A UC Davis doctoral candidate investigating the hydrochemistry of southern Africa’s largest and most precious freshwater wetland was recently selected as a winner of the National Geographic Society’s 2023 Wayfinder Award.
Goabaone Jaqueline Ramatlapeng, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, joins 14 other trailblazers who were selected for their exemplary achievements in exploration through science, education, conservation, technology and storytelling. Wayfinder Award recipients are individuals who have proven themselves to be the next generation of influential leaders, communicators and innovators whose critical work inspires us to learn about, care for and protect the wonder of our world, according to National Geographic.
Ramatlapeng’s research focuses on the processes controlling the water chemistry of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, an important water source and tourist attraction for southern Africa.
“Receiving the National Geographic Wayfinder Award feels great,” Ramatlapeng said. “It validates my work in the Okavango Delta, my work in contributing towards preserving one of the most precious freshwater wetlands in Africa and, you know, it shows my work is also impactful. It goes beyond just me and my Ph.D.”
According to National Geographic, the importance of Ramatlapeng’s research is manifold, informing ecosystem sustainability, water conservation and the protection of rivers and inland deltas in semi-arid/arid environments.
“This work is very important because it helps us monitor the heartbeat of the delta as far as the water quality is concerned,” Ramatlapeng said. “We’re able to detect if there are any changes in the water well in time and that helps us to continue preserving the pristine conditions of this delta.”
It also is “instructive for water quality assessment and informing water management decisions by the tri-country (Namibia, Angola and Botswana) of the Okavango River Basin,” according to National Geographic.
In addition to her prolific research, Ramatlapeng is dedicated to helping others in the STEM fields. In 2020, she founded Effective and Efficient Writers, which provides research, academic and professional development support to African university students and professionals.
Thinking about her academic and professional trajectory, Ramatlapeng thanked her parents, siblings, her previous advisors and mentors, and her mentors at UC Davis — Eliot Atekwana, professor of earth and planetary sciences, and Estella Atekwana, dean of the College of Letters and Science — for their unwavering support.
In addition to the National Geographic Wayfinder Award, Ramatlapeng recently was awarded the American Association for University Women International Doctoral Fellowship and the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty of the Future Fellowship.
“It’s been a really amazing journey,” said Eliot Atekwana, reflecting on his time advising Ramatlapeng. “I am extremely pleased with her performance and she has worked really hard and deserves all of these awards.”
Learn About Goabaone Jaqueline Ramatlapeng's Search to Solve Botswana's Water Scarcity Crisis
Goabaone Jaqueline Ramatlapeng can vividly remember when she would go without water from domestic pipes for days; and when the water did flow, it was salty. Read how this led to her desire to venture into hydrogeochemisty research that could help inform development of sustainable water management policies in the Okavango Delta.