Ferdinand Postma awarded 3-year VW Foundation Grant
What is the future of mining? Can it be undertaken in a sustainable manner? What impact will the closure of mines have from an economic, environmental and societal standpoint? These are some of the considerations GCI Postdoc Dr Ferdinand Postma is taking into account as he undertakes his research.
Following an intensive application process Ferdinand Postma was recently one of 10 sub-Saharan applicants to receive a three year Volkswagen Foundation grant in the postdoctoral fellowship program “Livelihood, Management, Reforms and Processes of Structural Change”.
His proposed research centres around linking the bio economy to the mining industry. It pertains to the production of renewable biological resources that works in the environments favour in addition to adding value to society and the economy. The initial focus of Postma’s research looks at how to deal with mine closures, however he adds that research results could potentially be utilised to make operational mining more sustainable – a case of addressing sustainability issues sooner rather than later.
One of the requirements for the grant was that research had to be interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary. “I will be undertaking a transdisciplinary research approach focusing on three main areas; engineering, science and sociology. The mining industry in Southern Africa has played a large role in job creation, development and the economy. However, there has also been a downside to the mining industry including the contamination of water and air, as well as land degradation where there is a reduction in the capacity of the land to deliver the things that society needs. My research seeks to find solutions by exploring bioremediation techniques that can be used to rehabilitate a contaminated site to make it productive once again for future use.
"The transdisciplinary angle that comes into play is the need to involve a variety of actors. With the proposed research I am exploring alternatives to the top-down approach of environmental restoration. It is critical that we involve all relevant stakeholders from industry, government, researchers, civil society, NGOs to the communities living in or nearby mining areas. By using an inclusive process, there is a greater chance of implementation. There has been a decent amount of research done on bioremediation technologies, however there is not much push to implement. Using a transdisciplinary approach and engaging with a variety of stakeholders – sharing knowledge – will assist in better informing solutions that are practical, tangible and beneficial to all parties involved. By having a holistic understanding of the needs of stakeholders, we can then find scientific solutions that could benefit the environment, communities and business. We are not just focusing on the science and the environment – we need to look at the impacts that mine closures have on people. For example what sorts of opportunities – such as job creation – can arise from using bioremediation techniques etc.,” says Postma.
Postma is Research Lead on the project and is partnering up with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ in Germany. He will also be collaborating with Wits academics from the GCI, Engineering, Sociology, and the Society, Work and Development (SWOP) Institute.
“I am really looking forward to engaging with people, seeing how the project will evolve and I have high hopes that we will be able to provide stakeholders with solid advice that can be used for implementation purposes,” concludes Postma.