Prof. Saheed A Oke
NRF Rating: Y2
Associate Professor: Department of Civil Engineering
Qualifications: PhD (Geohydrology) | MSc (Engineering Geology/Hydrogeology) | BSc Hons (Geology)
Professional Background
Prof. Saheed A. Oke is an NRF-rated researcher and a distinguished recipient of the Future Professor Program (FPP), a flagship DHET initiative hosted by the University of Johannesburg for selected academics shaping the future of South African higher education. He is also a proud recipient of the Central University of Technology Vice-Chancellor’s Research Award for Early and Mid-Career Researchers.
His research leadership is demonstrated through his active engagement in three major research projects funded by the Water Research Commission, the National Research Foundation, and the Belt and Road Initiative in collaboration with Zhejiang Normal University, China. Furthermore, from 2020 to 2023, he led the Mangaung Municipality team on the Airport Development Node project, a World Bank City Resilience Program for South African metros. Prof. Oke has successfully supervised 5 doctoral and 15 master’s students to completion and has externally examined 14 dissertations and theses in water-related topics across the African continent.
Professional Leadership & Service
- Guest Editor:
Frontiers in Water, guiding scholarly discourse on adaptive capacity and water security.
- National Reviewer: Invited reviewer for NRF Rating, Post-PhD, and Thuthuka funding applications (2022).
- Global Thought Leadership: Delivered 6 invited keynote presentations at major international scientific conferences and technical workshops on water and environmental sustainability.
Areas of Expertise
- • Water Vulnerability & Risk Assessment
- • Environmental Sustainability
- • Urban Development Impact
- • Pollution & Emerging Contaminants
- • Remote Sensing & GIS in Hydrology
Selected Publications
Top Journal Articles
- • Mugudamani, I., Oke, S.A., Gumede, T.P. & Senbore, S. 2024. Risk assessment of emerging contaminants in urban and natural water sources around Bloemfontein, South Africa: implication for environmental sustainability. Journal of Current Analytical Chemistry.
- • Mugudamani, I., Oke, S.A., Gumede, T.P. & Senbore, S. 2023. Herbicides in water sources: communicating potential risks to the population of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa. Toxics, 11(6), 538.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11060538 → - • Ololade, O., O’Shea, B., Quandt, A., Pandey, V. & Oke, S.A. 2023. Editorial: Emerging Trends on Adaptive Capacity and Water Security Measures under a Looming Climate Change Threat. Frontiers in Water, 5.
https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2023.1139682 → - • Vukeya, L.R., Mokotjomela, T.M., Malebo, N.J., Smith, D.A.E. & Oke, S.A. 2023. The vegetation cover dynamics and potential drivers of habitat change over 30 years in the Free State National Botanical Garden, South Africa. Regional Environmental Change, 23, 24.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-022-02024-9 → - • Quandt, A., O’Shea, B., Oke, S.A. & Ololade, O. 2022. Policy intervention to address water security impacted by climate change: Adaptation strategies of three case studies across different geographic regions. Frontiers in Water, 4:935422.
https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.935422 →
Selected Books & Book Chapters
- •
Authored Book: Oke, S.A. & Mugudamani, I. 2023. An Overview of Emerging Contaminants in Water Sources: A Global Outlook. BP International Book Publishers.
https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-81-19761-78-4 → - •
Edited Book: Oke, S.A. & Ahmed, F. 2023. Water Conservancy and Civil Construction Volume 1 & 2: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Hydraulic, Civil and Construction Engineering (HCCE 2022). CRC Press.
https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003450818 → - •
Book Chapter: Ruzvidzo, S. & Oke, S.A. 2024. Application of Specific Groundwater Vulnerabilities Methodologies to Point Sources Pollution: A review. In Research Advances in Environment, Geography and Earth Sciences, Vol 1 (pp. 1-33). BP International.
https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/raeges/v1/7535C →
Keynote & Top Conference Presentations
- • Oke, S.A. (2023). "Groundwater vulnerability assessment as a premonitory tool for water quality management". Keynote Address, China-South Africa International Workshop on Water Management, University of Zululand, 31 Oct – 1 Nov 2023.
- • Oke, S.A. (2023). "Dynamic monitoring of surface water resources in Central South Africa using Remote Sensing". Keynote Address, 6th International Symposium on China-Africa Science and Technology Cooperation, University of Western Cape, 28-29 Nov 2023.
- • Ruzvidzo, S. & Oke, S. (2024). Assessing the Drinking Water Quality Indexes of Borehole and Surface Water Close to a Mining Dump in Welkom, South Africa. The 6th International Symposium on Water Resource and Environmental Management (WREM 2023). Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55989-1_1 → - • Mugudamani, I., Oke, S.A., Gumede, T.P. & Senbore, S. (2024). Monitoring of Emerging Contaminants in Selected Wastewater Treatment Works Around Bloemfontein, South Africa. WREM 2023. Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55989-1_3 → - • Mudau, R., Oke, S. & Ololade, O. (2024). Impacts of Nickel Mine Tailings Storage Facility on Surface and Groundwater Quality at Onverwacht Farm, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Recent Advances in Environmental Science from the Euro-Mediterranean and Surrounding Regions (EMCEI 2021). Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43922-3_61 →
