Academics
ProfessorNico J. SmitNRF rating: B-rated
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Research focus: Marine and freshwater fish parasites, environmental parasitology, aquatic biodiversity, and ecology. Overview: Prof. Nico Smit is a Professor of Ecology in the School of Biological Sciences at North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa. Nico’s research focuses on the biodiversity, taxonomy and ecology of marine and freshwater parasites and he has authored and co-authored more than 250 scientific papers and three edited books on these and other related topics. To date 23 PhD and 39 MSc students have graduated under his supervision. His research and teaching excellence has internationally been recognised through visiting Professor appointments at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, University of Queensland, Australia and Masaryk University, Czech Republic, and through his current appointment as Adjunct Professor of Marine Biology and Ecology at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, USA. National recognition for his research excellence includes an Honorary Medal from the South African Academy for Science and Arts’ Faculty of Natural Science and Technology for a significant contribution towards the advancement and development of Science in South Africa and, the Elsdon-Dew Medal from the Parasitological Society of Southern Africa (PARSA) in recognition of a significant contribution to the advancement of Parasitology in Africa. Nico has also contributed to the management of national and international academic societies as president of the Parasitological Society of Southern Africa (PARSA), president of the South African Society of Aquatic Scientists (SASAqS) and committee member of the International Symposium on Fish Parasites (ISFP). He currently serves as a Steering Committee Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Parasite Specialist Group. During the past 8 years, he has refereed papers for 17 international journals, served as associate editor of three international journals and was guest editor for two special issues of the International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife. He is currently rated by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) as an internationally acclaimed scientist (B1) in the field of aquatic parasitology. |
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Research focus: Ecotoxicology, ecological risk assessment, aquatic toxicology, the National Aquatic Bioassay Facility (NABF), Nanoecotoxicology; environmental parasitology Victor Wepener is the leading expert in ecotoxicology and ecological risk assessment (ERA) in Africa and the cofounder of the WRG. He has trained 34 Ph.D. and 84 M.Sc. students in terrestrial, aquatic, estuarine and marine ecotoxicology. His research is currently involved in the ERA of nanomaterials, where he was the lead author of a Water Research Commission (WRC) report on identifying the research needs for conducting a risk assessment of nanomaterials in aquatic environments, and participated in OECD and European Union projects on the topic. His passion is expanding the field of ecotoxicology in Africa, and he was the first president of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) African Geographical Unit and was president of the Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists (SASAqS). To date, he has a research output of around 175 publications in peer-reviewed journals, 7 chapters in books, 3 962 citations, and has an h-index of 34, (Google Scholar, September 2022). Victor is an NRF-rated scientist (B) and in 2022 he was awarded the Gold Medal from SASAqS in recognition of his contribution to South African aquatic sciences. |
ProfessorVictor WepenerNRF rating: B-rated
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ProfessorKerry A. MalherbeNRF rating: C-rated
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Research focus: Biodiversity and systematics of marine fish parasitic isopods Overview: Kerry Hadfield is an Associate Professor in Zoology with a special interest in aquatic systematic parasitology. She has revised and described several genera and species of cymothoid isopods from around the world (including 3 new genera and 24 new species), has 38 publications, 1 co-authored book, 5 book chapters, and is an NRF C-rated researcher. Her focus has been on marine parasitic isopods (Cymothoidae and Gnathiidae), expanding to include other parasitic crustaceans. She is also one of the taxonomic editors for the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and the World List of Marine Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans, associate editor for African Zoology and is the current president of the Parasitological Society of Southern Africa (PARSA). |
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Research focus: Blood Haemoparasites (e.g., Apicomplexans & Flagellates of Ectotherms & Potential Vectors). Tickborne Pathogens Infecting Reptiles Overview: Courtney Cook is an Associate Professor of Zoology, with a specialized focus on the biodiversity of blood parasites in both terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates. Her research aims to clarify the taxonomic and phylogenetic positions of these parasites, elucidate their life cycles, and enhance understanding of their transmission routes and modes. As a mentor, she plays a role in the training and supervision of postgraduate students in this area, having worked on these parasites from amphibians, fishes, mammals, and reptiles. Her current research projects include an international collaboration with the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami, USA, whereby she is exploring the biodiversity and taxonomy of apicomplexan blood parasites in fish from diverse global locations. She also collaborates intradepartmentally with the Herp Health Lab-NWU on projects related to reptile blood parasites. Beyond her research endeavours, she is committed to service within the scientific community. She has served as an executive committee member (2020–2024) for the World Congress of Herpetology (WCH), serves as Vice-President (2022–2025) of the Parasitological Society of Southern Africa (PARSA) and has held the position of associate editor for the African Journal of Herpetology since 2019. |
ProfessorCourtney Cook
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ProfessorWynand MalherbeNRF rating: Y-rated
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Research focus: Aquatic ecology in rivers, wetlands, and estuaries in southern Africa. Specialist in assessing water quality, sediment, macroinvertebrates, and fish in communities of these systems. Overview: Wynand Malherbe is an aquatic ecologist in the Water Research Group. He is the coordinator for the Master’s in Environmental Management with specialisation in Ecological Water Requirements in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management (UESM). His research interests include riverine and wetland ecology, aquatic invertebrates, fish, ecological assessments, as well as biomonitoring and water resource management in Africa. He has completed a Water Research Commission project on the aquatic biodiversity of selected Ramsar sites in South Africa. The main aim of the project was to support South Africa’s requirements in terms of the Ramsar Convention to provide up-to-date information on the aquatic biodiversity for the currently declared Ramsar sites. He is an NRF-rated researcher (Y) and the current president of the Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists (SASAqS). |
Project management
| Overview: Adri completed her B.Proc. degree in 1995 at the University of the Free State and thereafter her LLB degree at Unisa in 1998. She completed her articles and was admitted as an attorney in 2001. She followed a career in law and law-related jobs until 2011. In 2012, Adri started working as a project administrator at the Water Research Group, dealing with each of the various WRG projects, including the finances and administration (amongst others). She obtained her Master’s in Environmental Management in 2021, and is currently a Senior Project Administrator within the UESM. |
Senior Project AdministratorAdri Joubert(LLB, MEM)
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Last updated: February 2025
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