Senior Researcher in GIS, data analytics, informatics and visualisation joins GCRO

The GCRO is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Laven Naidoo, to the position of Senior Researcher in GIS, data analytics, informatics and visualisation from 2 November 2021. He completed his PhD in Geoinformatics at the University of Pretoria in 2018 and is a Y-rated scientist by the South African National Research Foundation. He specialized in the use of Earth Observation technologies for monitoring savannah, forest and wetland vegetation. He has an interest in the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for mapping and modelling woody structure in South African Savannahs. He has expanded his areas of interest in savannah tree species mapping using hyperspectral and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) airborne sensors, and the assessment of soil moisture and grass biomass in Afromontane wetlands using SAR technologies. Additionally, he has expertise in precision agriculture applications for maize structural attribute estimation using satellite and drone-based approaches. His work has been published in a number of high impact Remote Sensing journals. Over the last 10 years, he has been involved in various national and international projects in the field of vegetation structure modelling and mapping.

Within the GCRO, Dr Naidoo will expand his research into the development of advanced AI/machine learning techniques, geospatial data science approaches and novel remote sensing applications within the urban environment and Sustainable Development Goals space. He is looking to intersect potential research outputs with more policy related requirements.