Dr Rodney Eksteen

Dr Rodney Eksteen’s research investigates Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR), fire dynamics in informal settlements, and the operational efficacy of Incident Management Systems, with particular emphasis on high-risk, socio-economically vulnerable, and remote populations. Grounded in decades of frontline operational practice and foundational research at the Institute of Social and Health Sciences (ISHS), his scholarship examines how disaster risk frameworks translate into ethically grounded, socially suitable, and community-led interventions. His recorded research impact spans major multi-agency initiatives, including collaborations with the Fire Engineering Research Unit (FireSUN) at Stellenbosch University, the UK Global Challenges Research Fund IRIS project, and the Santam-Partnership for Risk and Resilience. Dr Eksteen conducted landmark field evaluations of large-scale smoke alarm rollouts in vulnerable settlements and co-developed the multi-level Ukuphepha community engagement model. His academic contributions were recognised with the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from Oklahoma State University’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. Dr Eksteen welcomes prospective Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates, including PhD and Master by Research students, seeking to investigate disaster risk governance, community resilience in Northern Australia and international contexts, informal settlement safety, and experiential emergency simulation systems.