PROF MICHAEL SAMWAYS
Photo: Engela Duvenage
What is your field of specialty, and could you please give a brief explanation of it?
Insect Conservation. Insects as a group are the most complex life form on earth. Their fate and ours are entwined. Yet we are imperilling both their fate and ours by our radical transformation of the biosphere. We must now urgently secure a better future for them and us. Science has provided some important answers and suggested some good strategies. We now need to efficiently implement these strategies locally and globally.
How would you say does your research contribute to the concept of “research for impact”?
Conservation is all about developing constructive ways forward. We first need to understand our subjects: the insects. We then need to understand how we can better the rapidly deteriorating world both for their and our benefit. South Africa is a remarkably rich country in biodiversity. Informed members of our government and private sector are well-aware of this stunning heritage honed by millions of years of evolution. This means that we have been able to work with these sectors to develop positive solutions to conserve insects and other organisms across this beautiful country. In doing so, we have also engaged in the global as well as the local community to share ideas and ways forward that have high ecological, social, and economic benefit to ensure a better future.
What does attaining an A-rating mean to you professionally, and personally?
Being A-rated is fundamentally a manifestation of working hard and enthusiastically to find better solutions for wild nature and for people.
What do you enjoy most about your job and what are the aspects that you find challenging?
The most enjoyable part is being out in wild nature, especially in South Africa, where there is always something new to discover. The most challenging part is to get policy makers to understand that conserving insects and other small creatures is a vital component of ensuring a future for our children and grandchildren, especially given the urgency of the task.
What is the biggest piece of advice that you would give early-career researchers and those who are aspiring to become leaders in their respective research fields?
Imagine, work passionately, follow through on tasks to the end, listen and understand all viewpoints, and select the most appropriate ways forward based on your synthesized wisdom and intuition.
What do you do for fun (apart from research!)?
Walking in nature, photographing clouds.