Our staff

Tom Leadbeater

Dr. Tom Leadbeater - Lecturer in Physics and Academic Lead of PEPT Cape Town. 

His research interests lie in the broad theme of applied nuclear physics including nuclear imaging, radiation detection and measurement, and nuclear electronics. His doctoral thesis developed novel nuclear instrumentation and data acquisition techniques applied to the study of physical flow processes, which have since seen a range of applications in the study of physical phenomena including particulate and multiphase flows. He is now one of the world leading experts in the field of Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT); where nuclear imaging techniques are applied to the precision measurement and characterisation of dynamic physical systems and industrial processes. He is the academic lead for the PEPT Cape Town facility operated by the University of Cape Town Department of Physics.

Michael van Heerden

Michael van Heerden - Operations Manager of PEPT Cape Town.

His research focuses on radio-chemistry and the application of isotopes for use in the PEPT technique and currently completing his PhD in the Department of Physics at UCT on tracer development techniques using electro-deposition. For PEPT to be effective as a technique, the tracer particle must be representative of the media in the system under study and labelled with sufficient activity of positron emitting isotopes, making Michael’s research critical to the operation of PEPT Cape Town and the development of new applications for PEPT. He has developed multi-disciplinary skills in nuclear physics, engineering and chemistry, with particular interest in tracer development using 68Ga supplied by SnO2 68Ge/68Ga generators. His commitment to the development of PEPT as a technique for science and engineering has been essential to the growth of PEPT Cape Town since 2010.

Andy Buffler

Prof. Andy Buffler - Professor and Head of Physics at UCT and Director of MeASURe.

His research interests span a wide range of applications of neutrons and gamma rays, and the advancement of measurement-based science education.

Katie Cole

Dr. Katie Cole - Lecturer in Applied Physics

Her research centres on the application of nuclear and digital imaging techniques to multiphase systems of flow both on a fundamental scale and in an industrial context. Her main expertise is multidisciplinary research in froth flotation, investigating a physics-based problem - interactions and flow dynamics of a turbulent multiphase fluid - in an engineering application - the process of froth flotation, which is the largest tonnage mineral separation process in the world. Katie has been working with PEPT and foams and froths since 2008 and in 2014 she moved to Cape Town from the UK to focus her research on the application of PEPT to other industries. She specialises in the development of new methodologies for measurement and data analysis for PEPT.

Our students

  • Mathew Dzingai (PhD), Minerals recovery in a fluidised flotation device.
  • Rorisang Sitoboli (PhD), Interpreting big data from positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) measurements of froth flotation.
  • Michael van Heerden (PhD), Producing and tracking small tracer particles for PEPT.
  • Ammerah Camroodien (MSc), Development of 18F radiochemistry for tracer particle production at PEPT (Cape Town).
  • Ono Daniel (MSc), Measurements of fracture conductivity with positron emission particle tracking (PEPT).
  • Nicholas Hyslop (MSc), Positron Emission Imaging using the Polaris J Detectors for Beam Diagnostic Measurements in Proton Radiotherapy.
  • Moment Mahlangu (MSc), Using Monte Carlo simulations in Geant4 to improve image reconstruction of positron emission tomography (PET) measurements of bubbles.
  • Robert Van Der Merwe (Honours), Investigation into higher order measurands for PEPT.
  • Ntshembho Mtsetwene (Honours), Investigating radiobiological applications of microgravity in the laboratory.

Updated 08/12/2020