Martin Handjaba

Student Associate

Martin is modeling the biophysical ecology two nocturnal gerbil species that are endemic to the Namib Desert: Gerbillurus tytonis (a dune-dweller) and Gerbillurus setzeri (occupying gravel plains.

His research will contribute to our understanding of how Namib fauna may respond to changing climatic conditions.

Supervisors: Stuart Piketh (North-West University); Eugene Marais (Gobabeb)

Augustinus Mbangu

PhD Student Associate

Emilia Nakale

Student Associate

Emily is pursuing a Master degree in Natural Resources Management with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). She is interested in arboreal biomass production and carbon sequestration in the Kuiseb riverine forest, where she aims to investigate the forest’s capacity to capture and store carbon.

At Gobabeb, she participates in various short- and long-term projects on ecology and climate.

Supervisors: Jonathan Kamwi (NUST), Eugene Marais & Gillian Maggs-Kölling (Gobabeb)

Silke Rügheimer

Student collaborator

Silke has an Honours degree in Plant Taxonomy (UCT) and has been working on the Namibian flora for the past 23 years. Silke is studying the phenomics of the !Nara in the Namib desert and will be doing morphometric measurements of various !Nara populations from the Skeleton Coast Park to Tsau//Khaeb National Park.

 Silke is pursuing a Masters in Botany at the North-West University (N-WU), South Africa.

Candy Simwanza

Student associate

Candy holds a B.Sc. Honours degree in Agriculture (Crop Science) from the University of Namibia, Ogongo Campus. She came to Gobabeb as a participant CAMP (Climate Action for Millennials Programme) in 2021. Candy is situated in the Zambezi Region for her MSc research characterising the Citrullus lanatus-amarus species complex .

Supervisors: Ezekeil Kwembeya (UNAM), Gillian Maggs-Kölling (Gobabeb)

Nelao N Hauulu

Student Associate/Training Coordinator

Nelao holds a BA (Hons) degree in Geography and Environmental Studies (Sociology) from the University of Namibia. She is pursuing an MSc in Environmental Scienceat North-West University in South Africa, studying indoor air quality in informal settlements in Swakopmund.

Nelao is currently training coordinator at Gobabeb Namib Research Institute, whilst assisting with routine research tasks around campus.

Supervisors: Dr Brigitte Language (N-WU), Prof Stuart Piketh (NWU) and Prof. Gillian Maggs-Kӧlling (Gobabeb)

Rosa-Stella Mbulu

Student Collaborator

Rosa is interested in evolutionary processes and genetic diversity of selected desert-living beetles (Tenebrionidae) and angiosperms (Kissenia capensis, Huidobria fruticosa and Zygophyllum stapfii collected from the Atacama and Namib deserts.

Rosa will perform sequencing to study genetic desert adaptation enhancing mechanisms.

Rosa is pursuing a PhD in Biology at the University of Cologne (UoC), Germany.

Supervisors: Thomas Wiehe (UoC); Co-supervisors: Dietmar Quandt (University of Bonn) and Reinhard Predel (UoC)

Valeria Nakale

Student intern

Valeria recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA) in Brazil.

She is interested in climate change, atmospheric aerosols, and atmospheric composition. With her interest in atmospheric sciences, she is will be registering for an MSc degree in Environmental

Sciences at North-West University Potchefstroom.   

She will investigate synoptic circulation patterns to characterise weather systems for Namibia.  

Iipumbu Shilongo

Student intern

Iipumbu Shilongo is a student intern with a Bachelor of Science Honours in Applied Physics from the Namibia University of Science and Technology.

Iipumbu aspires to pursue a Master's degree in Atmospheric Science at North West University, South Africa. With a focus on research, Iipumbu's interests align with the exploration of atmospheric phenomena, making a valuable contribution to the field at the Gobabeb Research Institute.

Patermoshela Kashikola

Student Associate

Patemoshela graduated from the University of Namibia with a B.Sc. (Honours) in Environmental Biology.

Besides participating in routine research tasks at Gobabeb, she is now pursuing an M.Sc. degree in Environmental Sciences at North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, assessing the plant diversity of inselbergs along an aridity gradient in the central Namib.

Supervisors: Stefan Siebert (N-WU); Gillian Maggs-Kölling & Eugene Marais (Gobabeb)

Brave Mukena

Student Associate

Brave studies the habitat occupation and dispersal of the Littledale’s Whistling Rat (Parotomys littledalei) in the Tumas Drainage System of the central Namib. For his M.Sc. research, he is using a combination of camera trapping, live trapping, visual observations and a habitat assessment in order to determine the species’ movement and habitat occupation patterns.

Supervisors: Neville Pillay (University of Witwatersrand); Eugene Marais (Gobabeb)

Natanael (Nata) Ndilenga

Phd Associate, Stellenbosch University

Nata is studying the pollination systems of the dioecious cucurbit Acanthosicyos horridus (!nara) for his PhD at Stellenbosch University.

His focus is on advancing our understanding of the Namib Desert endemic species and its ecological significance within a broader context. This research is a three-year programme under the SASSCAL-funded FRAMe project.

Supervisors: Allan George Ellis (Stellenbosch University); Gillian Maggs-Kölling (Gobabeb); Eugene Marais (Gobabeb)

Chester Silavwe

Student collaborator

Chester Silavwe is a MSc student at the University of Zambia, pursuing Tropical Ecology and Biodiversity. His research and studies are being sponsored by Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) under the project; Farmer Resilience and Melon Crop Diversity in Southern Africa (FRAMe).

His research is investigating melon diversity and ethnobotany in southern Africa, and their potential for optimisation as food security resources.

Supervisors: Dr. David Chuba (UNZA), Dr. Agripina Banda (UNZA)