Palesa Mgaga

Palesa Mgaga has a BSc honours in environmental sciences from Wits, where she is completing an MSc in environmental sciences under the supervision of Professor Mary Scholes. Her coursework was focused on interdisciplinary modules that cover key problematic areas and methodologies, as well as applied problem-solving and systemthinking approaches to understand the complex issues associated with global change.

Her research is part of a bigger project on global forestry education, with a focus on tertiary level education. The project is conducted on each continent; South Africa is one of the countries participating on behalf of Africa. The purpose of the research is to provide a national baseline study that will increase the understanding of South Africa’s forestry education system to assess whether the needs of the sector are being met. In addition, the research explores the challenges and opportunities in forestry education and the forestry profession in South Africa. The project will provide an opportunity for South Africa to contribute towards Africa’s participation in this global effort of forest preservation.

Mgaga is a recipient of the Wits Postgraduate Merit Award (master’s level), the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Student Grant, and a SARChI bursary.

She was selected to make oral presentations at the 7th Forest Science Symposium in Pietermaritzburg in July 2017 and at IUFRO’s 125th Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany, in September 2017.