIR

Tiyani Mathebula

Quality Manager for Medical Devices

CSIR

Tsakane Hlongwane

Medical Doctor

University of Pretoria

Tshepo Mangoele

Founder & CEO Lignin-Organic Ltd.

Lignin-Organic Ltd., South Africa

Usha Iyer-Raniga

Principal Researcher

RMIT University, Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction

Vhahangwele Masindi

CSIR

Vincent Ojijo

Principal Researcher and Research Group Leader: Advanced Polymer Composites

CSIR

Viviane Boaventura

Researcher

Fiocruz - Bahia

Vuyani Jarana

CSIR Board Chairperson

CSIR

Wetu Memela

Project Coordinator

Planact

Wim Degrave

Coordinator Program for Technological Development of Health Products

Fiocruz

Wynand Pohl

Nedbank

Xuehong Wang

Director, Transparency Division

UNFCCC

Yakob Umer

International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Yan Lin

Professor, Emerging Solid Waste High-Value Recycling Research Center

Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Yashna Maharajh

Project Manager of Green Finance team; Project lead on the Green Outcomes Fund

GreenCape

Yingchuan Zhang

Researcher

University of Hong Kong

Yishu Qiu

Associate Researcher, Geothermal Energy and Energy Conservation Technology Research Center

Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Yohannes Aemro

Researcher

VITO/EnergyVille

Zhengxiao Guo

Joint-faculty Chair Professor of Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering

University of Hong Kong

Confirmed State Officials and Representatives

Alinah Mthembu

Deputy Director & Acting Director: Environmental Services and Technologies

Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (South Africa)

Aunkh Chabala

Director of the Indigenous Knowledge-Based Technology Innovation Unit

South-African Department of Science, Technology and Innovation

Blade Nzimande

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation

Government of South Africa

Chaona Sinalo Kumbani

Principal Economist at Ministry of Energy of Malawi

Ministry of Energy of Malawi

Karen Van Campenhout

Team lead Environment & Health

Department Environment, Flemish Government (DOMG)

Katekani Hlabathi

ICT Manager

State Security Agency

Khorommbi Matibe

Chief Director Biodiversity Economy & Sustainable Use

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE)

Likho Bottoman

Social Cohesion and Equity in Education

Department of Basic Education

Lydia Bosoga

Director Land and Soil Management currently Acting as Chief Director Natural Resources Management and Disaster Management

Department of Agriculture

Mpume Ntlokwana

Deputy Director for the Resource Audit Unit

Department of Agriculture – Directorate Land Use and Soil Management (South Africa)

Rashid Mbaziira

Executive Secretary

African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW)

Sean Phillips

Director General

Department of Water & Sanitation, Government of South Africa

Sibusisiwe Hlela

Director for Environmental and Sector Education Directorate

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Tsakani Goodness Shiviti

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Chair on Science, Technology and Innovation

Parliament of South Africa

Wandile Sihlobo

Chief Economist

Agricultural Business Chamber (AgBiz)

Confirmed Speakers

Dietrich Van der Weken

General Manager G-STIC

VITO

Izael De Silva

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation & UNESCO Chair on Climate Change Resilience and Sustainability

Strathmore University

Luiz Paulo Assad

Professor

University of Rio de Janeiro

Mamohloding Maahlo-Tihagale

Acting Executive: Stakeholder and Communications

Water Research Commission

Ousmane Ndiaye

Director General

African Center of Meteorogical Application for Development (ACMAD)

Paulo Gadelha

Former President of Fiocruz

Coordinator of the Fiocruz Strategy for 2030 Agenda

Rashid Abdallah

Executive Director

African Energy Commission

Suzan Oelofse

Principal Researcher Sustainability Economics and Waste

CSIR

Sylvain Tusanga

Executive Director

Lake Tanganyika Authority

Tatiana Marrufo

Coordinator of the program on health and environment

National Institute of Health (INS) of Mozambique

Thulani Dlamini

CEO

CSIR

Vibha Dhawan

Director-General

TERI

Confirmed Top experts (alphabetically)

Alejandro Saez Reale

Extreme Heat, Smart Responses: Applying cutting-edge science and analytics to address survivability in a warming world

Alexander Turra

Health and the 2030 Agenda: strengthening global cooperation for health and sustainable development

Blue One Health, Climate, Health and Sustainability: integrating ocean and coastal systems into the 2030 Agenda

Aloys Mosima Osano

Effective and selective conversion of biomass

Amy Pieterse

Pitches on technological innovations contributing to the SDGs

Anban Pillay

Extreme Heat, Smart Responses: Applying cutting-edge science and analytics to address survivability in a warming world

Andries Mahlase

Angela Heyburgh

Data innovation in strengthening climate resilience: Empowering local communities to collect, create and analyse diverse data

Anieke Swanepoel

Pitches on technological innovations contributing to the SDGs

Ankur Malyan

Green hydrogen common infrastructure: readiness across regions and supply chains

Anshuman

Climate-resilient future: exploring water-positive pathways

Climate-resilient future: exploring water-positive pathways

Invisible threats, intelligent responses: monitoring water for a resilient future

Aubrey Muswema

Unlocking circularity in renewable energy solutions

Circular economy: creating liveable, resilient, circular cities

Ayanda Sithole

Reimagining education: Empowering youth through education & innovation for climate action

Ben Bladergroen

Energy storage as an enabler to the South African energy transition

Ben Durham

Bioeconomy and sustainable development: preparing for G20 and COP30

Bienvenu Comlan Soglo

High level plenary closing session

Bongani Memela

Pitches on technological innovations contributing to the SDGs

Bongi Ntsoelengoe

Pitches on technological innovations contributing to the SDGs

Brian Mantlana

Climate action as a catalyst: Driving SDG progress and NDC ambition globally and locally

Brigadier General Mpaka Samuel Senamela

Leveraging technology and innovation for strategic safety, security, and resilience in South Africa

Caradee Wright

Extreme Heat, Smart Responses: Applying cutting-edge science and analytics to address survivability in a warming world

Caroline Cerruti

Technology applications in agricultural insurance and disaster risk management for climate risks and natural catastrophes

Caryn M. Upton

Advancing environmental health in Africa: the role of biological and air quality monitoring

Charles Akataobi Michael

Building climate-resilient health systems: equity, innovation, and the 2030 Agenda

Charles Dos Santos

Green hydrogen common infrastructure: readiness across regions and supply chains

Charles Reed

Pitches on technological innovations contributing to the SDGs

Chen Ning

Fireside Chat: Socio-economic development in Africa in an era of accelerating global change

Coleen Vogel

Extreme Heat, Smart Responses: Applying cutting-edge science and analytics to address survivability in a warming world

Connie Bolte

Building the climate innovation pipeline: unlocking small funds to accelerate and de-risk local solutions

Coralie Van Reenen

Climate-resilient green infrastructure

Cyrus Karingithi

Innovations and integration of geothermal energy in the global renewable landscape

Danielly Magalhães

Building climate-resilient health systems: equity, innovation, and the 2030 Agenda

Community-based epidemic and disaster preparedness

Deshni Govender

High level plenary closing session

Didier Cadelli

Invisible threats, intelligent responses: monitoring water for a resilient future

Diego J. Rodriguez

Water at the core of Africa’s pathway towards resilience: inspiring innovations that tackle actual and future challenges

Dores Cirne

Decentralised Water-Energy solutions for local sustainability – experiences and best practices - Part I

Decentralised Water-Energy solutions for local sustainability – experiences and best practices - Part I

Decentralised Water-Energy solutions for local sustainability – experiences and best practices – Part II