Barend Erasmus

Background

About Barend Erasmus

As the Dean of Faculty at the University of Pretoria, I oversee one of the largest and most diverse faculties of natural and agricultural sciences in Africa, with a strong international reputation in fields such as agriculture, biological sciences, forestry, mathematics, and physics. I have more than 10 years of experience in higher education leadership, research, teaching, and community engagement, with a focus on driving societal change towards a more sustainable future on the African continent. Before joining the University of Pretoria in 2019, I held the Exxaro Chair in Global Change and Sustainability, and was the Director of the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand. In this role, I led a donor-funded, industry-facing research institute that tackled complex challenges related to climate change and sustainability, such as water security, food systems, biodiversity, and energy transitions. Under my leadership, the institute tripled its annual income and secured funding for all staff and projects for three years after I left. I also have a PhD in Zoology and multiple publications in climate change adaptation, climate impacts and environmental science.