Dr Angus Paterson

Dr Angus Paterson has an extensive track record with the NRF. Prior to his appointment as the Deputy CEO: National Research Infrastructure Platforms , he served as the Acting Deputy CEO: NRIP for the NRF since August 2023. He also served as Managing Director for the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB), a position he held since 2011 until his appointment as Deputy CEO:NRIP.

In 2006, Dr Paterson established the Coastal Node of the South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON), after which he worked for five years as its Manager. Dr Paterson also has experience in the private sector, first as a Senior Consultant and later as Operational Director and Partner where he oversaw a number of projects across Africa in mining, water management, coastal management, power and energy, ports, marine transport and pollution.

He holds a BSc (Zoology), a BSc (hons) in Ichthyology, and a PhD in Estuarine Ecology, all from Rhodes University. He also studied Business Management at Rhodes. During his PhD studies, he was based at the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology, where he also worked as a Research Assistant and as a scientist.

Dr Paterson has served on the Committees and Boards of a number of research institutions, including the University of Cape Town MARE Institute; the Rhodes University Institute for Water Research; Stellenbosch University Centre for Invasion Biology (CIB); and Nelson Mandela University Institute for Coastal and Marine Research. He also served on the Board of the National Science Festival, among others. For the NRF, he has worked as a Team Leader for the South African Marine and Antarctic Research Plan and Director of the DSI-NRF African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP), the latter of which developed two highly effective transformation programmes, namely ACEP Phuhlisa and ACEP Joint Marine Laboratories. In addition, he has acted in an advisory capacity for the Department of Science and Innovation in terms of the rollout of the South African Research Infrastructure Road Map.