Thomas Van Huyssteen

I am a PhD candidate completing a double PhD in which I specialise in economics at University of Cape Town, in South Africa, and in energy and resource science at the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands. My research focus is on the Water-Energy-Food nexus and sustainable development in South Africa. I am also an analyst at Firdale Consulting, which is a company specialising in data management and impact evaluation for development projects for non-profit organisations in South Africa. As an analyst, I focus on performing quantitative statistical analysis on the performance of development projects and assisting clients with data management. I see the world differently to most people. Maintaining a bias for hope, I believe in dedicating my work to solving pressing problems of sustainable development. I ultimately aspire to contribute significantly towards improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable, while promoting a more equal, sustainable, and peaceful society.

• Awarded the NRF-Nuffic Scholarship for Double PhD Degree
• Awarded the Eiffel Tower Scholarship by Campus France
• One of three South African Students Selected to attend the BRICS NU Winter School in Brazil
• Class Representative at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance
• Represented Western Province Provincial Currie Cup Water Polo Team

• Data First Training, School of Economics (UCT)
• Measuring Economic Welfare
• Introduction to R
• Analysing Spatial Data Using R

• The Water, Land, and Carbon Intensity of Electricity Production: The Case of South Africa. 2023. Journal of Cleaner Production. Volume 411.
• The Sustainability of Agricultural Trade in South Africa. Journal of Cleaner Production Letters. (Forthcoming)
• The Determinants of Household Water Demand: A Focus on Water, Energy, and Food Prices. Ecological Economics (Forthcoming)

• Master’s Thesis (2021): Capitalising on Commodity Price Booms for Development: An Analysis through the Lens of Mining Employment in South Africa. Pantheon Sorbonne University (Supervisor: Remi Bazillier). (Grade: Distinction)
• Master’s Thesis (2020): The Factors Affecting Household Water Demand in Mpumalanga, South Africa. University of Cape Town (Supervisor: Djiby Thiam). (Grade: Distinction)

• European Geosciences Union General Assembly (Vienna, Austria 2023)
• Science Technology and Society Conference (Graz, Austria 2023)
• BRICS Network University (NU) Winter School (Sao Paulo, Brazil 2019)

• Desire to give back and help others
• Deep fascination with nature and the functioning of our natural world
• Passionate sportsman and sports fan
• Passion for the outdoors and exploring