Isayvani Naicker BSc (Hons) MSc MSc

PhD Candidate

Biography

Career

2001 - 2004 – Environmental Scientist Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) South Africa
1998 - 2001 - Programme Manager Sustainable Cities Programme: Group for Environmental Monitoring
1996 - 2001 - Independent Consultant – Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental management and Geographic Information Systems Consulting.

Qualifications

PhD Geography, University of Cambridge (2012): Doctorate Thesis Title: The Role of Science in Issue Advocacy: Invasive Alien Plant Species in the Fynbos Vegetation of South Africa. Doctorate of Philosophy dissertation in Geography, University of Cambridge.
MSc Philosophy of Social Sciences, London School of Economics and Political Science (2005). Masters Thesis Title: A Critical Investigation of Systems Theory as a new paradigm alternative to reductionism within the context of the Unity of Science debate.
MSc Geology, University of Cape Town. Masters Thesis Title: GIS Integration geophysical, geochemical and geological data for predictive modelling of Aggeneys and Broken Hill base metal deposits, Namaqualand.
BSc Honours Geology, University of Cape Town.
BSc: Majors in Geology and Computer Science, University of Kwa Zulu Natal.

Awards and scholarships

National Research Foundation Prestigious Scholarship and Mandela Cambridge Scholarship for Doctoral Study Abroad, 2006-2009
British Council Chevening Scholarship, 2004-2005

Professional associations

Junior Research Fellow Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy
Fellow of the Cambridge Philosophical Society

Research

My research is concerned with science, people and nature conservation in South Africa and Africa. I am interested in how science is used and what is the role of scientific knowledge, as opposed to other forms of knowledge, in nature conservation. The aim is to gain a better understanding of how science has shaped nature conservation and what are the implications for the inclusion of other forms of knowledge.

Publications

Articles and essays in peer-reviewed journals

(2011) "The search for universal responsibility: The cosmovision of Ubuntu and the humanism of Fanon", Development, Volume 54, Number 4, pp. 455-460, December issue.
(2011) "Towards the development of a Green Economics model for Africa", Green Economic voices from Africa, Green Economics Institute, Oxford,

Invited talks

(2012) Africa Research Seminar, Faculty of History, University of Cambridge, 1 February. Title of Talk: Science and policy in biodiversity research in South Africa.
(2009) Institute for Poverty, land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape, 1 October Title of Talk: Science, policy and power in South African nature conservation: An exploration of narratives.

Conference outputs

(2010) Changing the Frames: Agenda Dynamics, Policy Subsystems and Discourse Coalitions in the Management of Alien Invasive Species in South Africa, RGS-IBG Annual International Conference, 1-3 September 2010, The Royal Geographic Society, London, UK
(2009) Conservation of Nature and Invasive Species: Tracing the Cultural Boundaries of Conservation Science in South Africa, 2009 Annual Meeting Society for Social Studies of Science, 2009, October 28 – 31, Washington, DC
(2008) Examining the poverty of people and conservation of nature in the African context Green Economics Institute Conference, February 9th 2008, Mansfield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
(2006) The Ecosystem Approach and Regional Collaboration: Towards Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, 26^th Annual Conference of the International Association of Impact Assessment, 2006, 23-26 May, Stavanger Forum, Stavanger, Norway.
(2004) Capacity Building for Biodiversity Impact Assessment (CBBIA) in a "Megadiverse" region, Briefing Presentations – South Africa, 25^th Annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment, 2004, 24-25 April, Vancouver, Canada.
(2003) The valuation of coral resources in the greater St Lucia wetlands park and bazaruto archipelago, Proceedings of the St Lucia Wetlands: Processes of Change', St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 4-7th September 2003.
(2003) Ecosystem Approach for African Regional Planning, 23rd Annual Meeting of IAIA, Impact Assessment and Capacity Building, 2003, 17-20 June 2003, Palmeraie Golf Palace and Resort, Marrakech, Morocco
(2003) Incorporation of African Values into EA, 23rd Annual Meeting of IAIA, Impact Assessment and Capacity Building, 17-20 June 2003, Palmeraie Golf Palace and Resort, Marrakech, Morocco
(2003) Non Market Valuation of Resource Use in the Coastal Zone, Kwa Zulu Natal Coastal and Marine Conservation Research Symposium, 4-5 June 2003, Interpretive Centre, Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal Province, South Africa
(2002) Africanising Environmental Assessment for African Regional Economic Integration, CEMSA 2002, 3rd International Conference on Environmental Management in Southern Africa, 26-29 August. Eskom Conference Centre, Midrand South Africa