Knowledge Tree Award for Sanitation Specialist

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Dr Santiago Septien Stringel, a research engineer at UKZN’s Water Sanitation & Hygiene Research & Development (WASH R&D) Centre has received a Knowledge Tree Award from South Africa’s Water Research Commission (WRC) as an Emerging Researcher in Human Capital Development.

In line with the WRC’s strategic planning approach for research impact, the Knowledge Tree Awards recognise excellence in the domain of water science in seven categories. This award recognises projects that support training of postgraduate students as part of its focus on training and mentoring new research leaders, and this year’s awards coincide with the celebration of 50 years of the WRC’s contribution to building a resilient water sector.

Septien Stringel joins the late Professor Chris Buckley and Dr Alfred Odindo as a Knowledge Tree Award recipient within the WASH R&D Centre. In his work with the Centre, he has supervised more than 50 undergraduate and postgraduate students, around half of them on WRC projects, particularly in the Disciplines of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering.

‘It was a surprise to receive this award, but it is a great motivation and a welcome recognition of hard work,’ he said.

His approach to developing students is to mentor them closely, and ensure that they remain motivated and receive support to grow their expertise. Septien Stringel believes in getting students to take ownership of the projects they work on through providing assistance at key points. He aims to ensure that they develop their professional skills and graduate successfully, and that they also create useful new knowledge.

Septien Stringel joined the WASH R&D Centre in 2014 following his doctoral studies and a postdoctoral fellowship in France at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission research centre and the Engineering School Mines-Albi. This grew his expertise in thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis, gasification and combustion, and biofuels.

Keen to experience South Africa and acquainted with Buckley, Septien Stringel applied to join UKZN. He said that South Africa is a good place to learn when it comes to sanitation technologies because it is a developing country, but it aspires to be the African leader in the implementation of innovative sanitation technologies. He described the beauty of the country, the positive and stimulating working environment in the WASH R&D laboratory, and the extensive international interaction as highlights of his time here so far.

In his more than seven years with the WASH R&D Centre, Septien Stringel said he learned a lot from Buckley and has supervised several projects funded by the WRC and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

‘Through institutional support from organisations like this, we are developing knowledge that can be applied everywhere,’ he said.

His role is to provide leadership on research related to decentralised sanitation treatment systems, supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students, and offer advice to sanitation practitioners.

Septien Stringel’s expertise has expanded to focus on thermal processes for sanitation applications and the characterisation of faecal sludge, and he has ventured into research areas such as activated carbon, photocatalysis, sludge dewatering and membrane technologies. He has also worked on testing reinvented toilet prototypes with designers.

Of South Africa’s sanitation landscape, Septien Stringel says there are gaps everywhere, particularly a lack of local people interested in research, with laboratories populated by international researchers. While this provides opportunities for international contributions, he believes that recruitment of more South African researchers in sanitation, and science more broadly, is necessary to grow and retain these skills in the country, and hopes to contribute to growing such researchers in his field.

Septien Stringel looks forward to attaining more international experience, and in the short-term is focusing on supervising more students with increased support that will enable him to focus on the dissemination of research results, and attract more funding to develop new research topics.

He acknowledged several people for contributing to his success, including Buckley, Acting Director Mrs Susan Mercer, Ms Kerry Philp and the administrative team, Ms Merlien Reddy and the laboratory team and the workshop team at the WASH R&D Centre, as well as his current and former students. He thanked colleagues from other institutions and disciplines at UKZN, and at the WRC: Dr Valerie Naidoo, Mr Dhesigen Naidoo, Mr Jay Bhagwan and Dr Sudhir Pillay.

Words: Christine Cuénod

Photograph: Water Research Commission