Field Trips

As part of its commitment to providing exceptional postgraduate education, the Institute for Geohydrological Studies (IGS) offers BSc Honours, MSc, and PhD programs in Geohydrology. A key component of this academic journey is the hands-on fieldwork opportunities designed to enhance practical understanding and application of geohydrological principles.

One such highlight of the academic calendar are the yearly field trip conducted in July of each year.  Organized and facilitated by Dr. Paul Lourens, Dr. Fanie de Lange, Dr. Anton Lukas and Dr Hans Mbah, this excursion offered participating students a comprehensive exploration of surface water-groundwater interactions. The trip further emphasized the practical aspects of groundwater systems, enriching the theoretical foundation provided through coursework.

The field trip remains an invaluable experience, consistently praised by students for its capacity to bridge academic learning with real-world application. This cornerstone event continues to play a pivotal role in the holistic development of our postgraduate geohydrology scholars.

It is important that the students at the Institute for Groundwater Studies are exposed to the practical issues of groundwater. A field trip is arranged for the new students to at least two different locations annually.

Students spend the first two days in the field, studying the interaction between geology and groundwater flow. Groundwater plays an important role in the industry, especially regarding water volumes, the availability and the contamination thereof. The second part of the field trip is therefore industry-related and may include a mine, a power station, or a petrochemical site.