Nationality: South African

Institution: University of Johannesburg

Department: Geology

PAST programme support: Research Project support

Research title: Cosmogenic burial dating of tufa deposits at the Taung Skull Site

Tebogo Makhubela is a geologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). His research intersects geochronology, isotope geochemistry, and human evolution.

Tebogo’s academic development was significantly shaped by his role in international, multidisciplinary collaboration on the Homo naledi research project. This earned him co-authorship on high-impact publications.

Tebogo is now the geology principal investigator at several sites in the Cradle of Humankind including the Rising Star, Gladysvale and Malapa caves as well as the Lefika la Noka (LLN) tufa site.

He is an active member of the academic community, serving as the geology editor for the Southern African Field Archaeology journal and was Chair of the UJ Faculty of Science Community Engagement Committee (2021–2024). He has led multiple science outreach initiatives with partners including Play Africa, SuperScientists, Harvard University, and the SABC. His research has been profiled by National Geographic Magazine, The Sunday Times, and several radio and television platforms in South Africa.