Position:	Lecturer
Qualifications:	PhD
Office Block:	Office 022 F-block Westville Campus
Telephone:   Email:	+27 31 260 7653   munien@ukzn.ac.za

 

Biographical sketch

Been exposed to various aspects of both human and physical geography throughout my academic career, my research interests are influenced by the study of people and their interactions, impacts and uses of the natural environment. This motivated my appreciation for the various methodologies with which we try to understand this complex relationship. I enjoy using spatial tools such as GIS and remote sensing, and participatory methodological approaches to unpack these linkages.
 

Academic Profile

Bsc (2005), BSc Hons (2006), Msc (2009), PhD (2016) 

Current Teaching / Courses

ENVS211- Geographic Information Systems
ENVS315- Soil erosion and Land degradation
ENVS751- Contemporary Environmental Issues
 

Research Interests / Areas of Specialty

My research interests can be broadly defined as understanding the human-environment nexus and include the following:

• Energy poverty and household energy behaviors with the developing and poor contexts
• Community-based conversation practices
• Rural and peri-urban development
• The use of participatory GIS tools in physical and human geography research
• Environmental behaviours, awareness and attitudes
• Socio-economic impacts of renewable energy sources and technologies
  

Research Projects

• Household use, perceptions and attitudes towards renewable energy sources and technologies
• Energy poverty within the South African context
• Community-based biodiversity conservation and reforestation
• Environmental knowledge and behaviour among households, undergraduate science students, and tourists
• Community-based agriculture systems

These projects are carried out as part of the following research groups and collaborators:

• eThekwini Municipality and Durban Research Action Partnership- D’RAP
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the NORGLOBAL fund
• Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems- SHEFS

Academic Service

Public relations for Geography, Westville campus

Publications

Click here to view Dr Munien's publications