Biography
Seifu Kebede Gurmessa obtained BSc degree in Geology (1994) and MSc degree in Hydrogeology (1999) both from Addis Ababa University. He obtained a PhD degree from the University of Avignon, France in 2005 in Isotope (tracer) hydrogeology. Between 1994 and 1999, he served the School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) as research assistant and junior lecturer. For about one year (2005-2006), after completion of his PhD work, he served the International Atomic Energy Agency as Junior Professional Officer. On return to the Addis Ababa University in 2007, he was appointed as Assistant Professor of Hydrogeology and later in 2013; he was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Hydrogeology. He joined the School of Agricultural Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre of Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu Natal in September 2019.
He has authored more than 70 peer reviewed articles in various hydrogeology/hydrology topics, as well as a Springer Nature book on groundwater in Ethiopia.
He has worked with several international organizations such as AMCOW, IAEA, UNESCO, UNICEF and NBI, as well as multiple NGOs and the private sector operating in Africa. He serves as regional contact person for the USGS groundwater mapping project in Ethiopia. Over the last ten years, he has built extensive collaborative research projects and networks in the Africa region. He was the Africa-Oxford fellow in 2018 and has international short-term teaching experience in various African countries, and internationally (e.g University of Doshihsa, Japan; University of Bochum, Germany). He contributed to the various IAH strategic policy papers as well as to various global groundwater mapping efforts (e.g BGS’s Groundwater Atlas of Africa, BRGMs Hydrogeology map of Africa, World Karst Map etc). He is currently providing technical backstopping to finance organization of their groundwater investment programs
Personal statement
By working closely with IAH council and the national chapters, I will endeavour to ensure that relevant and current hydrogeological/groundwater knowledge reaches all corners of SSA. I will continue to work with all stakeholders at all levels for a better use of hydrogeology knowledge in practice and policy making in SSA. As Regional Vice President of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) between 2020-2024, I promoted IAH as an international knowledge base contributing to sustainable management and development. I worked with regional bodies such as the AMCOW and its groundwater program (APaGROP) for a better use and assimilation of hydrogeological knowledge in SA groundwater policymaking. I contributed to the formation of national chapters in Ghana, Malawi, Ethiopia and Kenya. I used various global scale platforms (e.g UN Water, UNESCO Groundwater summit) to showcase statutes of groundwater in SSA and promoted the need to accelerate the sustainable use of groundwater to meet SDG targets. During my tenure as IAH vice president, I witnessed growth in investment in the groundwater sector in Africa and will continue to ensure that groundwater gains a firm policy standing at regional and national scales in SSA.
