Coleen Vogel is currently an independent researcher working with a variety of groups. She was the previous BMW Chair of Sustainability at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and also a full professor at the University. She was one of the authors of the Africa Chapter for the IPCC 4th Assessment Report and was also an author of the team for the Summary for Policy Makers of the 4th IPCC Assessment Report. She has received the Burtoni Award for her work on climate change advocacy and adaptation and the University of the Witwatesrand\'s Vice Chancellor\'s award for excellence in Teaching. She was the Chair of the International Human Dimensions Committee (an international global environmental change science programme). Her research interests include transformative education for GEC, climate change (including adaptation and risk reduction) and also current and past climate change and societal responses particularly drought risk reduction in African contexts.