Africa experts
Murdoch University is committed to innovation and high quality higher education that can be applied at a global level. For many years, Murdoch has shown strong research commitment to, and capacity in, the continent of Africa. Broad and diverse engagement has been developed in health, social justice/governance, agriculture (food security), security/counter-terrorism, mnierals/environment, aid effectiveness, water, arts and culture.
Murdoch’s eminent and internationally respected researchers are collaborating with African industry, academic institutions, government agencies and NGO's and sharing expertise and knowledge for mutual benefit. Murdoch gains advantage by the opportunity to reflect, understand and build upon the dynamism in Africa today.
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Professor Craig McGarty
Social Research, reconciliation, trauma recovery Professor Craig McGarty is the Director of the Social Research Institute at Murdoch University. Craig is best known for his work in the areas of categorisation, stereotype formation and social identity. He is also heavily involved in research on group-based emotions including collective guilt and on public opinion and collective action. His current Australian Research Council funded research is on “Pathways to social cohesion and social change”Professor McGarty’s area of expertise is the understanding of reconciliation and recovery from trauma in post-conflict societies. A cross disciplinary team including psychologists (Professor McGarty and Dr. Ebert) and film academics (Associate Professor Broderick and Associate Professor Mhando) are researching responses to and recovery from trauma after genocide in Rwanda. The collaboration with Rwandan agencies extends from the interpretation of trauma and reconciliation in national and international cinema and other media to national processes of recovering from trauma through clinical and social psychological interventions involving the theme of hope. Members of the team have made 4 trips to Rwanda since 2007. |
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Professor Sam Makinda
Security, terrorism and counter-terrorism Professor Samuel Makinda is the Professor of Politics and International Studies and the Chair of Security, Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Studies at Murdoch University. He currently serves on the Australian Foreign Minister’s National Consultative Committee for International Security Issues. He is also a member of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. He has research experience in the following areas: Transnational terrorism, arms control, security in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.Professor Makinda was invited by the Kenyan Government to serve as a consultant to the biennial conference of Kenya’s ambassadors and high commissioners in Nairobi in May 2007. He also helped to establish a new Foreign Service Institute for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nairobi. He previously worked with the Foreign Affairs Group in the Parliamentary Research Service at the Australian Federal Parliament in 1980s, where he briefed Members of House of Representatives, Senators, Ministers and Parliamentary Committees on various international security issues, including US-Soviet relations and arms control. |
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Associate Professor Martin Mhando
Filmmaking and African cinema Martin’s areas of research include documentary theory, film production praxis, African cinema, world cinema and Indigenous knowledge. He often serves on festival juries and has also served as curator of international festivals. A recent project will allow audiences in Rwanda and Tanzania to see a program of Indigenous films from Western Australia. The program of features, documentaries and shorts, including works from Murdoch University’s creative practitioners, will screen at both the Rwandan and Zanzibar international film festivals. This project recognises Murdoch University’s ongoing research commitment to, and capacity building in, the East African region." Martin’s awards and achievements include: • Recipient of Zeze Award 2006- in Tanzania- for contribution to the arts in Tanzania • Winner of The Paul Robeson Award (2004) for the film Maangamizi for Excellence in Independent filmmaking • Nominated for the Academy Award (Foreign Film Section) 2001 for film Maangamizi. |
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Dr Treena Burgess
Fungal genetics, forest biosecurity, forest pathology and natural ecosystem health Dr Treena Burgess is a Senior Lecturer in Plant Sciences at Murdoch’s School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology and a Project participant in the Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health. In 1999-2000, Treena went to South Africa and spent a two year post-doc at the Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.The project proved to be very successful and built the foundations for what has subsequently been extensive collaboration in the fields of forest biosecurity, fungal molecular taxonomy and population genetics. FABI is a world-renowned institute directed by Professor Mike Wingfield, a recognised international leader in forest and tree pathology. Treena has developed a research project based on forest biosecurity and continues to work closely with FABI where she holds an adjunct position at the University of Pretoria. She visits FABI each year, and several of her Australian students have conducted research there. To date she has held two ARC Dicovery grants with Mike Wingfield, published 38 papers and been on the advisory panel of seven PhD students at FABI. This significant collaboration with a South African research institute has been far reaching and mutually beneficial. |
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Professor Peter May
Hydrometallurgy, extractive metallurgy Professor Peter May holds the Chair in Extractive Metallurgy at Murdoch University, and is currently the Dean of the School of Chemical and Mathematical Sciences. His research is centred on how metal ions and other substances react in water, where he is acknowledged as an international expert with his work attracting considerable world-wide attention. His studies focus both on the fundamental chemistry of aqueous solutions, and on practical problems of global importance, including those concerning industrial process (e.g. alumina refining), the environment (e.g. ocean acidification) and medicine (e.g. kidney-stone formation).He has developed frequently-cited modelling software packages that use large databases of existing information in the field together with new experimental measurements to resolve important gaps in knowledge. Over his distinguished career, he has supervised over 30 PhD students and has over 200 publications in internationally ranked scientific books and journals. Professor May has led a major research project on Cyanide Waste Management in collaboration with Mintek and The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of South Africa. |
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Professor Simon MallalHIV, AIDS, clinical immunology, infectious diseases, vaccine design Professor Simon Mallal is Director of the Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Murdoch University and a Clinical Immunologist and Immunopathologist at Royal Perth Hospital. |
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Professor John Howieson
Sustainable agriculture, nitrogen fixation in legumes Professor John Howieson is an internationally recognised expert in sustainable agriculture, specialising in the nitrogen fixation of legume crops. His research interests include the selection and development of root nodule bacteria as commercial inoculants for agricultural legumes, and the selection of annual and perennial legumes for sustainable agriculture. He has led the discovery program for several new pasture and forage legumes in Australian agriculture.Currently he is on the steering committee for the project “N2Africa: Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa”. This US$20 million program is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, that sees legume science as a key to increasing food security in Africa and Murdoch University as playing a vital and key role in delivering that security. Professor Howieson and team are also involved in two other ACIAR-funded projects in Africa, ECCAL –Eastern Cape Arable Lands and SIMLESA –Sustainable Implementation of Legumes in Maize Cropping Systems, led through the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, CIMMYT, with a node at Murdoch. |
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Dr Trish Fleming
Physiology, behavioural ecology and wildlife conservation Dr Trish Fleming is Senior Lecturer in Physiology in Murdoch’s School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. Much of Trish’s research focuses on translational ecology, where improving the understanding of the physiology and behaviour of animals has conservation or welfare implications. Trish has been working on nectarivorous birds in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. These birds are faced with extreme physiological challenges due to their diet and their tiny size. Comparing and contrasting how honeyeaters (Australia) and sunbirds (southern Africa) deal with their nectar diet reveals common physiological mechanisms as well as evolutionary divergence. She is also involved in behavioural ecology projects across the two continents, examining factors that influence antipredator responses in animals, including lizards, birds and invertebrates. Autotomy (the defensive loss of a body part in order to escape entrapment) in invertebrates and lizards is a central topic in this research. |
To reach these experts for media enquiries, contact:
| Rob Payne Media & Communications Coordinator Phone: 08 9360 2491 r.payne@murdoch.edu.au |
Candice Barnes Media & Communications Coordinator Phone: 08 9360 2474 c.barnes@murdoch.edu.au |
Pepi Smyth Media & Communications Coordinator Phone: 08 9360 1289 p.smyth@murdoch.edu.au |
For all other enquiries, please ring reception on 08 9360 6000.
