School of Natural Science

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

About the Department

This department is housed at the Main Campus and offers a total of five BSc Honours Degree Programmes in the the following subject areas: Physics, Geography & Environmental Science, Biology and Chemistry as well as an MSc in Geography and Environmental Science. It also offers MPhil and DPhil Programmes in the same subject areas. The Department has capacity to perform consultancies in renewable energy, energy efficiency, safety and health, environmental impact assessments, livelihood issues, water resources management, sustainability, biotechnology, climate change and many more related to these disciplines.  

Mr B. Mapurisa
Name: Dr H. Zinhiva
Position: Chairperson
email: bmapurisa@gzu.ac.zw

PhD, Environmental Management (UNISA); Masters in Environmental Policy and Planning (UZ); BA Honours, Geography (UZ); BED, Geography (UZ); DIP.ED, Geography and Economics (UZ)

Research Areas    
 
Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Climate Change, Community Livelihoods, Sustainable Development, Natural Resource Management

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMMES

  • Bsc Honours Degree in Geography and Environmental Science
  • Bsc Honours Degree in Physics
  • Bsc Special Honours Degree in Geography and Environmental Sciences
  • Bsc Special Honours Degree in Physics

POSTGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMMES

  • MSc Degree in Geography and Environmental Science
  • MPhil Degree in Geography and Environmental Science
  • DPhil Degree in Geography and Environmental Science
  • MPhil Degree in Physics
  • DPhil Degree in Physics

Lecturers

 
Title Full Names Recent Photograph Qualifications Research Areas Ongoing research theme Research Grants Acquired
Dr Chapungu Lazarus PhD in Environmental Science (UNISA) MA Environmental Policy and Planning (UZ) BA Honours Geography (UZ) Dip Monitoring and Evaluation (TDI) Cert. Project Management (UP) Climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation. Just and Sustainable Transitions Climate and biodiversity Just and Sustainability transitions in emerging economies FAO: Designing and implementing nutrition-sensitive agriculture policies and programmes (2021-2022) Development Reality Institute: Converting Environmental Nuisance into Energy: Using Water hyacinth as a substrate for biogas production.
Dr Chazireni Evans -PhD (Geography)  [UNISA 2014] – MA (Geography) [UNISA, 2003] – BA Hons (Geography) [UNISA, 1998] – BA (Geography & Economics) [UNISA ,1993] – Post Grad Dipl (Education) [ZOU, 2001] Environmental Health, Medical Geography, Economic and Developmental Geography Spatial Epidemiology of Infectious diseases in Tropical regions Tokwe Mukorsi Research Grant
Mr Chayangira Juwawa MSc AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY Microclimate Smart Agriculture none
Miss Chibuda Leonah BSc Microbiology and Physiology (NMU); BSc Honours Microbiology (NMU) _ _ _
Prof. Chigonda Tanyaradzwa PhD, Environmental  Management (UKZN); Masters in Environmental Policy and Planning  (UZ); BA Honours, Geography(UZ); Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management Course (OSHEMAC); Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems Development and Implementation Certificate; Environmental Management Systems Development and Implementation Certificate Environmental management; Environmental sustainability; Occupational safety and health; Water supply and sanitation; Conservation and development; Climate change adaptation and mitigation Environmental sustainability and development None, applied for one recently and awaiting response
Associate Professor Chikodzi David PhD, Geography and Environment Science (UWC) Masters in Environmental Policy and Planning (UZ) B. A Honours in Geography (UZ) Post-Doctoral Fellow (UNISA) Programme in Project Management (UP) -Water Resources Management -Earth Observation -Disaster Risk Reduction -Climate Change -Sustainability -Spatial Analysis -Livelihoods
Mr Chikomba Agripa BSc Honours in Applied Physics Automation systems Automation Systems N/a
Ms Chiriseri Lady Diana Chido BSC HONOURS GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Climate change, EIA, Water resources management, Environmental Science, Weather and climate, Meteorology and Climatology, Sustainable development, Rural development, Occupational Health and Safety, Hydrology
MR Chisova Tafadzwa – MSc Biodiversity Conservation (BUSE) – BSc Honours Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (CUT) – Learner Professional Hunting and Guiding -Ecological Niche Modelling – Human Wildlife Conflicts – Species  and Ecosystem Restoration – GIS and Remote sensing in Ecological monitoring Human Wildlife conflict mitigation in mid Zambezi valley
Mr Dube Agrippa MSc in Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, BSc Honours in Biological sciences Microbiology, Biotechnology, Parasitology and public health To develop disease prediction models and molecular disease diagnostic tools for neglected tropical disease diseases. N/A
Mr Huchu Tinashe HND Chemical Engineering Particles characterisation
Mr Machaka Lawrence F -Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering -MSC in Chemical Engineering and environmental processes -Development of  models to predict gold deportment in complex ores using image analysis and machine learning -Application of machine learning to optimize flotation reagent selection and dosage for gold recovery -Application of machine learning to optimize grinding mill operating parameters for gold liberation and minimize energy consumption -leaching of gold from refractory ores
Mr Makuvara Zakio -PhD student (Life Sciences) (UNISA) -MSc Applied microbiology and biotechnology (NUST) 2015 -BSc Biological Sciences (UZ) 2008 -Post Graduate Diploma in Higher and Tertiary Education(GZU) 2018 Antimicrobial resistance, Emerging contaminants, Microbiology,  Biomonitoring of aquatic ecosystems, Phytomedicines Development of phytomedicines against cholera and malaria Development of plant based cleaning and disinfecting products
Full Prof Mapira Jemitias PHD, Environmental Education (Stellenbosch) MSC, Environmental Science (UB) BA, Geography & English (UZ) GRAD CE (UZ) Environmental Issues Sewage Management & Disposal Land reform & degradation Informal sector Urban housing Environmental Issues
Mr Mapurisa Brain MSc  (Applied Physics) Renewable Energy Clean cooking Nil
Dr. Mudzengi Boycen DPhil. In Ecotourism and Conservation (CUT) Masters in Environmental Policy and Planning (UZ) B.A. (Hons) Geography (UZ) Environmental Assessments Ecotourism Conservation Environmental Science Geography Ecotourism in Southern Africa Climate Change in Masvingo Province
Mr Murwendo Talent -MA Environmental Policy and Planning BA Honours in Geography GCE Ecology Relationship between vegetation phenology & large mammalian herbivores SADC Food Garden project (US$125 000) GZU Research Grant (US$11000) on Climate Change GZU Grant on Transboundary Migration (US$5000 GZU Research Grant (US$5000) as part of the support for DPHILSC studies GZU Research Grant (US$10000) on Hand Milking Machine (yet to be distributed)
Dr Mutanda Gideon Walter 1. Diploma in People Management (Institute of People Management of Zimbabwe-2008). 2. Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Zimbabwe Open University-2016). 3. Postgraduate Diploma in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing (Lupane State University-2020). 4. Certificate in Project Planning Management (University of Pretoria 2024) 5. Bachelor of Arts General Degree (University of Zimbabwe 2005). 6. Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Geography and Environmental Science (Great Zimbabwe University-2011). 7. MSc Natural Resource Management and Environmental Sustainability (Bindura University of Science Education-2016) 8 PhD in Geography and Environmental Science (University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg-2020). 9. Postdoctoral Fellowship (University of South Africa- 2024-) -Climate change and justice -Environmental governance -Sustainable development -Agrarian reform -Marine research -Climate change and maladaptation -Marine research
Dr Mutowo Godfrey ·   PhD in Environmental Science (UKZN, 2020) ·   MPhil in Geography (UZ, 2011) ·   BSc Honours in Geography (UZ, 2005) ·     GIS applications ·     Remote Sensing applications ·     Climate Change ·     Spatial Ecology ·     Natural Resources Management Land degradation modelling in Zimbabwe
Ms Ngaza Nyashadzashe MSc in Polymer Science – Stellenbosch University (2014) BSc Honours in Polymer Science  – Stellenbosch University (2011) BSc triple major (Chemistry, Biochemistry and Microbiology)- University of Forte (2011) Polymer synthesis Polymer charaterization Photocatalysis in membranes Plastic recycling Innovative baking ingredients and baked products formulation Innovative baking ingredients and baked products formulation Photocatalysis
Dr Nyambiya Isaac BSc (Honours) Chemistry, UZ MSc Analytical Chemistry, UZ Postgraduate Diploma in Education, MSU PhD in Chemistry, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK Health reform & public health; Green Chemistry 1. Is sugar the problem-The Response to the imposition of sugar-levy in Zimbabwe? 2. Establishing the prevalence of drug and substance abuse at Great Zimbabwe University 3. Assessing the possible Blue Zone Status of District X in Zimbabwe and recommendations for health reform 1.FAO/Agreenium Grant: “Designing and Implementing Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Policies and Programmes” valued at US$ 23,773.   Completed by the 31st December 2021
Mr Sawunyama Lawrence 3RD year PhD student at North West University South Africa MSc in Chemistry (University of Zimbabwe, 2019) BSc Honours degree in Chemistry (University of Zimbabwe, 2017) Waste water Treatment: Application of oxidative and catalytic methods for the degradation and removal of contaminants from wastewater streams, emphasizing environmental sustainability and efficiency. Membrane Technology: Exploration of advanced membrane materials and processes for efficient separation and purification applications. Nanoparticles and Metal-Semiconductor: Hybrid Nanostructure Synthesis, Characterization and Applications: Developing and characterizing nanomaterials with tailored properties for catalytic and environmental remediation purposes.
Mr Luckywell Seyitini PhD student (thermal storage systems – UNISA) MSc Applied Physics BSc Honors Physics -Renewable energy. – Thermal energy storage systems Hybrid thermal energy storage systems.  Southern African Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative – SOLTRAIN – research grant: Assessment of heat demand for industrial processes and potential of solar thermal systems for industrial applications in Zimbabwe
Dr Zinhiva Hardlife PhD, Environmental  Management (UNISA); Masters in Environmental Policy and Planning  (UZ); BA Honours, Geography (UZ); BED, Geography (UZ); DIP.ED, Geography and Economics (UZ) -Indigenous Knowledge Systems -Climate Change -Community Livelihoods -Sustainable Development -Natural Resource Management Value addition to local biotic resource products for enhanced community livelihoods