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John Mendelsohn lands executive director’s post at Ongava Research Centre

John Mendelsohn lands executive director’s post at Ongava Research Centre

By Linda Machinga.

The Ongava Research Centre close to Etosha National Park’s Andersson gate last week announced the appointment of top local scientist, Dr. John Mendelsohn as Executive Director.

“Dr. Mendelsohn will take up his position on 1 November and work from his Windhoek base until the science and research campus at the new Anderson’s at Ongava property is complete,” Ongava said in a statement announcing the top-level appointment.

Mendelsohn has extensive experience across many areas and he is the principal author of Namibia’s major Atlas. He has written and co-authored over 75 scientific papers and technical reports, 34 books, many popular articles and has edited various scientific journals and books.

The Ongava Research Centre founder, Dr. Ken Stratford who will assume the Research Director position said,“We are very excited at the prospect of having Dr. Mandelsohn as the Executive Director for our next phase of development the centre.

Ongava is a thirty thousand hectare private game reserve and black rhino custodian along the southern boundary of Etosha. The centre is a privately-funded facility devoted to the scientific study of all parts of the ecosystem at Ongava.

Ongava’s status as a world-class nature reserve will be further enhanced by the presence of a professionally designed and managed education and research centre that will play an influential role in conserving Namibia’s rich biological diversity and in the next generation of people needed to conserve it.

“The upgraded research centre at Ongava will contribute to the future of this country’s delicate natural resource conservation. Collaborating with Namibian tertiary institutions, local students will be actively encouraged to pursue field-based research at the centre,” stated Ongava.

In addition, the upgraded centre will have long-term benefits for the conservation of biological diversity in Namibia.

“The new facility will not only preserve the existing projects of the research centre but will expose many nationalities to a stimulating, motivating environment with the capacity to change lives and attitudes. An upgraded and accessible Ongava Research Centre has the potential to become a vital link between the conservation efforts of government bodies and private organisations both in Namibia and abroad.”


 

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