Jaco Gericke is an NRF C2-rated researcher and experienced Professional Engineer registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). His academic career as Lecturer commenced in 2004 in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), after which, he obtained various qualifications, namely a BSc (Hons): Appl. Sci. (Water Resources Eng.) degree from the University of Pretoria in 2008, MSc Eng. (Civil Eng.) degree from the Stellenbosch University in 2010, and a PhD Eng. (Agric. Eng.) degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2016. Currently, he is appointed as an Associate Professor and the Head of Department in the Department of Civil Engineering. 

He has more than 25 years’ professional and academic experience. Prior to joining the CUT in 2004, he worked for two years (1996 – 1998) at the Department of Agriculture (Northwest Province, Soil Conservation and Engineering Services) in collaboration with professional engineers, technicians, soil scientists, and agricultural extension officers on various design projects including water runoff control, stock-watering supply schemes, erosion and rehabilitation works, and irrigation systems. He worked thereafter for six years (1998 – 2004) at the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Hydrological Services) to ensure the effective management and operation of the hydrological monitoring network of the Upper Vaal Catchment Area. Typically, he worked in collaboration with professional engineers and hydrologists on various projects focussing on the quantitative management, assessment, and planning of all hydrological processes in the region with specific reference to: (i) hydrological data management, (ii) evaluation of the existing hydrological network using direct/indirect methods, and (iii) hydraulic design, modelling, and river hydraulics. 

As an academic, he is actively involved in lecturing, applied research, post-graduate supervision, and external consultation. Specific areas of expertise include hydrology, flood hydrology (design rainfall and flood estimation, flood risk assessment, and catchment response time), water resources management, river hydraulics, and geographical information systems. Since 2014, he represented the CUT at the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the South African National Committee of Large Dams (SANCOLD) to contribute towards the implementation of the National Flood Studies Programme (NFSP). To date, he was involved as project leader, team member/researcher, consultant, and/or reference group member in eight (8) research projects funded by the WRC, while two current research projects funded respectively by the WRC and the Royal Academy of Engineering (United Kingdom) are in progress. Subsequently, close to 50 journal papers, conference proceedings, and technical reports in the design (flood) hydrology field were published with associated post-graduate supervision and completion at Master’s and Doctoral level. 

In considering the severe damages caused by widespread flooding during recent years in South Africa, the technical report: A Best Practice Guideline for Design Flood Estimation in Municipal Areas, he co-authored and published in 2023, is regarded as very relevant given that there are currently no design standards for urban design flood estimation and risk assessment in South Africa. The Institute of Municipal Engineers in South Africa (IMESA) championed the need for the latter guideline to also address the shortage and/or decline of skills and expertise in flood hydrology/stormwater management at local municipality levels. The project was jointly funded by the WRC, with the project team comprising of Prof Gericke, private practitioners, and specialists from the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Stellenbosch, and the Witwatersrand.

Apart from research, he is also actively involved with community engagement services in the engineering profession, for example: (i) consultancies and professional activities, (ii) curriculum and continuous professional development (24 papers/presentations to date), (iii) ECSA assessor and moderator of engineering programmes, (iv) external assessment and moderation of dissertations/theses (10+), and (v) review of ISI journal papers (20+).

All the above successes are strengthened by his devoted Christianity, and loving support from his wife, Berdine, and three lovely daughters, Juané (13), Mia (11), and Mieke (9). In his spare time, he is a keen aviculturist who have successfully kept and bred more than 50 species of exotic finches from Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe.