Bursary Programme at Environmental Resources Management (ERM)

• ERM is seeking graduates who are interested in pursuing full time post-graduate studies with reputable recognised universities. We can offer you an incredibly vast array of opportunities simply because our scope of work is so extensive.
• If you are pursuing studies in the environment, earth or natural sciences, in some of the engineering fields, in economics or the social sciences, then there may be an opportunity for you to work with us! ERM Southern Africa continues to foster transformation.
• Our industry requires high calibre professionals from a multicultural background. We continually seek ways to nurture and develop talent.
• All students with the appropriate undergraduate degree aiming to further their studies in the relevant disciplines may apply. As part of the selection criteria, students are required to choose one essay topic from the below list:

Topic 1

• The importance of Stakeholder Engagement in regional Mine Closure

Topic 2

• The Dark side of the Green Critical Mineral exploitation

​​​​​​​Topic 3

• The carotid rete is a distinctive feature of desert-adapted ungulates such as gemsbok. Critically evaluate the merits of prevailing interpretations of its function, identifying any assumptions or unsupported claims generally presented as fact by available resources or tools. Conclude by explaining the potential implications of relying on these interpretations and assumptions to determine which biological systems (or receptors) may be most at risk of significant impacts in the context of climate change

Topic 4

• Describe your understanding of Sustainable Remediation and why is it necessary to consider. Expand on different sustainable management practices (SMPs) used in sustainable remediation.
• What would be potential roadblocks to implementing sustainable remediation and which strategies would you as a consultant use to advocate for sustainable remediation solutions to the industry who has contracted you. 

​​​​​​​Topic 5

• You are investigating a commercial site that is suspected of having contaminated groundwater because of a petrol spill. Detail your investigation approach, i.e. describe what fieldwork techniques you may use, the methodology of your investigation as well selection of your analytical suites and provide your rationale.
• During your investigation, you discover that a residential property in the vicinity of the site has installed a borehole to abstract and use groundwater. How would this information influence your investigation, what additional aspects would you need to consider safeguarding the borehole users from a risk perspective.

​​​​​​​Topic 6

• Emerging contaminants are increasingly recognised as a major environmental issue due to their persistence and potential human health risks. Within the African context, what emerging contaminant do you believe, could pose significant future liabilities to industry?
• Discuss the challenges with assessing, detecting, quantifying, regulating and managing risks associated with the emerging contaminant. Your essay could be supported by referencing applicable international case studies.

​​​​​​​Topic 7

• Your client operates an opencast mine. At the mine there are different sources of impacts on the surrounding groundwater and surface water resources, including dewatering of the mine as well as pollution from surface infrastructure such as the tailings dam.
• You are asked to, as part of their water management strategy, identify areas where water management can be improved in order to strengthen compliance with regulatory requirements (such as ICMM) and their sustainability program which aims to minimise environmental impact.
• Please discuss what aspects you would look at and provide suggestions on practical interventions they can implement to reduce their environmental impact.

​​​​​​​Topic 8

• The dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss pose accelerated exposure to material water and nature risks. Proactively addressing these risks has the potential to bring opportunity and innovation to our client’s businesses, to the communities around their businesses.
• Which aspects of a client’s licence to operate could be affected by water and/ or nature risks and impacts? Which aspects of a client’s corporate strategy, business processes, and governance arrangements could be tailored to assess and manage these risks and impacts? How can the company go about value creation opportunities in their value chain?
• What hurdles or challenges might they face in doing so and in disclosing their efforts? Select an example company to illustrate your answer to these questions.

​​​​​​​Topic 9

• You have an active contamination source, an unlined effluent storage dam (20+ years in operation) containing high inorganic salt loads impacting groundwater and a nearby stream (west of the dam) via seepage.
• Consider the dam to be underlain by weathered clay material and surrounded by alluvium to the west and underlain by weathered Karoo sediments. There are currently no seepage impact mitigation measures.
• The regulator has noted this impact (high inorganic salt loads) in your client’s most recent groundwater and surface monitoring reports submitted as part of their water use license requirements, and have instructed your client to investigate, quantify and mitigate the potential impacts on the water resources.
• Your client has indicated that this impact has been present for many years and that there has been and still is a lack of funding for the implementation of a physical solution.
• How would you go about addressing the regulator’s instruction taking your client’s limitations into account, i.e. what other solutions (technical, engineering, scientific, regulatory etc.) could be considered?
• Consider both cases:
• a) your investigation shows that there is no significant impact or risk to the water resource based on your proposed solution(s), criteria etc;
• b) your investigation shows that there is significant impact to the water resource based on your analysis, criteria etc.

​​​​​​​Topic 10: The economic and environmental relevance of waste circularity during soil and groundwater remediation planning and execution

• The concept of waste circularity is gaining significance in the remediation of contaminated land. It is essential for professionals in this field to deepen their understanding of this topic and actively implement it in their remediation projects.
• Your client manages an oil storage terminal where approximately 100,000 liters (L) of petrol have leaked from a tank, contaminating the underlying vadose zone and unconfined aquifer units.
• This area is characterised by sandy clay geology, extending to depths of up to 10 meters below ground level. You are responsible for selecting a high-level, suitable remedial technology that emphasises waste circularity and wastewater minimisation for discussion with the client.
• The focus should be on reducing operational project costs while also minimizing the environmental impact associated with both on-site remediation and waste management.

​​​​​​​Topic 11

• Hundreds of companies around the globe have established “net zero” targets, including some of the largest corporations in Africa. Explain the rationale for these abatement targets; why net zero?  Speaking from an African context, why might a company choose to adopt such an ambitious reduction goal?

​​​​​​​Topic 12

• Improvements in companies’ environmental, social & governance (ESG) performance is increasingly becoming an expectation from various stakeholders including shareholders, ratings agencies, regulators, customers and society at large. Discuss the perceived impact of ESG inclusion in business models when compared to traditional ones – what are the key risks and opportunities for companies in managing ESG performance?

​​​​​​​Topic 13

• Do you think that Climate Change is an important aspect for companies and organizations to focus on and consider in their business (irrespective of industry or sector)?
• If yes, then provide reasons why and if not then provide reasons why not? Additionally, which aspects of Climate Change (Physical Risks or Transitional Risks) do you consider might have the most impact on a company or organization (irrespective of industry or sector)?