Prof Serena Coetzee and Dr Clinton van der Merwe of UP’s Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology have each received a Gold Medal award from the Society of South African Geographers for their contributions to the subject in Southern Africa.

Prof Serena Coetzee of UP’s Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Dr Clinton van der Merwe from the Faculty of Education have each received a Gold Medal award from the Society of South African Geographers for their contributions to the subject in Southern Africa.

The medals are awarded in recognition of meritorious contribution to the subject of  geography in Southern Africa and grants recipients honorary lifelong membership to the society.

This award recognises the significant contributions that Prof Coetzee, Head of the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, has made to the field of spatial data infrastructure. She has a C1 National Research Foundation (NRF) rating, an impressive publication record and has collaborated with researchers from at least 20 countries. Prof Coetzee has also supervised and inspired a new generation of spatially skilled postgraduates, and has contributed to the development of science through her roles on editorial boards and as a reviewer for various journals and panels. Additionally, she has led several applied projects that have had a positive impact on policy and communities.

“It is an honour and a pleasant surprise to receive this medal because I am not a trained geographer,” Prof Coetzee said. “But then, I guess this demonstrates the universal relevance of geography: everything is or happens somewhere on Earth; some things are just closer to each other than others; and ‘geospatial’ matters in everything we do, and very much so in the many challenges we face today, such as rapid urbanisation and climate change adaptation. Even though these challenges are serious, as academics, we get to have fun – we get paid for playing around with new tools, studying interesting datasets, exploring possible solutions, and meeting and collaborating with interesting people from different disciplines and walks of life. Above all, we have the rewarding task of developing the next generation for whom we are trying to save the planet. It’s very nice to get a medal just for having fun.”

The Gold Medal awarded to Dr Clinton van der Merwe recognises his research and teaching in the field of tourism geography, and his contributions to the SSAG.

He has established himself as a geographer by contributing to debates and discussions on heritage. He has also made a significant contribution to geography education as a teacher, an educator of teachers and a founding editor of the Journal of Geography Education in Africa. In addition, Dr Van der Merwe is a founding member of the Southern African Geography Teachers Association and the South African National Geography Olympiad.

“Being awarded the SSAG Gold Medal is a lifetime achievement and a tremendous honour,” he said. “I am, first and foremost, a teacher at heart, and this recognition from the SSAG has warmed my heart. I have taught geography at schools, then at University level for over 25 years. Being a member of the SSAG is a real privilege. I want to thank all my mentors – Prof Christian Rogerson of the University of Johannesburg and many others who have played an instrumental role in making me the geographer I am.”