Christopher Magadza
{{Short description|Zimbabwean limnologist (born 1939)}}
{{Infobox academic
| honorific_suffix = FAAS
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1939}}
| birth_place = Burma Valley, Manicaland
| education = University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (BSc, MSc)
University of Auckland (PhD)
| workplaces = University of Zimbabwe
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
African Academy of Sciences
Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve
| image = File:Christopher Magadza.jpg
| caption = Christopher Magadza in 2017
| thesis_title = Comparative limnology of six hydroelectric dams on the Waikato River, New Zealand
| thesis_url = https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/1409
| thesis_year = 1973
}}
Christopher Magadza (born 1939, Burma Valley) is a Zimbabwean limnologist and poet. He has conducted research on the Planning and Management Model of Lakes and Reservoirs (PAMOLARE) as a tool in predicting and managing changes in lakes. He is a poet who belongs to a generation of great but largely unrecognized poets, whose talents emerged almost untutored, born of tenacity, inspiration, and a desire to capture their particular colonial, social, and personal circumstances. He is a founding fellow of both the African Academy of Sciences and the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences.
Life and career
= Early life and education =
Christopher Magadza was born in a village in Chief Kaswas's area, now called Burma Valley, in Manicaland, Zimbabwe in 1939. His family worked as laborers on a farm and did not own it.{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Derek |date=2014-05-13 |title=Hope is a Waking Dream: Magadza Research |url=https://hopeisawakingdream29.blogspot.com/2014/05/magadza-research.html |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Hope is a Waking Dream |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155739/https://hopeisawakingdream29.blogspot.com/2014/05/magadza-research.html |url-status=live }} He attended St Augustine's Mission, Penhalonga, near Mutare, and Fletcher High School in Gweru.{{Cite web |title=Chris Magadza |url=https://www.poetryinternational.com/poets-poems/poets/poet/102-6529_Magadza |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.poetryinternational.com |language=nl |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155802/https://www.poetryinternational.com/en/poets-poems/poets/poet/102-6529_Magadza |url-status=live }} After completing his secondary schooling, he pursued a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science at the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Magadza completed his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. in Limnology {{Scholia}}
from the Department of Biology at the University of Zimbabwe, where he is well known for his environmental studies in zoology and climatology.{{Cite web |title=Green revolutionist Chris Magadza on Zimbabwean poetry and non-reading UZ students » Zimbabwe reads |url=https://zimbabwereads.org/news/green-revolutionist-chris-magadza-on-zimbabwean-poetry-and-non-reading-uz-students/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155755/https://zimbabwereads.org/news/green-revolutionist-chris-magadza-on-zimbabwean-poetry-and-non-reading-uz-students/ |url-status=live }} He has conducted research on the Planning and Management Model of Lakes and Reservoirs (PAMOLARE) as a tool in predicting and managing changes in lakes.
Magadza was a member of the International Lake Environment Committee and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,{{Cite book |last1=Gebrewold |first1=Belachew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HqNTDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA77 |title=Understanding Migrant Decisions: From Sub-Saharan Africa to the Mediterranean Region |last2=Bloom |first2=Tendayi |date=2016-06-10 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-00478-3 |language=en |access-date=2023-04-07 |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155813/https://books.google.com/books?id=HqNTDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA77 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |url=https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tar/vol4/index.php?idp=16 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=archive.ipcc.ch |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155757/https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tar/vol4/index.php?idp=16 |url-status=live }} and has conducted research on inland waters in New Zealand, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.{{Cite web |title=The power of digital media in wildlife conservation |url=https://www.herald.co.zw/the-power-of-digital-media-in-wildlife-conservation/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=The Herald |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155800/https://www.herald.co.zw/the-power-of-digital-media-in-wildlife-conservation/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite book |last=Programme |first=United Nations Environment |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WVauGYae-tEC&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA397 |title=Global Environment Outlook: Environment for Development, GEO 4 |date=2007 |publisher=UNEP/Earthprint |isbn=978-92-807-2836-1 |language=en |access-date=2023-04-07 |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155808/https://books.google.com/books?id=WVauGYae-tEC&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA397 |url-status=live }} In 2012, Magadza indicated that 50% of the water supplied to Harare is recycled urine due to man-made drought{{Cite web |last=Radio |first=Nehanda |date=2012-12-07 |title=Harare residents drinking urine |url=http://nehandaradio.com/2012/12/07/harare-residents-drinking-urine/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Nehanda Radio |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155746/https://nehandaradio.com/2012/12/07/harare-residents-drinking-urine/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Harare drinking water polluted - UZ |url=https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-99733.html |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Bulawayo24 News |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155807/https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-99733.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=NewsDay |first=The |title=Multimedia:When water taps run dry |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/news/article/170879/multimediawhen-water-taps-run-dry |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=NewsDay |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155753/https://www.newsday.co.zw/news/article/170879/multimediawhen-water-taps-run-dry |url-status=live }} which was part of nationwide threat to wetlands.{{Cite web |date=2018-09-03 |title=Zimbabwe's Wetlands Threatened, as Illegal Development Goes Unpunished |url=https://globalpressjournal.com/africa/zimbabwe/zimbabwes-wetlands-threatened-illegal-development-goes-unpunished/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Global Press Journal |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203065132/https://globalpressjournal.com/africa/zimbabwe/zimbabwes-wetlands-threatened-illegal-development-goes-unpunished/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Wetlands: Constructing ourselves out of water |url=https://www.herald.co.zw/wetlands-constructing-ourselves-out-of-water/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=The Herald |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155753/https://www.herald.co.zw/wetlands-constructing-ourselves-out-of-water/ |url-status=live }} In February 2017, he advocated for Zimbabwe to ban the use of plastic{{Cite web |title=Zimbabwe's styrofoam ban – DW – 10/02/2017 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/cleaning-up-zimbabwe-with-a-styrofoam-ban/a-40781948 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=dw.com |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155753/https://www.dw.com/en/cleaning-up-zimbabwe-with-a-styrofoam-ban/a-40781948 |url-status=live }} which was passed as a law panning Styrofoam in June of the same year.{{Cite web |title=Zimbabwe Bans Plastic Foam Containers to Protect Environment |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/zimbabwe-ban-plastic-foam/3945349.html |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=VOA |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2017-10-03 |title=Cleaning up Zimbabwe with a Styrofoam ban |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-03-cleaning-up-zimbabwe-with-a-styrofoam-ban/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA |archive-date=2022-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815182410/https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-03-cleaning-up-zimbabwe-with-a-styrofoam-ban/ |url-status=live }}
Although he retired from the University of Zimbabwe in 2007, he still teaches. He is actively involved in post-retirement activities, including the restoration of Lake Chivero{{Cite web |author=Staff Reporter |date=2018-02-18 |title=Legislator wants Long Cheng Plaza destroyed |url=https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/parliament-parliament/legislator-wants-long-cheng-plaza-destroyed/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=The Zimbabwe Mail |language=en-GB |archive-date=2022-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001022715/https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/parliament-parliament/legislator-wants-long-cheng-plaza-destroyed/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=NewsDay |first=The |title=New cholera scare hits Harare |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/news/article/130412/new-cholera-scare-hits-harare |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=NewsDay |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155814/https://www.newsday.co.zw/news/article/130412/new-cholera-scare-hits-harare |url-status=live }} and Lake Kariba,{{Cite book |last=Sicilia |first=Olga |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1aBb-TJ23u4C&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA8 |title=There Is No Such Thing As a Spirit in the Stone! Misrepresentations of Zimbabwean Stone Sculpture: An Anthropological Approach |date=August 2010 |publisher=Universal-Publishers |isbn=978-1-59942-711-9 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Theroux |first=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8CfAxdzXM_oC&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PT194 |title=Fresh-air Fiend: Travel Writings, 1985-2000 |date=2011-08-04 |publisher=Penguin Books Limited |isbn=978-0-241-95055-5 |language=en}} and the establishment of the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve in the Global family of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Magadza has conducted studies on the basic chemical composition of inorganic elements in African lakes, the environmental biology of fishes,{{Cite web |last=Tsiko |first=Sifelani |title=Zimbabwe: Lake Chivero - a Polluted Lake |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200701161086.html |website=allAfrica}} water quality measurements,{{Cite web |title=Redirect Notice |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/466959?ln=en&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjStfDmx5j-AhUrbKQEHVscAmIQFnoECAEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw38AFLYgcf5l-hV3QtmP4AN |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.google.com |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413160326/https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/466959?ln=en&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjStfDmx5j-AhUrbKQEHVscAmIQFnoECAEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw38AFLYgcf5l-hV3QtmP4AN |url-status=live }} and climate change.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rBcKcqJRmrQC&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PR14 |title=Toward Environmentally Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A World Bank Agenda |date=1996 |publisher=World Bank Publications |isbn=978-0-8213-3599-4 |language=en |access-date=2023-04-07 |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413160314/https://books.google.com/books?id=rBcKcqJRmrQC&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PR14 |url-status=live }}{{Cite book |last=Falola |first=Toyin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zJ0H12tCCXUC&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA327 |title=Nationalism and African Intellectuals |date=2004 |publisher=University Rochester Press |isbn=978-1-58046-149-8 |language=en |access-date=2023-04-07 |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413160316/https://books.google.com/books?id=zJ0H12tCCXUC&dq=%22Christopher+Magadza%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA327 |url-status=live }}
Magadza was one of the founders of the African Academy of Sciences in 1985{{Cite web |title=Magadza Christopher {{!}} The AAS |url=https://www.aasciences.africa/fellow/magadza-christopher |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.aasciences.africa |archive-date=2022-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107125907/https://www.aasciences.africa/fellow/magadza-christopher |url-status=live }} and its vice president from 1987 until 1990.{{Cite web |title=The Governing Council {{!}} The AAS |url=https://www.aasciences.africa/governing-council |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.aasciences.africa |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413160353/https://www.aasciences.africa/governing-council |url-status=live }}
= Poetry =
Magadza published several books of poetry{{Cite web |title=New collection of poems by Christopher Magadza on Poetry International Web {{!}} The Power of Culture |url=http://www.krachtvancultuur.nl/en/current/2006/may/poetryweb.html |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.krachtvancultuur.nl |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413160304/http://www.krachtvancultuur.nl/en/current/2006/may/poetryweb.html |url-status=live }} and is recognised as a significant voice in Zimbabwean poetry. has been praised for capturing colonial, social, and personal circumstances.{{Cite web |title=The Poetry of Chris Magadza Reviewed |url=https://www.poetryinternational.com/poets-poems/article/104-6527_The-Poetry-of-Chris-Magadza-Reviewed |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.poetryinternational.com |language=nl |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413155808/https://www.poetryinternational.com/en/poets-poems/article/104-6527_The-Poetry-of-Chris-Magadza-Reviewed |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Music motivated the fighters |url=https://www.herald.co.zw/music-motivated-the-fighters/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=The Herald |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413160308/https://www.herald.co.zw/music-motivated-the-fighters/ |url-status=live }} Magadza's poetry often reflects on the political and social context of Zimbabwe, with some of his work referencing the country's violent history and dashed hopes for change.
While specific details about the critical reception of Magadza's poetry are not provided in the search results, it is noted that his work has been published on the Poetry International Web forum, and he has been active for decades.{{Cite web |title=New collection of poems by Christopher Magadza on Poetry International Web {{!}} The Power of Culture |url=https://www.krachtvancultuur.nl/en/current/2006/may/poetryweb.html |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.krachtvancultuur.nl |archive-date=2023-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413160333/https://www.krachtvancultuur.nl/en/current/2006/may/poetryweb.html |url-status=live }} Additionally, Magadza is described as belonging to a generation of poets whose talents emerged "almost untutored, born of tenacity, inspiration, and a desire to capture their particular colonial, social, and personal circumstances".
Awards and honours
In 2007, Magadza was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and former vice president Al Gore for their work on climate change assessment. He is a founding fellow of the African Academy of Sciences in 1985, and the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences.
References
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Category:University of Zimbabwe alumni
Category:University of Zimbabwe
Category:University of Auckland alumni
Category:Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change lead authors
Category:Founder fellows of the African Academy of Sciences