Prof Jemma Finch is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and holds a PhD from the University of York. A palaeoecologist by training, her research focuses on reconstructing past climates and environmental changes using plant and animal remains preserved in lake and wetland sediments.
She is the recipient of the 2021 UKZN Vice-Chancellor’s Research Award and serves as an Associate Editor for the South African Journal of Science in the fields of Archaeology, Anthropology, and Palaeontology. She is also a Research Associate with the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) and sits on the National Research Foundation (NRF) Earth Science Specialist Committee.
At UKZN, Jemma lectures in physical geography, with a focus on biogeography and global environmental change. She has particular interests in field-based teaching, language accessibility, outreach, and developing scientific writing skills.
Prof Jemma Finch is interested in past climate-human-environment interactions in southern Africa during the geologically recent past (late Quaternary). She uses a range of proxy techniques (fossil pollen, charcoal, geochemistry, foraminifera, tree rings) to understand past environmental processes e.g. climate, fire, sea level, and vegetation dynamics.
Kirsten, K.L., Dirk, C.J., Finch, J., Gillson, L. (2024). The application of palaeoenvironmental research in supporting land management approaches and conservation in South Africa. In: von Maltitz, G.P. et al. (eds). Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change: Science for Management and Policy Interventions. Springer.
Associate Professor
Geography
finchj@ukzn.ac.za
033 260 6374
