NRF Youth Month 2025: Dr Hannes Erasmus

The NRF supports the growth of the next generation of researchers and scholars to sustain South Africa’s knowledge enterprise. June is Youth Month, and this year the NRF is celebrating the youth who are shaping tomorrow through research today. We thank all participants for sharing their stories with us.

Dr Hannes Erasmus is a postdoctoral research Fellow in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West University. He received an NRF Postdoctoral Fellowship, holds an NRF Y-rating, and was awarded a 2024 NRF Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers.

How did your journey start?

My academic journey began with a deep curiosity about the natural world, especially the hidden ecosystems beneath the surface of our rivers and wetlands. This early fascination led me to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Biological Sciences at North-West University (NWU), where my interest in aquatic life and environmental ecosystems truly took root.

Driven by a growing concern for the health of aquatic environments and the communities that rely on them, I continued with my Honours and Master’s degrees in Environmental Sciences, focusing on biodiversity, conservation, and water quality. My PhD research investigated the impacts of platinum mining on aquatic ecosystems and gave me the opportunity to receive advanced training in ecotoxicology, both locally and internationally, including research experiences in Germany and Japan.

Today, I am honoured to be a Y2-rated researcher with the NRF; a part-time lecturer and mentor at NWU; and an active collaborator in international scientific networks. Through my work in ecotoxicology and environmental parasitology, I strive to inspire the next generation of scientists to explore the vital connection between environmental and human health and to show that with curiosity, dedication, and a clear sense of purpose, science can truly be a force for change.

How has your affiliation with the NRF impacted your studies/career?

My relationship with the NRF has been a cornerstone of my academic and research career. I had the opportunity to receive several significant opportunities through the NRF, each of which played a vital role in shaping my development as a researcher and mentor in the field of environmental sciences.

During my PhD (2017–2020), I was involved with an NRF-funded project on the role and effects of platinum group elements (PGE) in aquatic systems, which focussed on the accumulation of PGE in aquatic biota and the effect on human and environmental health, in collaboration with the Aquatische Ökologie (Aquatic Ecology) Group, Universität Duisburg-Essen. This collaboration provided multiple opportunities for international skills development and shaped my research career in analytical techniques.

More recently, I received the Scarce Skills Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022–2023) from the NRF. This funding was pivotal — it allowed me to focus fully on advancing my postdoctoral research, establish myself as a principal investigator, and begin supervising postgraduate students. It also enabled me to build on the technical capacity of our research laboratories and contribute to national and regional environmental monitoring efforts.

In 2024, I was honoured with the NRF Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers, which recognised my contribution to aquatic ecotoxicology and One Health research. This award came with dedicated research funding that enabled me to expand my project work, engage with postgraduate students, and produce high impact publications.

Most notably, I am currently a Y2-rated scientist (2025–2030), recognised by the NRF as a promising young researcher with the potential to establish myself as a researcher in my field of expertise. This rating has not only enhanced my academic credibility but has also opened doors to new collaborative projects and funding opportunities, both locally and internationally.

Personally, the NRF’s support has been deeply empowering. It allowed me to stay rooted in South Africa while participating in global research initiatives and gave me the resources to grow into a confident, independent scientist. I am especially grateful for the platform it has provided me with to mentor the next generation of researchers and to contribute meaningfully to environmental and human health outcomes across the continent.

What is your research focus/area of expertise?

My current research is rooted in aquatic ecotoxicology, with a strong emphasis on the impacts of metal pollution in freshwater and marine ecosystems. As a postdoctoral researcher and principal investigator in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management of North-West University, I lead a project funded by the NRF entitled Exposure and Effects of Mercury on the Aquatic Ecosystems of the Phongolo River Catchment and Across South Africa.

This work explores how toxic metals such as mercury affect aquatic organisms and the broader environment, especially in regions impacted by coal and gold mining as well as coal-fired power stations. I use bioindicator species, including fish and invertebrates, and increasingly apply a One Health approach, investigating how environmental contaminants influence not just ecosystems, but also human health through water and food safety risks.

My area of expertise spans metal contamination, environmental parasitology, water quality assessment, and multi-stressor environments. I integrate fieldwork, advanced laboratory analyses (such as ICP-MS, GFAAS and CVAAS), and statistical modelling to understand how pollution affects biodiversity, food webs, and ecosystem resilience. Ultimately, my research aims to inform sustainable water resource management and environmental policy in southern Africa and beyond.

How is your research helping to shape a better future?

My research focuses on understanding and addressing one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time: the contamination of freshwater and marine ecosystems by toxic metals such as mercury and platinum. These pollutants pose serious risks not only to aquatic biodiversity, but also to the health and livelihoods of people who rely on these ecosystems for food, water and economic activity.

By applying an integrated One Health approach, my research bridges the gap between environmental science and public health, highlighting how ecosystem degradation directly impacts human wellbeing. For example, I investigate the bioaccumulation of toxic metals in fish consumed by local communities, helping to assess risks and inform safer practices of food consumption and water use.

Ultimately, I hope that my work will contribute to evidence-based environmental policy and more sustainable management of natural resources. By providing science-backed insights into how pollution affects ecosystems and people, my goal is to support the development of practical monitoring tools, pollution mitigation strategies, and conservation efforts that protect both the environment and public health, not just in South Africa, but across the African continent and globally.

Being a young researcher often means juggling numerous responsibilities and expectations. How do you stay motivated and/or balanced?

Being a young researcher comes with a unique set of challenges, from supervising students and publishing research to teaching, managing projects, and meeting funding expectations. What keeps me motivated is the sense of purpose behind my work. Knowing that my research contributes to protecting ecosystems, informing environmental policies, and safeguarding community health gives each task real meaning.

I also keep a work balance by maintaining a strong connection to the natural world, which is both the subject and the inspiration of my work. Fieldwork in rivers, wetlands, and coastal areas helps me reset and reminds me why I chose this path. In addition, collaborating with passionate colleagues and mentoring students energises me: Their fresh perspectives and enthusiasm are a constant source of inspiration.

Lastly, I have learnt the importance of pacing myself and celebrating small wins. Whether it is completing a paper, helping a student through their project, or seeing research inform real-world decisions, I try to pause and acknowledge the progress. It is this combination of purpose, community and perspective that helps me stay grounded and committed, even when the workload is heavy.

What has been your proudest achievement to date?

One of my proudest achievements to date was the NRF Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers in 2024, followed by a Y2-rating from the NRF in 2025. These acknowledgements were not only deeply affirming personally, but also professionally significant: they marked a milestone in my development as an independent researcher and signalled recognition for my contributions to environmental science.

What makes these achievements especially meaningful is that they reflect years of dedication to both scientific excellence and mentorship. Alongside producing impactful research on aquatic pollution and One Health, I have had the privilege of supervising and mentoring a growing number of postgraduate students. Seeing them thrive and knowing that our collective work contributes to healthier ecosystems and communities, is something I take enormous pride in.

These recognitions have also opened up new opportunities for international collaboration, project leadership, and capacity building within my field, all of which are helping to shape a future where African science leads global conversations on environmental sustainability and public health.

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