9 Jan 1947 – 15 Apr 2020
- Chair of Earth Stewardship Science at the Nelson Mandela University;
- Philipson-Stow Chair of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Cape Town;
- Research Positions in Africa: BPI Geophysics Wits University, UN in Ethiopia;
- Research Positions held in Europe at: IPGP-Paris, GFZ-Potsdam, University of Utrecht, Imperial College of London;
- Research Positions held in North America at: MIT Earth and Planetary Sciences, Queens University (Honorary DSc), NASA Lunar & Planetary Institute, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University;
- Research Position held in South America at University of Santiago Chile;
- PhD Cambridge University
- BSc/MA Trinity College Dublin
- Born in Holland
The Africa Earth Observatory Network (AEON) pays tribute to its Founding Director, Professor Maarten de Wit.
A remarkable contribution to our past, present and future
He would say to all including his students: “you call me Maarten”
Henceforth, Prof de Wit will be called Maarten.
An A1-rated National Research Foundation (NRF) scientist, Maarten was recognised nationally and internationally for his groundbreaking research projects, impacting hundreds of lives around the globe, with knock-on effects that will penetrate through generations. Maarten would have not become a lead geoscientist if it had not been for South Africa’s geology. He first came in mid-1980 to study the Makhonjwa Mountains in Barberton, which preserves some of the oldest and most complex rocks on Earth, and became passionate about learning from their ancient stories, and in particular how life first started, and how to use cutting-edge science experiments to learn as much as possible. This was a lifetime job that rapidly expanded into global tectonics, ecological geodynamics, geopolitics and complex systems solving, especially in Africa. This was for many years in the center of his Gondwana supercontinent reconstruction, which for the first time reunited the entire geology of Africa, South America, Antarctica, India and Australia. Maarten’s enthusiasm that encouraged lateral thinking touched many students, leading him to become an excellent professor. His “African Plate” class was one that many students could not wait to attend.
Maarten had a way of sharing knowledge that was desperately exciting and ignited the imagination. “What do we know about Africa?” “What is Africa?” “How can these questions be answered?” His inquisition would often be rhetorical, but his message was clear, there are mysteries traversing Africa’s length and breadth across billions of years, that would provide not only fantastical and magical stories, but also hard facts that could better inform a continent. With him, everything was inherently connected and should be woven together, especially within the structures of the university. Such thinking was behind his initiation of two multinational large scale scientific projects: the Kaapvaal Craton and the iKhure projects.
In 2006 he founded the African Earth Observatory Network (AEON) with 14 other scientists spread across 5 universities in South Africa, and 1 each in the UK and Australia. AEON was the logical development of what was probably the first university based GIS center in Africa called ‘Centre for Interactive Graphical Computing’ that Maarten setup. He already saw in the early 1990s the need for geological mapping to go digital and geo-information to be integrated. His focus then turned to Earth Stewardship Science with Africa as ‘top discount store for natural resources’ at the center of the debate. Ecological economics was the underlying theme.
Since joining the Nelson Mandela University in mid-2011, Maarten built a transdisciplinary research and postgraduate students program through the AEON linked Earth Stewardship Science Research Institute (ESSRI), which served as a driver of the Global Change Grand Challenge National Research Plan. His exceptionally vast scientific interests encompassed a diversity of research projects on African geology, eco-dynamics, economics, sustainability of natural resources, intergenerational equity and transformation in agriculture linked to science and technology. Maarten focused on unravelling the deep structures of southern Africa and recently establishing a natural baseline of the Karoo as a key scientific voice to the debate on shale gas; but more so for the NRF-Department of Science and Innovation (NRF-DSI) sponsored Inkaba-ye-Africa (now known as Iphakade) and Global Change programmes. These programmes funded the development of over 300 graduate and postgraduate students across many South African universities, of which he personally supervised over 75 thesis-based PhD and MSc students. Maarten planted the seeds of a new ocean sciences initiative at Nelson Mandela University, asserting that a university by the sea without ocean sciences is an oxymoron.
Maarten was not simply satisfied with a deep and unrelenting understanding of the planet, but understood implicitly the crisis confronting Earth – our only home, and that there was an urgent and pressing need to confront the damage inflicted on our Commons. He understood that the solutions for the future could not be found in the antiquated thinking locked within the confines of disciplinary science, which contributed to the present crisis. Building on the thinking of Darwin, Humboldt, Goethe, O.E. Wilson, J. Lovelock and others he advanced the transdisciplinary science of Earth Stewardship, which sought to build an integrated approach to understanding the impacts of geological, biological, social and cultural processes. Through AEON-ESSRI, Maarten championed this through his commitment to social engagement and collaboration. He enlisted the support of numerous colleagues, government departments, state funded research institutions, and ultimately establishing the first NRF funded program for Earth Stewardship Science, focused on research and training of young scientists in Africa. Iphakade (‘observe the past and present to ponder the future’) serves to produce a new generation of young scientists capacitated and ready to address some of the planet’s most pressing challenges.
Today graduated students from AEON are all around the world in academia, government, civil society, and industry, making their contributions towards preserving and rebuilding our collective Commons. He was emphatic that whilst this applied to scientists, scholars, and thinkers in the academy, it meant nothing if it didn’t include the voices and agency of ordinary people, their hopes, their fears and their aspirations for the future. Maarten believed that the world yet to come belonged to all who occupied it, and as such that all had a stake in its future, not just scientists, politicians or the wealthy. With this in mind he built a formidable practice of citizen science in various communities of the Eastern Cape. This commitment to coproduction of knowledge was initiated with the Karoo Ground Water Monitoring Programme, and the establishment of a !Nau-Omkai Ku Dara (‘Transformation – building each other’) Khoisan indigenous research unit. In working with communities he embedded a fastidious attention to detail, and respect for their ideas, and agency, in both determining the research agenda and contributing to knowledge building, through citizen science. Maarten placed the youth at the center of all these initiatives, believing in their generational equity and having faith in the great value of their contribution.
Maarten saw a new way forward by co-creating the ‘Africa Alive Corridors”. He recognised that the African people are the building blocks of a new era, informed by 4 billion years of history, combined with the minds of exceptional leaders, like Nelson Mandela, Wangari Maathai, and many more, who have in their efforts lead us to this moment. Leaders, poets, song writers, earth scientists, and community members alike, have written poetry, told stories, sang songs, and filled book after book, that if coalesced into a single concept, or perhaps a multitude of concepts, might be embraced by “the children of today’s world and the children of tomorrow’s world” who together can reduce the suffering of all human-, animal- and plant- kind. Maarten and all the other visionaries of yesterday’s world have shown us new potentialities by their unique experiences on a continent in constant flux with itself and the rest of the world. In one way or another, they have experienced the horrors of a continent troubled by its past, yet they have also seen the endless beauty and possibilities for an African cosmodern future. The Africa Alive Corridors forms part of this vision, by uniting the sciences with the humanities, as “…two sides of the same stick”. Now, more than ever we will work harder and smarter to fulfil the dreams of yesterday’s visionaries and pass it on to new generations.
Maarten published extensively and was a founding member of the South Africa Academy of Science, an Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society of America, and of the Geological Society of London; and served actively on the editorial boards of five international journals.
Maarten is survived by his life partner Lynne Ferguson, his daughter Thandi, and son Tjaart.
Africa Alive Corridor (AAC) Journals – Celebrating Maarten
I first met and started working with Maarten when I returned from abroad in the mid-1990’s. He was different and refreshing, open and positive minded, big and forward thinking. Working with him was challenging at times, but always hugely rewarding and always a privilege. His passing leaves an enormous void.
I remember Maarten as a larger-than-life character, full of energy, enthusiastic about his ideas and never afraid to speak his mind. He did not “suffer fools gladly”. I can recall several occasions when he would interrupt a discussion in the field or at an academic meeting with “But you don’t know that” or “You need to keep it honest”. Maarten’s explosive approach to debate was often misinterpreted as aggressive and there were times when this was the case but more often it was because he felt strongly that research should focus on new ideas rather than reinforcing existing opinion.
In addition to his contributions to our understanding of the Early Earth tectonics and the influence many of his papers had on me as a researcher and an academic, I will also remember Maarten for his advocacy of building capacity by creating opportunities for African students to undertake post-graduate studies. This first came to my attention when he was at UCT and so ably assisted by Marian Tredoux but it blossomed when he moved to NMU. While many academics elected not to take on this challenge Maarten chose to become synonymous with the cause and challenged a range of funding agencies both in South Africa and globally to support him and through him the next generation of African Geoscientists.
Maarten was not always easy to work with but he was always full of ideas and I had tremendous respect for him. His contribution to the geosciences in South Africa was immense and he thoroughly deserved his status as an A-rated researcher and thus an International Leader in his field.
I regarded Maarten as both a mentor and a friend and will miss him.
Maarten was a second dad and a source of great inspiration to develop my passion for field geology. I remember when we first met in France in 2007. He offered me to come to the Congo to look for diamonds and do a PhD. I could not speak english but I felt in his hand check that this could be a great adventure. Few weeks later I was in Africa for my first time and camping in the jungle to look at the rocks around. He then gave me the opportunity to help drilling in Botswana and invited me to a conference in Brazil. I had to negotiate with him my stay to be longer because he was worry I will meet someone nice there and not come back finish my thesis, but eventually I had enough time to do my own bus-motel trip and discover new connections between Africa and South America. Maarten probably knew since the beginning of my study but for me it was a revelation to understanding a little about Gondwana supercontinent. I enjoyed the other conferences with him in many countries of Africa, where I could also escape to visit and see new places. More recently we were now doing field trips together, riding our own 4×4 across South Africa, camping in wild places and enjoying our mutual appreciation for this, especially in the Transkei and Drakensberg. I have many great memories. I learnt a lot with Maarten: how to speak english, write my thesis, articles, books, and teach. I really appreciated drawing and painting with him, and the very different ideas he shared with me. Of course, I share the sadness but I am also happy about the adventure of knowing him and the enthusiasm he gave around that we can change the way of doing doing things. Best, Bastien.
I first met Maarten when we were new arrivals at the Bernard Price Institute (BPI) at Wits University at about 1977-8. Although mainly a field geologist, he was intensely interested in our work in the geochronology laboratory. In 1985 I was lucky enough to get the chance to move to the ANU when the SHRIMP was just starting, and I took some of Maarten’s critical samples from Barberton to date. I still clearly remember getting the first results in the middle of the night and that they confirmed his observations. I don’t think I slept much that night as this was confirmation of a whole new view on the stratigraphic and tectonic history of the classic Barberton Belt, and an incredibly important move forward in our understanding of the early planet. I wanted to call him but couldn’t, and had to use the fax the next morning and then wait another 24 hours to get a reply. He was so excited and appreciative.
Although not a chem lab person – indeed his lab was in the field – he really appreciated good data and encouraged us lab-rats (including the late Sam Bowring from MIT) to get the information that field geologists need. In our case this was to test his observations and conclusions with the best geochronological data we could obtain.
His enthusiasm and love for the science was infectious and unlike a lot of academics he didn’t just specialise in one aspect of the earth sciences, and continued on to become a world-renowned expert in Gondwana geology (with the construction of the Gondwana map a special highlight) and used his unique skills to gather teams around him to tackle many other projects in Africa and other regions around the globe. His work on the Cape Fold Belt, the Kango, the Karoo and others will undoubtedly prove to be enduring contributions for years ahead.
We continued to have that field/lab collaboration for 35 years and in fact I have the results of our latest work together on the Kango here on my desk. I wish I had been able to send it to him. He would have been pleased to know that his observations and “gut-feelings” were spot on, again. I would have got a message or a phone call (with the usual colourful language) and he would be walking along whistling that same old tune that I never could identify and planning the next project!
It has been a privilege to be a colleague of Maarten’s. It was always fun and I will miss him dearly. My very, very sincere condolences to his family Lynne, Thandi, Tjaart and to his brother Mike.
Maarten and the Gondwana map.
Newly arrived in Johannesburg in 1979, Maarten was a participant in the significant Reunite Gondwana workshop held that year at the Bernard Price Institute of Geophysical Research at The University of the Witwatersrand. Taking into account the enormous advances in earth sciences, data from the relatively new discipline of marine geoscience and modelling of seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges and other major scientific developments, Maarten undertook the enormously ambitious and challenging task of compiling a detailed geological map of Gondwana at a scale of 1:10,000,000, as principal author. A reconstruction of this complexity was cutting edge earth science at multiple levels, a Herculean initiative that would be the catalyst for on-going Gondwana research around the world for decades to come.
Forty years ago, computer graphics were in their infancy and GIS almost unheard of. Continental coastlines and geological data were therefore hand drawn after rotations were performed and plotted using a modified Hypermap program. The positions of the continents were charted at a 1:5,000,000 scale on an equal area projection of Gondwana centred at 20° south, 40° east with Africa fixed in its present day position. Subsequently the cartography was photographically reduced for production at the published scale of 1:10,000,000. During the early 1980’s digital cartography advanced at break neck speed and computer-generated maps were suddenly capable of producing fine geological detail. Maarten fully understood that transitioning in mid-compilation to a digital platform was essential. Without the capacity to interrogate data in the computer environment, a static printed map would be just that – static and soon out dated.
Consequently it became the foundation for a suite of GIS-based research still driving forward today at institutions around the world, including the Gondwana Lab in Rio de Janeiro.
As de Wit explained: “In summary, the break up of Gondwana was a major event in the history of the planet, with profound consequences for its inhabitants and their future. Establishing the detailed kinematics and dynamics of the dispersal of Gondwana will provide the framework into which the dynamics of many past biogenic, geologic, geochemical and geophysical processes must be fitted. This would be an important step towards understanding the workings of planet Earth as a total system.”
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists and The University of the Witwatersrand published the Geological Map of Gondwana Reconstructed to its Disposition C. 150 Ma in 1988, an extraordinary testament to the vision and determination of Prof. Maarten de Wit.
Margaret Jeffrey
Ever since Maarten organised the 10th ‘International Gondwana Conference’ in Cape Town in 1998, we have worked particularly closely together on an evolving intertwining triptych of projects—Gondwana Alive, Earth Alive and Africa Alive. All, at heart, focus on the deep mutual concern that we’ve shared, the Sixth Global Extinction event which we humans have set alight, Our first booklet, ‘Towards Gondwana Alive’, completed along with a number of other colleagues, was published the following year, in 1999. This included a warm endorsement from Nelson Mandela, SA’s President at the time, including the words, for ‘the children of today’s world and the children of tomorrow’s world’.
From this arose the ‘Gondwana Alive Corridors’ (GAC)—presented concurrently by Maarten at the 11th International Gondwana Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, and by myself at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, in August-September 2002. From the GAC has arisen two books now in progress, the ‘Africa Alive Corridors’, with a network of 20 Heritage Corridors across the continent; and the ‘Homo sapiens Corridor’, an especially poignant one of these corridors running along the southern Cape coast. Our ‘Earth Alive; 101 strategies towards stemming the Sixth Extinction & global warming’ initiative was launched at the ‘International Year of Planet Earth’ (IYPE) Congress in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2008. Maarten and I were accompanied there by 10 scholars from South Africa, who teamed up with 10 scholars from Tanzania, to play the EA strategies game. It was a great success enjoyed by all.
Thanks Maarten, we’ve travelled a long creative road together! And now you are suddenly no longer with us. It’s a great shock and very hard to quite grasp. In your honour, we will complete the books we’ve begun, and will forge ahead with our GA/EA/AA projects striving towards a new tomorrow. A world in which all 7,7 billion of us humans team proudly together as Earth stewards, recognising that we share this most exquisite of planets with tens of millions of other species!
John and Marijke Anderson
Maarten De Wit was a huge inspiration to me. Maarten is mainly known for having been an NRF A-rated scientist, but in tandem to his accomplished academic career, he was also extremely passionate about developing Science in Africa, and about science communication. When I joined UCT almost 25 years ago, Maarten was head of the Marine Geosciences unit, and even though I was not in his department, I recall how magnanimous he was with his time and energy. I fondly remember our many hearty discussions about “African Origins” and his passionate ideas at the time to establish a centre for earth stewardship and earth systems science. I am so glad Maarten saw his dream materialise in AEON – which brought together researchers from different academic fields in the spirit of Earth Stewardship Science.
Maarten was truly a giant of a man. It came naturally to him to be an inspirational mentor to many young scientists like myself. Even though he was such a high achiever, he celebrated each of our achievements. After Maarten left UCT, I only spoke to him occasionally – but each time it would be as though no time had lapsed. The last time I saw Maarten was when he surprised me by coming to a public lecture that I was giving at the PE Museum. I was delighted to catch up with him; he looked so fit and well, and it never crossed my mind that it would be the last time I would see him. I feel so fortunate to have known Maarten, and I am so very glad our paths crossed all those years ago. He has left an incredible legacy – not only in Earth Stewardship Science, but also in each and every one of us that he inspired and motivated. Hamba kahle, Maarten.
It is with profound sadness to learn the death of Prof Maarten de wit
Prof Maarten was a great geoscientist well known globally and locally with a tenacious passion for seeing students’ progress. To many, he is a role model, Geologist, researcher, philanthropist and a voice to many disadvantaged students. For me, he was like a father who gave sincere advice that made me change my research after lost for three years and complete progress in my study. Prof Maarten was my saving grace, his invention and support have made it possible for all analysis of my research to be completely done when there was no more hope to complete it. Prof Maarten listens to you irrespective of who you are, level, colour, and race. Prof Maarten stands against persistent inequity and injustices.
Prof Maarten is a great loss to humanity and a huge void in South Africa Geological Society and institution.
I convey my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. May God give the family the strength and support they need in this difficult time.
I met Maarten 18 years ago, when I was puzzling over the problem of how animals colonized Madagascar. I had difficulty accepting that they had rafted on mats of vegetation across hundreds of kilometres of rapidly- flowing Mozambique Channel. We began to ponder this problem together; 18 years later, we may have found a solution through an interdisciplinary research team that was set up through AEON. Before I met Maarten, I was used to being treated as a nobody with girly ideas by many of my male colleagues. Maarten was the first A1 rated scientist I had met, and his reputation terrified me; but he listened to me, and subjected me to intense grilling sessions, to find out how I thought. He made me feel like I mattered to science. When I started to lose confidence, he either told me to take a break and come back twice as strong, or he berated me for wasting my education. One way or another, he made me demand more of myself. He supported my students when I had no funding, and made our research team possible. Hamba gahle, Big Bear.
Meeting you was a divine encounter for a guy who came into South Africa for studies and was stranded. I got admission into UWC for master’s degree and due to delay in visa application, I could not continue with my first supervisor. I remember the then HOD who later became my supervisor, liaise with Prof Donker (a very nice Prof), spoke to you on my behalf and I was enrolled into inkaba. In our department, a lots of international and south African students have benefitted and still benefitting from inkaba (now known as Iphakade). He supervised many and assisted all financially, paid our school fees and supported everything that involves research.
Pictures taken during visit to the glacial environment in Prince Albert
He was so caring, research oriented, strong-willed and very vast in knowledge. He was jack of all trades, a good collaborator and destiny helper. A friend even said he was our finance minister, who have helped a lots of students from disadvantaged background to achieve their dreams. May your soul rest in perfect peace Prof.
I was sad to hear we have lost one of the greatest scientists. Prof. Maarten, you were an inspiration and even greater educator for many. He had an immense contribution in my career. My thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
Maartin was an inspiration to everybody he met in Drogheda Grammar School in Ireland as a pupil and lately as a visiting celebrity. He left a lasting impression on all the students, staff, Board Members and parents. Looking at his list of achievements it is hard to believe that it was all done by one man, one friendly, considerate, modest man.
I had dinner with him on his last visit to Drogheda and it remains as one of the most enjoyable, memorable occasions in recent years.