
Stephanus H Coetzee
Scientist and Instrument Specialist
Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI)

Being with Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) since 2015. My career started as a Metallurgist in weapon’s development in South Africa. A International peace deal reduced weapons export from South Africa, and as a newly employed I was suddenly without employment. My career in Microscopy started in a very awkward manner when my lecturer announced he need some male support with a group of six female students camping on the way to the microscopy conference in Cape town. As a young man, I was immediately interested. Never look back again. I was employed at the Department of Material Science in UCT after the Microscopy for Southern Africa conference. From there I did the day-to-day running of the Electron Microscope facility at Wits University. I was asked to help establish the microscope facility at UB, after which I joined BITRI in 2015, where I am currently residing. Establishing the CMS which is an ISO17025 accredited lab. With publications cutting across various fields of microscopy which range from Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy, Light microscopy, Transmission Electron microscopy, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, High resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy. Also well conversed in sample preparation techniques like Ultramicrotomy, Precision Ion Milling, Energy Dispersive Xray analysis, creating Geological thin sections. I solved many problems through applying techniques in a unique way to tackle challenges. The published research in various fields e.g. Geology, Metallurgy, Acarology and Microbiology has more than 600 citations and I have a h-Index of 12. Today you will see that microscopy points the way into the future.
