South Africa Research Chair: Environmental and Social Dimensions of the Bio-economy

Room: 2.25
Tel: 021 650 2865/6/7
Email: Rachel.Wynberg@uct.ac.za

Website: bio-economy.org.za

BSc (Hons) (MSc) (MPhil) (Cape Town) PhD (Strathclyde)

Academic Profile

I hold a SARChI Research Chair focused on Environmental and Social Dimensions of the Bio-economy  at the University of Cape Town, where I am professor in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science. With a background in both the natural and social sciences, my interdisciplinary research spans topics relating to bio-politics and the biodiversity-based economy, social and environmental justice, agroecology and sustainable agricultural futures. I am a member of the Academy of Science in South Africa and hold a B rating from the NRF.

Over the past twenty years I have advised governments, civil society organisations and international agencies, and continue to be actively involved with policy debates and civil society movements in southern Africa. I have a strong interest in engaged scholarship, seeking to build a team of socially conscious researchers that engages critically, inclusively and effectively with the inter-connected themes incorporated under my Chair. I aim to carry through principles of engaged scholarship to the production of socially robust and scientifically rigorous research that matters, that addresses social and environmental justice, and that values the architectures of different knowledge systems.

Within the EGS Department, I supervise PhD, Masters and Honours students and teach EGS40585/50585 “Critical Perspectives on the Bio-economy” (Honours and Masters).

For further information please see: www.bio-economy.org.za

For publications please see: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rachel_Wynberg