Jordan is a conservation biologist and educator whose diverse professional experience spans both these fields, but what she loves most is the space created when her two passions overlap.

Passionate about biodiversity and with an aptitude for science, Jordan enjoyed six years at her hometown university (University of Cape Town) while completing her BSc in zoology and ecology, an honours in zoology and an MSc in conservation biology. While interested in biodiversity conservation more broadly, her field experience and studies took on an ornithological theme with projects focusing on the Cape Parrot, the African Penguin, connectivity of the urban landscape from the perspective of weaver birds, and vulture conservation in southern Africa.

After working on a university program in the Kruger National Park, Jordan took a step away from academia to explore the world of wildlife filmmaking, before finding a calling in education and settling into a teaching job at a progressive high school in Cape Town.

While teaching was her focus for seven years, Jordan maintained her ties to science, conservation and freshwater biology by developing and coordinating Living Labs, the outreach arm of the FRC, becoming a director of the NPO Youth 4 Conservation. Since 2020, Jordan has been involved in the FRC’s conservation projects; Saving Sandfish, The Breekrans River Restoration and Bringing Back the Witvis, by contributing to the conservation strategies, fieldwork, and story-telling.

Jordan formally joined the Freshwater Research Centre in 2024 to manage the organization’s communications, and to contribute to existing conservation, research, education and bioinformatics projects. With her diverse skillset and eclectic work experience, Jordan is excited to direct her energy into developing and executing new conservation and education projects at the FRC.

Formal Education:
MSc (Conservation Biology, University of Cape Town)
BSc Honours (First class) (Zoology, University of Cape Town)
BSc (First class) (Zoology and ecology, University of Cape Town)
Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Life Sciences and mathematics, Two Oceans Graduate Institute)

Specializations:
Environmental education, communications, freshwater conservation, field research, youth development and experiences

Research Gate: Jordan-Laine Calder

Email: jordan@frcsa.org.za

EFT Account Details

Account Name:               Freshwater Research Centre NPC 
Bank:                                 Nedbank Limited
Account No:                     102 680 5341    
Branch Code:                   104 309
Swift Code:                       NEDSZAJJ

Please use your Name and the project you would like to donate to as as reference e.g. Jane_Saving Sandfish. If you would also be so kind as to email us with your details once you have made the payment. Please also let us know if you would like to receive a Section 18a Certificate. You can send that email to info@frcsa.org.za.
 
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