Marthie Niemand's research explores dendroclimatology, focusing on the application of stable carbon isotopes and radiocarbon dating to reconstruct past climate conditions from tree stems in the Southern African Savanna. She is currently pursuing a PhD in this field at North-West University, under the supervision of faculty affiliated with both North- West University and iThemba LABS. Her work contributes to paleoclimate science and broadens the understanding of historical hydroclimate variability in the region. 

Marthie also established a dedicated dendrochronology laboratory in 2022 at Centre for Environmental Management (CEM), supporting advancements in tree-ring science and cross-disciplinary collaboration. In her position as Senior Professional Officer at the CEM, she serves as the student research coordinator at CEM, overseeing the research projects of approximately 100 Master's and PhD students annually. She is also the convenor for the research module in the MSc programmes at the CEM, where she lectures several topics within this module.  Twenty-two Master’s students graduated under her supervision since 2007.  She is further a co-author on 15 published papers.

Balandeli serves as a Lecturer and Midwifery Specialist within the Department of Obstetrics at the University of the Free State (UFS). He holds a Master of Nursing degree in Advanced Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing Science from Nelson Mandela University. His teaching responsibilities encompass the training of third- and fourth-year undergraduate medical (MBChB) students in midwifery and obstetrics, addressing a range of normal and abnormal conditions. His commitment to education, coupled with extensive experience in higher education and Maternal and Newborn Care, has led him to recognize the urgent need for innovative teaching and learning strategies. These innovations are crucial for addressing global challenges, including maternal mortality and morbidity, as well as issues related to litigation and malpractice within maternity settings. Balandeli is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Sciences Education at UFS.

His research interests are centered on fostering critical thinking in medical education, clinical midwifery and obstetrics, and quality assurance in maternal health services.

Dr Zaynab Mobara-Links is a Technology Education lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology Education. At the University of the Free State. She joined the UFS as a lecturer in 2020, after serving as a Teaching and Learning Coordinator within the same institution. From 2022 to April 2024, Dr Mobara-Links served as the Intermediate Phase Programme Director with specialisation in Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology Education, and Languages.

Her research interests include Technology teaching, blended learning, and enhancing digital literacy. In her MEd, she explored how technological literacy can be enhanced through assessment practices in the senior phase. Furthermore, in her doctoral research, she explored preservice teachers’ experiences in blended learning approaches employed in practical-based courses. 

I am a Classical Languages (i.e., Classical Greek and Latin) lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Classics at the University of the Free State. I completed my BA in Ancient Languages (cum laude), BA Honours in Ancient Languages (cum laude), and MA in Ancient Languages with specialisation in Latin at the North West University. I am currently registered for my PhD in Classical Languages with specialisation in Latin at the University of the Free State (The title of my thesis is Liber Primus Fastorum Danicorum Olai Wormii: a critical edition with an English translation and commentary). My area of expertise, however, is in Medieval and Renaissance Latin.

My teaching philosophy advances both educational leadership and civic humanism principles. My academic interests are focused on issues about the scholarship that informs transformative education, community engagement, heritage, culture, and health (medical humanities). I see my work as interdisciplinary as the movement of my thoughts cuts across various disciplinary boundaries such as social work, psychology, sociology, and developmental studies. I imagine my future contribution to advance the position that understands scholarly practice as context-specific, entwined in the discovery of the knowledge of the discipline (epistemology) and the latest ideas on how to teach it (pedagogy). I assert that teaching at its best shapes both research and practice. I am currently writing a PhD manuscript, with a focus on the Reconfiguration of the UFS’s “Red Square” for Epistemic Inclusion.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1310-1340

Marné van Niekerk is the Subject Head and Lecturer, specialising in Managerial Finance, at the School of Accountancy on the Qwaqwa Campus. Her research interests include and have published on sustainable business models and innovative pedagogical approaches, enhancing scholarly teaching and learning in Accounting Education.