Biodiversity and Sustainability Ethics Lead (BSEL)

Sidney Engelbrecht is a highly experienced research ethics and integrity specialist, currently serving as the Senior Research Compliance Specialist at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. His career spans over a decade in research management, particularly in research ethics, integrity, and compliance. Sidney has expertise in various areas, including human and animal research ethics, biosafety, and bioethics. He has provided training and advice to Research Ethics Committees across different institutions, including several universities in Southern Africa. He is recognized internationally, as a co-recipient of the Anderson-Kleinert Diversity Award at the World Conference on Research Integrity in 2024 and received the Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Research Management Profession from the South African Department of Science and Innovation in 2021. He holds professional accreditation as a Research Management Professional from the International Professional Recognition Council in 2020 and is a certified Research Integrity Trainer by the Embassy of Good Science.

His academic background includes degrees in Law, Philosophy, Applied Ethics, and Bioethics, primarily from Stellenbosch University with additional qualifications in Compliance Management and Copyright from the University of Cape Town.