Staff Profile

Dr Emmanuel Captain Vellemu holds a PhD in Water Resources Science from Rhodes University, South Africa. Both his MSc and BSc (Honours) in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences were obtained from the University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia. He has postdoctoral research experience in water quality monitoring and assessment with the University of Pretoria. 

He is currently serving another postdoctoral research in science, technology and innovation with the Centre for Agricultural Transformation (CAT) in Lilongwe where he is exploring the use of drone technology in biodiversity assessments, agriculture and water resources management. Emmanuel’s bio-physical research and teaching are focused within the aquatic stressor-response domain where he contributes to increased "ecological realism" in experimental ecotoxicology. 

His core research focus balances aquatic resource protection and use. He constantly investigates impacts of mining pollution (e.g. acid mine drainage), industrial effluent and agricultural salinization in aquatic ecosystems. Using aquatic species representative groups from insects, fish, crustaceans, plants (micro-algae) and molluscs, Dr Vellemu has developed risk-based water quality guidelines for acid mine drainage and sulphates (salinity) within the South African landscape. He also uses a trait-based approach to understand the influence of species traits of organisms on their response to various stressor. His other research area is centred at the understanding of the complex issues surrounding ecosystem services such as sand mining in the urban-suburban areas. Emmanuel is an international water resources scientist who has contributed to his discipline as evidenced is his quality article publications book chapters. Finally, Dr Vellemu’s main research interests are as follows;

• Species risk assessment
• Biodiversity and Ecotoxicology
• River health monitoring using biodiversity
• Ecosystem services and audits
• Drone technology and biodiversity
• Biodiversity and agriculture
• Water Quality monitoring and assessment