Dr Julia Giddy, University of Mpumalanga
Julia Giddy is a geographer with a PhD from Nelson Mandela University (2016). Her research focuses on ecotourism, adventure and nature-based tourism and the tourism-poverty nexus. Her work considers the platform economy and environmental sociology, specialising in human-environment interaction and tourism geographies. A co-founder of the University of Michigan’s Department of Geological Sciences Outreach Program for high school students (2008–2010), Giddy remains a champion for educating children on earth sciences as a future career. In 2020, Dr Giddy was awarded the Society for South African Geographer’s Centenary Award for Emerging Researchers to continue work on young South African engagement with nature-based tourism and National Parks. Dr Giddy holds a Y2 NRF rating.