Dr. Johanna von Holdt Dr. Johanna von Holdt

Background

Johanna’s research interests have focused on aeolian sediment dynamics, the sources, mechanisms and controls of emission, as well as the impacts of the transport and deposition of wind-blown sediments on air quality, the environment and people. This has included assessing the methods used to study dust emission at different spatial and temporal scales and how these methods are connected from the use of satellite data at the landform-scale to electron microscopy at the grain-scale. Her current focus is on applying her aeolian expertise to the study of mine dust with emphasis on the monitoring and measurement, exposure and health effects, environmental impacts and mitigation strategies. Her research aims to advance knowledge and solutions suited to resource-limited developing countries.

Her background is in aeolian processes and mechanisms, with her PhD completed in Environmental and Geographical Sciences, focusing on natural dust emission from desert regions in Southern Africa. She has a broad range of experience starting in private industry where she worked for SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance) in their minerals division laboratory and air quality monitoring section performing compliance testing for a variety of clients. Her research career developed during her time at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M University and at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria where she was involved in several research studies on soils and materials for road construction.