Kumbirai Zingore
Home Country: Zimbabwe
Email: ZNGKUM001@myuct.ac.za
Education
- BSc Geology and Geography (University of Zimbabwe)
- MSc Geographical Information Systems (University of Zimbabwe)
- Currently PhD candidate in Geomatics at UCT
Project:
My primary research interest is in Spatial and Agent-based modeling of invasive insect pests under climate change. Invasive insect pests pose a great threat to fruit and vegetable production globally. The damage they cause in their native and invaded areas ranges from reduced quality and quantities of produce, increased management cost, lowered marketability and in some cases loss of trade opportunities for farmers. In addition, climate change is known to have altered the global climatic patterns and has an impact on the spatial distribution of insect pests. There is need for effective predictive tools to reduce the impacts of these invasive pests on horticulture. My research focuses on predicting their potential spatial distribution and spread patterns under current and future climate change scenarios leading to targeted phytosanitary measures by biosecurity authorities.
Taahir Bhorat
Home Country: South Africa
E-mail: BHRTAA001@myuct.ac.za
- BBusSci in Analytics at UCT.
Project:
Rubella, also known as German measles, poses a significant public health concern due to its potential to cause congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in newborn babies. Rubella is an acute, generally mild viral infection, predominantly affecting children and adults who lack immunity. South Africa stands out in the sub-region, having yet to incorporate rubella vaccination into its Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) schedule. While the rubella vaccine is accessible within the private healthcare sector of South Africa, where it is combined with vaccines for measles and mumps, its absence in the public healthcare sector poses a heightened risk for the spread of rubella. My research aims to use mathematical modeling for the development of a generalized, age-structured compartmental model, specifically tailored to the South African context for Measles Rubella. Ultimately aiming to aid creating a clear picture of how different vaccination strategies might influence CRS incidence in South Africa.