| Position: | Associate Professor and Academic Leader
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| Qualifications: | BSc (Hons) (NUST), MSc PhD (Pretoria) PGDip Mgnt (UKZN) |
| Office Block: | Room B3 Rabie Saunders Building Agriculture Campus Pietermaritzburg |
| Telephone: Fax: Email: | +27 (0) 33 260 5459 +27 (0) 33 260 5818 Siwelam@ukzn.ac.za
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Biographical sketch
Prof Siwela joined the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in 2004 as a Lecturer in the Discipline of Dietetics and Human Nutrition. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2010 and to Associate Professor in 2017.
Prof Siwela currently teaches in the areas of Food Science, Postharvest Technologies, Food Storage and the Preservation of Food. The focus of his research is the use of locally available plant materials, particularly the under-under-utilized cereal and legume grains, to contribute to food and nutrition security and health. He has successfully supervised and co-supervised more than 20 Masters and 10 PhD students in several agricultural fields, including Food Science and Technology, Human Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Security.
Prof Siwela has authored and co-authored more than 60 scientific reports, including some 45 articles in peer reviewed journals. He is a member of the South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST) and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist (Pr. Nat. Sci.) with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP). He is a C-rated Researcher through the National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa.
Professional Activities He is actively involved in the professional activities of SAAFoST and SACNASP.
Community Activities
He is involved in a research-led community engagement with a focus on small-scale farmer value chains to improve Food and Nutrition Security.
Current Teaching / Courses
Food Science; Postharvest Technologies, Storage and Preservation of Food for Food Security
Research Interests / Areas of Specialty
His specialized research is in the area of Cereal Science and Technology, but he uses his Food Science expertise to research broadly in the food value chain, focus areas include new food product development using locally available plant materials, particularly the under-under-utilized cereal and legume grains, to contribute to food and nutrition security, food safety and health.
Research Projects
Provitamin A-biofortified maize to address vitamin A deficiency; Bambara Groundnut for alleviation of protein-energy malnutrition and health beneficial effects.
Bioprospecting nutritional and functional properties of selected edible indigenous and traditional Southern African plants.
Academic Service
Discipline of Dietetics and Human Nutrition Academic Coordinator (2010-2012)
Please click here to view Prof Siwela's Publications