CATER Alumni
Arne Tobian
Participant, 2023 School
I'm researching how human activities impact the Earth's stability by looking at how different planetary boundaries interact. I'm using a dynamic global vegetation model called LPJmL and specific scenarios to simulate different levels of pressure on planetary boundaries. This helps me see how changes in one boundary affect others in terms of location and time. My analysis covers climate, land, ecosystems, and green water, linking them to food security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Peter Johnston
Staff, 2023 School
Peter Johnston is a climate scientist at the University of Cape Town. His current research focuses on the applications and impacts of climate variability and change on various user sectors. He specialises in agriculture and water related activities with special emphasis on vulnerability and adaptation options, and communicating and training in navigating climate risk. Alongside the CATER project, he is currently involved in East Africa in the CONFER project to develop climate services.
Ingrid Vigna
Staff, 2023 School
Ingrid is a postdoctoral researcher at the Norwegian Meteorological Insitute in Bergen. Her research focuses on the potential of serious games in risk management, climate research, and co-production of forecast services.
Hilda Janet Kabuli
Participant, 2023 School
Hilda is a Research Statistician with adequate knowledge on research design, data collection techniques, analysis and reporting of scientific results. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Statistics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She currently works for the Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS) as a Chief Research Statistician since 2003. She also provides statistical training to the researchers and other stakeholders.
Anna Steynor
Staff, 2023 School
Anna is a science manager in International Applied Science and Services at the Met Office (UK). She leads stakeholder engagement and transdisciplinary co-production processes as well as leading on aspects of social science. She was previously the head of climate services at the Climate System Analysis Group, University of Cape Town, where she still holds a position as an honorary research associate. Her research interests lie in transdisciplinary co-production of climate services, the psychology of climate information use and what constitutes decision-relevant climate information.
Laurel DiSera
Participant, 2023 School
Laurel is a PhD candidate at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University and is specifically interested in understanding the impacts of climate on society. Her research includes the impacts of climate phenomena interacting at different timescales and how these impacts affect rainfall globally. Currently, Laurel’s research focuses the joint impacts of the Madden Julien Oscillation (MJO), El Niño South Oscillation (ENSO), and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).
Aida Arik
Participant, 2023 School
Aida is a socio-hydrologist who conducts research on water governance and just climate adaptation using a transdisciplinary approach. She holds a Ph.D. in Urban & Regional Planning and currently works as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institut des géosciences de l’environnement (IGE), Grenoble, France. Aida spent the first decade of her career as a water resources engineer before shifting her focus to water systems and society from a social science perspective. Throughout her career, she has held several positions in science and engineering, policy advocacy, and stakeholder facilitation.
Sinikiwe Dube
Participant, 2023 School
I experienced effortless transformation at the CATER School. I hold a PhD in Soil Science, a MSc in Natural Resources and Environmental Management and a BSc honours Degree in Agriculture. Currently, I am a research associate at Marondera University of Agricultural Science and Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe. Previously, I was a Lecturer at both MUAST and the Women's University in Africa, where I taught courses in Environmental Science and Agriculture. I also served as a Field Officer at Caritas, Bulawayo, contributing to disaster risk reduction initiatives among small-holder farmers.
Eric Ngang
Participant, 2023 School
Eric’s research interest is in climate governance, indigenous knowledge development and use in postcolonial states. His work focuses on understanding how local indigenous communities develop and use their knowledge systems to effectively manage their natural endowments amidst threats such as climate change. He has lived and worked in Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, UK and Australia on resource governance issues. Eric holds a PhD in Climate Change Law from the Birmingham Law School UK and a master’s in environmental management and Sustainability from the University of South Australia.
Simon Muwafu
Participant, 2023 School
Simon, a Doctoral Researcher at the Climate Service Centre Germany, explores climate services' role in aiding sub-Saharan African cities to proactively address climate change. His research focuses on leveraging these services to enhance the governance of locally-driven adaptation strategies. As an affiliate analyst at ITACA Solutions, he evaluates financing strategies for projects aiming to strengthen climate resilience within agricultural value chains across the Caribbean. Simon's educational background includes telecom engineering & systems thinking with a focus on system dynamics philosophy.
Erik Kolstad
Staff, 2023 School
Erik is a Research Professor at NORCE in Bergen, Norway and leads the CATER programme. Read more on his personal web page.
