Nick Hamer

Research Associate
Environmental Science
Rhodes University
South Africa

Biography

"Nick Hamer is currently the project manager for the IDRC funded Jongaphambili Sinethemba (JPS) Research Project, which has focused on ‘Vulnerability, Coping and Adaptation in the context of HIV/AIDS and Climate Change. Nick completed a BA (Hons) History at Leeds University and an MSc in Environmental Monitoring at the University of Bradford. After working on sustainability issues in the UK and Austria he moved to Grahamstown in 2001, where he has worked on numerous projects relating to sustainable development. These include the development of the Makana Local Environment Action Plan, assisting with a poverty study at Dwesa-Cwebe and investigating the effectiveness of poverty alleviation projects in the Peddie district. While previously based as a research associate at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at Rhodes University he collaborated with colleagues at the Environmental Science, Environmental Education, Anthropology and Economics departments. In 2009 Nick decided to focus his work on issues relating to climate change, which led to his working on several funding proposals with Prof. Sheona Shackleton, and leading to the establishment of the JPS project in 2010. A particular research interest in this project has been in developing an understanding of how scientific knowledge can effectively be shared within a research process in rural communities. This interest led to his leading a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice study and to investigating the effectiveness of a drama process to share knowledge within the JPS project."

Research Intrest

Climate change

List of Publications
R Palmer, N Hamer (2011) Fate of the Eastern Cape Book, Chapter 19: Transkei’s Wild Coast: Development and Frustration at Dwesa-Cwebe Reserve, UKZN Press, South Africa.
N Hamer (2012) The knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of people towards global climate and HIV/AIDS in rural Willowvale and Lesseyton, University of Alberta IDRC project workshop, Canada.
N Hamer (2013) From knowledge sharing to community understanding: the use of Theatre for Development to share scientific knowledge in rural communities. Southern African Climate Change Adaptation Colloquium, Cape Town.