John K. E. Mfune

Biography

Prof. John Mfune has over 20 year of teaching at tertiary level. He has lectured at the University of Malawi, Chancellor College between 1987 and 2002 where he also served as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Coordinator of the MSc in Environmental Science and Deputy Director of Postgraduate studies at Chancellor College. John is an Associate Professor in Terrestrial Ecology and Environmental Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Namibia. Prof Mfune has carried out research that include but not limited to Human wildlife Conflicts along the borders of Etosha National Park, host parasite interactions (small mammals and ectoparasites), effects of bush encroachment on the biological diversity of small mammals and invertebrates and on emerging rodent- borne and shrew-borne viruses (e.g. hantaviruses) in Namibia and climate change project on Future Resilience For African Cities and Lands (FRACTAL) with focus to generate, understand and incorporate climate information into urban decision-making in the city of Windhoek and Eco-physiological responses of ungulates towards heat and drought in the Damaraland desert of Namibia. Prof Mfune was recently successfully awarded a research grant from START (Global change Systems for Analysis, Research and Training) to conduct a collaborative research project on “Water security in Windhoek: governance, water demand and supply, and livelihoods in the context of urbanization and climate Change). Prof Mfune served as Coordinator of the MSc Biodiversity Management and Research Program, an international postgraduate Program jointly run by the University of Namibia and Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany from 2005 to 2016. Prof Mfune is actively involved in Environmental policy issues. John Mfune participated in drafting the Namibia Climate Change Policy and the associated Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan in 2010, drafting of the in 2015, Prof John Mfune developed Guidelines for Integrating HIV and Gender-Related Issues into Environmental Impact Assessments For Capital Projects in Namibia, Commissioned by Ministry of Environment and Tourism. In 2012, Prof John Mfune led the team developed the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2011-2020 for Namibia at the request of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism under the UNCBD. Prof John Kazgeba Mfunes is currently the Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Namibia

Research Interest

 Ecosystem Ecology, Biogeography, Behavioral Ecology, Ecological Field Techniques, Projects and Advanced Skills in Biology