Nelson Mandela University: Mandela students in Spain for Palaeoecology Workshop

A group of postgraduate students from the Botany Department are currently in Spain participating in a Palaeoecology Workshop at the University of León.

The workshop is embedded within a larger research initiative led by Dr Lynne Quick of the African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience and head of the Palaeolab in the Botany Department along with Dr Saul Manzano from the University of León. The workshop is funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF).

The workshop will integrate both lecture and practical components with several palaeoecology themed guest seminars on offer by international experts in their fields, together with intensive palynology (the study of pollen) training sessions. Paper discussions and student presentations will also form part of the workshop.

The goals of this workshop are to:

1) provide the students with key background knowledge on the various elements of Palaeoecology and its relevance to modern ecology and conservation management,

2) train students in the art of identifying South African pollen types in fossil records,

3) initiate an international mobility partnership between Nelson Mandela University and the University of León to build capacity and generate new collaborative scientific outputs and to

4) promote diversity, accessibility and inclusivity within the field of palaeoecology in South Africa, leveraging international collaborations.

This workshop provides a valuable opportunity for Mandela students to participate in an international, scientific initiative and to develop and strengthen their research careers.