Civil Engineering August 2021 | Vol 29 No 7

52 August 2021 Civil Engineering SA I CE & profess i onal news A key component of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering’s (SAICE) mission is the sustainability of the industry. For the industry to be sustainable, it must adapt to current environmental and social pressures. The SAICE Environmental Engineering Division (SEED) is well-positioned to support SAICE and the civil engineering industry in transforming civil engineering practices and mindsets towards sustainable development. The globally accepted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) put forward by the United Nations form the backbone of sustain- able development and therefore play a strong role in the objectives of the division. Ensuring that all of the division’s activities fall under the 17 goals listed in the SDGs will ensure that the division contributes to the evolution of the industry towards sustainability. The SEED Committee consists of division members who have been nominated to the committee by two other SAICE members and accepted by the outgoing committee. They are volunteers who serve the division in implementing its objectives. The com- mittee members meet formally five times a year to communicate and make decisions on SEED issues, and sometimes hold ad- ditional informal meetings. Givarn Singh Chairperson Givarn holds an MSc in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand. He is a water resources engineer with the majority of his work supporting the management of water in various indus- tries internationally. The national water crisis is of particular of interest to Givarn and he is honoured to be one of the engineers working to create sustainable solutions to the major threat to our future. Givarn is also the Education and Training Lead in the team as well as Youth Representative for SEED. He enjoys spending his spare time painting and is an avid adventurer who likes to spend time in nature and near rivers. Alice Lindiwe Harvey Vice Chairperson and waste portfolio Alice is an engineer in the Environmental Engineering Department at Jones & Wagener. She holds an MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town, a Post Graduate Certificate in Engineering from the University of Auckland, and a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand. Alice’s professional experience is in hydrology (in particular water balances) and tailings for mining companies. In both roles she advises clients and designs facilities to best manage waste (contaminated water and tailings) to minimise en- vironmental harm. Her studies have focused on sustainable design (green roofing, SUDS, water and the environment). Alice is pas- sionate about hiking, camping, the outdoors, sailing and gardening. SalonaMoodley Past Chairperson Salona is a Director at Aratana Consulting and part of the business development team at the EnsO Earth Foundation. She considers SEED as her passion project and, having been involved in growing the division over the past few years, looks forward to growing it further. Salona is involved in the water focus portfolio and was the founder of the successful SEED annual conference. She is a highly motivated individual, passionate about youth development and women’s empowerment. Salona mentors as many youngsters as she can and believes that, “As a leader you must walk the talk”. Michael Palmer Pr Eng Treasurer Michael is the Head of Department: Engineering Hydrology and Technical Director at Jones & Wagener Engineering and Environmental Consultants. He holds both a BSc and MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand. Michael has over twenty years’ experience in the fields of water management and hydrology, with a strong focus on the environmental aspects of water management. His fields of expertise include specialist surface water impact assessment, mine and industrial water balance modelling and management, as well as flood studies, flood risk management planning, dam break analysis and design of hydraulic structures. Michael has also served as an external examiner at the University of the Witwatersrand. What Michael enjoys most is being with his family as well as walking, cycling, gardening and spending time outdoors. Chris Brooker Pr Eng Chris is the owner of cba Specialist Engineers which was founded in 2001. He joins or assembles teams for specific river re-naturalisation, wetland rehabilitation and stormwater or flood management projects. Chris is an Honorary Senior The faces behind SAICE’s Environmental Engineering Division