Dr Sara Burness

Lecturer/Research Officer

Qualifications

BSc (Honours) Earth Sciences (2013, SU), MSc Geology (2015, SU), PhD Geology (2019, Wits)

Background

Sara completed her undergraduate and master’s studies in Earth Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch. In 2016, Sara enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand for a PhD in Geology with a research focus on sulphur cycling in ancient subduction zones with implications for PGE remobilisation in the crust-mantle system. Sara then worked as an LA-ICP-MS Instrument Scientist at the University of Johannesburg and continued her investigations into the origins of diamonds and metallogenesis as a Research Fellow at both UJ and Wits, before taking up a lecturer position within the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT. 

Employment

2023 - present

Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering, UCT 

2022 - 2023

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Wits

2020 - 2022

LA-ICP-MS Instrument Scientist & Research Fellow, UJ

Research Interests

Minerals Research, Froth Flotation, Stable Isotope Geochemistry, Diamonds