We are thrilled to welcome Alta de Vos to the team at the CST as an Associate Professor. With her impressive background in interdisciplinary conservation science, Alta brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role.
Alta’s research focuses on two main areas: the resilience and transformation of conservation systems and the development of social-ecological research theory and methods. Her work involves a wide variety of mixed- and multi-method approaches, often in transdisciplinary projects, to better understand and direct the future of protected areas and other conservation systems. She is particularly interested in non-traditional systems with diverse governance approaches and values, and works at multiple scales to develop context-specific frameworks to inform policy and promote equitable resilience in the face of an uncertain future.
In addition to her research, Alta directs the Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS), a Future Earth core-project that aims to integrate research on the stewardship of social-ecological systems, the services they generate, and the relationships among natural capital, human well-being, livelihoods, inequality, and poverty. Through her work with PECS, Alta actively engages in building local networks, capacity, and frameworks to address the challenges of our time by doing research for- and with-society.
Before joining the CST, Alta spent 8.5 years at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape, where she taught a diverse range of courses to undergraduate and honours students. Her experience taught her to appreciate the transformative potential of young people who tap into their full identities, and the challenge for higher education to better support such connections for the young people whose ideas the world needs most.
Outside of work, Alta loves exploring the beautiful trails of the Western Cape and beyond, often without consulting maps (which makes her runs longer). She also enjoys travelling, reading, walking, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
We are excited to have Alta join our team and look forward to her contributions in advancing the CST’s mission.