Mrs Karien Botha is a lecturer in the Department of Educational Psychology and project coordinator to an inter-disciplinary research project situated in the Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being. In this capacity, she coordinates a project that involves around 30 researchers from various disciplines. She is currently busy with her PhD (Educational Psychology), focusing on the development of an outdoor, crop-based health-promoting intervention with the aim of enriching current school curriculum. Aligned with this focus her research interest lies in the field of utilising action research within the school environment, in combination with intervention-based studies in an attempt to promote community well-being. Based on her experience as teacher and educational psychologist at a school for physical and learning disabled learners from 2003 to 2011, Mrs Botha possesses extensive knowledge on inclusive education, as well as support and accommodation of learners who experience barriers to learning.

Her research interest lies in the field of utilising action research within the school environment, in combination with intervention-based studies in an attempt to promote community well-being.