Tiffany Aldworth - PhD student hosted at the Grasslands, Forests and Wetland Node, SAEON

Growing up in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, I often went hiking with my family in the Drakensberg mountains and I have since had a passion for the outdoors. I chose to study Hydrology in particular as I have always been concerned about the future sustainability of our natural resources, particularly water, as South Africa is a water scarce country. I completed a BSc in Hydrology and Soil Science as well as an Honours and Master’s degree in Hydrology through the University of KwaZulu-Natal. After completing my Master’s degree at the end of 2016, I went to the United States where I au paired and travelled for 2 years. In August 2019 I returned to KwaZulu-Natal to join the SAEON Grasslands, Forests and Wetlands Node to do a PhD under the supervision of Dr Michele Toucher and Dr Alistair Clulow. My research focus is on the impacts of woody plant encroachment on hydrological processes and how this affects freshwater resources in the savanna biome. My study site is a private game reserve situated in the Phalaborwa area in the Limpopo province and I am using a combination of field work and remote sensing to conduct my research. In my free time I enjoy road and trail running, hiking, hanging out with friends and cooking.