Thorsten Shibambu

Biography

Thorsten is passionate about sustainable development, especially the advancement of energy generation, food production and water harvesting technologies. He is currently reading a DPhil in Engineering Science, focusing on developing a model to understand how solar panels' shade affects the solar radiation reaching the ground. This research aims to find the optimal panel layout to maximise the yield of both electricity and crops. He holds a BSc(Eng) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cape Town (UCT). During his time at UCT, Thorsten directed a program that helped students from resource-scarce high schools transition to university through free mentorship and tutoring. He also served as an orientation leader, tutor, teaching assistant and research assistant for the engineering faculty. All this sparked his interest in South Africa's primary education. At Oxford, he continues to deepen his understanding of the energy sector while working on a potential solution to the global energy challenges. He is also exploring other disciplines particularly education, humanities and law and hopes to work on a start-up project. Outside academics, Thorsten enjoys attending events, watching and playing football, and taking walks to Port Meadow.