Dr Nokuthula Nhleko

Dr Nokuthula Mbanyana-Nhleko is an Entomologist/Curator at Iziko Museums of South Africa. Her research focus is on systematics and biogeography of ants in southern Africa. Her current projects are focusing on understanding the historical and contemporary evolutionary processes and patterns that have shaped ant diversity and distributions in the arid regions of southern Africa, through using integrative approaches that combine next generation DNA sequencing data and morphological data. Her research also includes investigating the physiological adaptations of these ants to arid environments. This research has applications towards decision making around climate change mitigation. This study provides a useful model to make conservation management recommendations for other insect species endemic to these dry regions. Bringing the knowledge generated through science to the mainstream of exhibitions and telling new stories related to societal benefit is of keen interest to Nokuthula.