Stephanie is a Sociologist with an interest in various aspects of sustainable development, energy poverty, Infrastructural inequality and renewable energy development in arid regions in South Africa. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Sociology & Social Anthropology at Stellenbosch University. Prior to this, she completed her PhD titled, “Illuminating Energy Poverty: A case study of the energy needs and challenges of low-income households in De Aar, a renewable energy hub in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province”. Her previous work was around the exploration of the communication strategies and extent of public participation at the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) public briefings for Shale Gas Development in the Karoo. Her current research explores how local communities can benefit from the national renewable energy investment (REI4P) surrounding the small town of Sutherland.

She is currently supervising students working on local perspectives of green hydrogen development, development narratives of renewable energy independent power producers, and succulent plant poaching in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

Stephanie is on the scientific committee of the Arid Zone Ecology Forum (AZEF). The Arid Zone Ecology Forum is a non-profit organisation that unites Managers, landowners, researchers, government officials and students to identify challenges and develop solutions for the arid and semi-arid regions of southern Africa.

Website: https://azef.co.za/