Department of Botany & Zoology - Stellenbosch University

📢 CALL FOR ABSTRACTS | Fynbos Forum 2026

Join us at the Fynbos Forum 2026 taking place at ATKV Goudini Spa from 4 – 6 August 2026.

🌿 Theme: “Working Together at the Edge”

Share your work, connect with peers, and contribute to meaningful collaboration at the edge of change.

⏳ Abstract submission deadline extended to 07 June 2026.

For more info: https://fynbosforum.co.za/

𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 – 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿
The Cape Leopard Trust is seeking a dynamic and motivated Conservation Officer to help coordinate and execute our conservation and outreach activities across the Cape Provinces.
If you are suitably qualified and have a passion for predator conservation and human-wildlife coexistence, we’d like to hear from you. All details can be found in the vacancy notice at capeleopard.org.za/careers/conservation-officer-2026
𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 – 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.
The closing date for applications is 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟮 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘁 𝟱𝗽𝗺 𝗦𝗔𝗦𝗧

🎓 Stellenbosch University is offering 2 PhD + 2 MSc positions in Blue Carbon research 🌱🌊

Focus: seagrass & salt marsh restoration, genomics, carbon fractionation.
Join the VonderHeydenlab in 2027.
📆Apply by 15 June 2026
🎨P.Macreadie
https://sancor.nrf.ac.za/Documents/15Jun2026BlueCarbonPhD_MSc.pdf

Congratulations to Dr Moir, who completed her Ph.D, and a post-doc, in the department

Stellenbosch University's Dr Monika Moir, A Researcher at the CERI: Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation has been awarded a R14 million international research grant to track West Nile virus across Africa, combining genomics, ecological surveillance, and predictive modelling.
A major milestone for African-led science and for SU.

Read more: https://ceri.africa/news/mapping-a-moving-virus/"

Audi Environmental Foundation Scholarship 2026 For Summit Access In South Africa - DAAD Fully Funded Scholarships 2026 Applications are now open for the Audi Environmental Foundation Scholarship 2026, a high-impact global opportunity aimed at young leaders working on climate

Congratulations to our beloved Professor Tammy Robinson-Smythe 🥰

𝗜𝗻𝗮𝘂𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻-𝗦𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗲

𝙄𝙈𝙋𝙊𝙍𝙏𝘼𝙉𝙏 𝙐𝙋𝘿𝘼𝙏𝙀: 𝘿𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙄𝙣𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙇𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙤𝙣-𝙎𝙢𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙙.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮, 14 𝙈𝙖𝙮 2026.

Join Stellenbosch University online for the inaugural lecture of Prof Tammy Robinson-Smythe, Professor at the Faculty of Science.

📅Date: 14 May 2026
⌚️Time: 17:30
🔗Follow livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/-Live-Events/featured

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲:

In her lecture, Research in support of conservation: the story of marine alien species in South Africa, Prof Robinson-Smythe explores how invasive marine species spread across the world’s oceans, the risks they pose to biodiversity and coastal ecosystems, and how research can support effective, evidence-based conservation responses.

Drawing on two decades of intensive work, she reflects on South Africa’s growing leadership in marine invasion science and the innovative research placing the country at the forefront of conservation efforts in Africa.

The lecture offers fascinating insight into marine ecology, environmental change, and the critical role of science in protecting our oceans for future generations.

Priority research questions to generate decision‐grade data to enable coastal ecosystems to mitigate the climate and nutrient crises Identifying the enabling conditions for more efficient and successful approaches will greatly improve our understanding of ecosystem services. Together, these answers will then deliver the decision-g...