The Institute for Water Research (IWR), based at Rhodes University, offers honours, master’s and doctoral students in the fields of zoology, entomology, environmental science and geography a chance to get hands-on experience in the field of water research and conservation.
The institute offers a multi-disciplinary approach and will supervise students registered in these departments and taking part in applied research projects. The IWR offers supervision by highly experienced senior researchers and specialises in hydrological, water quality and ecological research.
‘Water’s in demand in this country, and there’s a need for innovative thinking about water resource protection and management,” says Professor Jay O’Keeffe, director of the institute. ‘The 1998 Water Act is a revolutionary piece of legislation. It’s been hailed worldwide, and requires a balance between protection and use. There’s a huge capacity shortage at the moment to implement those parts of the Act.”
Members of the institute were intimately involved in the development and drafting of the Act.
The IWR tries to channel the work of its students into important areas by getting them involved in projects for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry or corporate projects. The focus of much of the work is the Eastern Cape, an area suffering from water shortage, although the IWR is involved in research countrywide.
Long-term research projects of the IWR include ecological surveys of river systems, catchment water quality management studies, water quality assessment and the investigation of invertebrate biology. The IWR houses the Unilever Centre for Environmental Water Quality, which offers training and expertise in the field of aquatic toxicology and its application in ecological risk assessment.
O’Keeffe says the IWR’s training in practical skills prepares students for a number of employment opportunities. ‘There’s plenty of scope to use their skills in government, corporate and consultancy work.”