Denise van der Merwe, Freelance researcher, editor and Consultant

Denise van der Merwe

Freelance researcher, editor and Consultant

JMStrauss Consulting

Location
South Africa
Education
Master's degree, Public Management and Governance: Disaster Risk Management
Experience
12 years, 3 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :12 years, 3 Months

Freelance researcher, editor and Consultant at JMStrauss Consulting
  • South Africa
  • My current job since February 2017

Providing research feedback on Disaster Risk Management Practices within the Western Cape Province South Africa, providing quality English and document editing as required by Government Standards, and elaborating on Karoo Fracking Practices and related Disaster Risks.

Geography Teacher at BA Seobi Secondary School Potchefstroom
  • South Africa
  • August 2016 to December 2016

Providing comprehensive Geography and South African History Classes to students between grade 8 and 10 (14 to 23 age group), providing culture sensitive lessons relevant to History topics, training students to effectively study for exams, compiling and providing grade/level appropriate exams, assignments, and class activities, compiling and completing formal assessment goals as required by Department of Education, providing assessment feedback on assignments within required time scope, compiling comprehensive lesson plans for each subject and class based on required standards.

Lecturers Assistant and Junior ACDS Consultant at Africa Center for Disaster Studies
  • South Africa
  • February 2015 to November 2015

Assistance for Fire Hazard Training and Mitigation in the Northwest Province, teaching Honors level Graduate Student in Environmental Sciences and Disaster Management, facilitating extra classes to enable effective exam preparations, navigating intercultural differences effectively during classes.

Research and information acquisition specialist at Northwest University of Potchefstroom Ferdinand Postma Library
  • South Africa
  • February 2015 to November 2015

Training students in the art of doing academic research and acquiring relevant research information for their various subject fields. Training students how to use search engines effectively and how to use the acquired research information appropriately.

Junior Soil Analyst, Soil Rehabilitation Consultant and Practical Facilitator at Northwest University of Potchefstroom South Africa, Environmental Science Department
  • South Africa
  • March 2010 to November 2013

Conducting fieldwork research in grazing areas by extracting soil samples, conducting analysis of soil samples, responsible for effective and safe use of Hydraulic Penetrometer for sludge dam sampling, training first year students in Practical Soil Science Skills, providing data analysis of soil samples, drawing up maps relevant to data analyses, providing practical assignment feedback to first year students, facilitating extra classes in Soil Science and Environmental Science, navigating intercultural differences during practical classes.

Education

Master's degree, Public Management and Governance: Disaster Risk Management
  • at Northwest University of Potchefstroom
  • December 2016

Subjects: Advanced Development Communication Theories; Applied Project Management; Disaster Risk Management; Disaster Risk Reduction; Research Methodology; Sustainable Development: Theoretical Orientation; Thesis topic - “Disaster risk due to fracking in the fragile ecosystems of the Nama Karoo: A Disaster Risk Management Perspective”.

High school or equivalent, Teaching English as a Foreign Language
  • at i-to-i TEFL
  • December 2014

Subjects: Designing Age Appropriate Activities; Developing Auditory Skills; Teaching Phonics to Kids; Teaching Methods; Effective Language Teaching; Teaching Children to Read; Child Literacy; Class Discipline Tactics; Components of Reading; Adjusting and Respecting Cultural Differences in Class Situations; Grade or English Level Awareness; Teaching English Grammar; Developing Listening and Writing skills.

Bachelor's degree, Geography and Geology
  • at Northwest University of Potchefstroom
  • December 2014

Subjects: Geological Mapping; Metamorphic petrology; Igneous petrology; Thermodynamics; Rock analysis with field samples and thin sections; Sedimentology; Geohydrology; Engineering geology; Geophysics; Climatology; Synoptic Maps; Intro to GIS; Sociological Geography; Environmental Geography; Urban Geography; Organic Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry; Physics; Science Methodology; Soil Science.

Higher diploma, Disaster Risk Management
  • at Northwest University of Potchefstroom
  • December 2014

Subjects: Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation; Leadership for Good Governance; Program and Project Management; Resilience and Vulnerability; Research Methodology; Strategic planning and management; Honors paper in Role of small-scale irrigation systems in increasing household food security in Malawi.

Higher diploma, Education Studies in Geography, Technology, Social Science, Natural Science and Physical Science
  • at Northwest University of Potchefstroom
  • December 2013

Subjects: Physical Science, Geography, Technology, Social Science and Natural Science.

Specialties & Skills

Soil Sampling
Teaching Skills
Risk Analysis
Disaster Preparedness
GIS applications
ANALYSIS
CONSULTING
DATA ANALYSIS
DATA COLLECTION
EDITING
GOVERNMENT
GRAPHIC DESIGN

Languages

Afrikaans
Expert
English
Expert
German
Expert