Ansie Smit

I'm a researcher in the process of completing my PhD in Mathematical Statistics with application to geosciences. I have participated in over 30 commercial and research projects; successfully co-supervised 8 postgraduate students in Geoinformatics and Statistics and co-authored 14 articles in high-ranking peer-reviewed journals over the past 9 years.

My research interests are methodologies to counter the effect of missing data in the statistical analysis procedures, numerical and computing techniques, data analysis, applied statistical methods necessary for hazard and risk assessment, and the derivation of general worst-case scenarios, This includes the development of a methodology that can be applied to hazard and risk assessment for various natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunami, floods, fires, and operational risks.

My aim is to improve my statistical skills in academia, especially focussing on hazard and risk assessment to the benefit of society.

I enjoy working with students and other academics in a multidisciplinary environment and am capable of functioning independently or as part of a dynamic team.

Contact details

Email: ansie.smit(at)up.ac.za

Tel: +27 12 420 2282

Research Interests

Numerical and computational techniques
Applied statistical methods
Statistical seismology
Natural hazard and risk estimation

Education

2018: PhD Mathematical Statistics candidate, University pf Pretoria

2010: MSc Mathematical Statistics, University of Pretoria

2003: Bsc(Hons) Mathematical Statistics, University of Pretoria

2002: BSc Financial Mathematics, University of Pretoria

Employment

2013 – current : University of Pretoria Natural Hazard Centre, Africa, University of Pretoria

2008-2013 : Aon Benfield Natural Hazard Centre Africa, University of Pretoria

2006-Jan 2008: Munnik Basson Dagama Attorney, Business Analyst

2005-Aug 2006: AC Nielsen Marketing and Media Pty Ltd, Research Statistician

2004 : Junior Lecture, Department of Statistics, University of Pretoria

Publications

Esterhuyse, S., Avenant, M., Redelinghuys, N., Kijko, A., Glazewski, J., Plit, L., Kemp, M., Smit, A. and Vos, A.T., (2018). Monitoring of unconventional oil and gas extraction and its policy implications: A case study from South Africa. Energy Policy, 118, pp.109-120. doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.001

Kijko, A., Smit, A., Papadopoulos, G.A. and Novikova, T., (2018). Tsunami Hazard Assessment of Coastal South Africa Based on Mega-Earthquakes of Remote Subduction Zones. Pure Appl. Geophys. 175 (4), 1287-1304. doi.org/10.1007/s00024-017-1727-3

Esterhuyse, S., F Sokolic, N Redelinghuys, M Avenant, A Kijko, J. Glazewski, L. Plit, M. Kemp, A. Smit, A.T Vos, M.J. von Maltitz (2017). Vulnerability mapping as a tool to manage the environmental impacts of oil and gas extraction. Royal Society Open Science, Energy Policy, 118, pp. 109-120. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171044

Hamdache, M., Peláez, J.A., Kijko, A. and Smit, A. (2017). Energetic and spatial characterization of seismicity in the Algeria–Morocco region. Natural Hazards, 86 (2), 273-293, 2, doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2514-7

Smit, A., Kijko, A., Stein, A. (2017). Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment from Incomplete and Uncertain Historical Catalogues with Application to Tsunamigenic Regions in the Pacific Ocean. Pure and Applied Geophysics. Vol 174 (8): 3065-3081. doi.org/10.1007/s00024-017-1564-4

Kijko, A. and Smit, A., (2017). Estimation of the Frequency–Magnitude Gutenberg–Richter b‐Value without Making Assumptions on Levels of Completeness. Seismological Research Letters, 88(2A), pp.311-318. doi.org/10.1785/0220160177

Liebenberg, K., Smit, A., Coetzee, S., Kijko, A. (2017). A GIS approach to seismic risk assessment with an application to mining-related seismicity in Johannesburg, South Africa. Acta Geophysica. doi.org/10.1007/s11600-017-0052-7

Kijko, A., Smit, A. and Sellevoll, M.A., (2017). Reply to “Comment on ‘Estimation of Earthquake Hazard Parameters from Incomplete Data Files. Part III. Incorporation of Uncertainty of Earthquake‐Occurrence Model’by Andrzej Kijko, Ansie Smit, and Markvard A. Sellevoll” by Gert Zöller. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 107(4): 1979-1982. doi.org/10.1785/0120160303

Chapter in book: Kijko, A., Kahle, B., Smit, A., Esterhuyse, E., Glazewski, J. (2016) Hydraulic Fracturing, Waster Water Pumping and Seismicity. Chapter 13 in Proposed Hydraulic Fracturing in the Karoo: Critical Perspectives, Jan Glazewski (ed) Juta and Co, Cape Town, In Press. juta.co.za/products/hydraulic-fracturing-in-the-karoo-critical-legal-and-environmental-perspectives/

Esterhuyse, S., Avenant, M., Redelinghuys, N., Kijko, A., Glazewski, J., Plit, L., Kemp, M., Smit, A., Vos, A.T. and Williamson, R. (2016). A review of biophysical and socio-economic effects of unconventional oil and gas extraction–Implications for South Africa. Journal of Environmental Management, 184, pp.419-430. doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.09.065

Kijko, A., Smit, A., Sellevoll, M.A. (2016). Estimation of Earthquake Hazard Parameters from Incomplete Data Files. Part III. Incorporation if Uncertainty of Earthquake-Occurrence Model. Accepted for publication in Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 106(3). pp.1210-1222. doi.org/10.1785/0120150252

Kijko, A., Smit, A., Van De Coolwijk, N. (2015). A scenario approach to estimate the maximum foreseeable loss for buildings due to an earthquake in Cape Town. SAAJ 15, pp1-30. doi.org/10.4314/saaj.v15i1.1

Du Plessis, I., Liebenberg, K., Smit, A., Coetzee, S., Kijko, A. (2015). Preliminary investigation into the cause of acid mine water induced seismicity in Johannesburg. South African Journal of Geomatics, 4(3), pp299-308. dx.doi.org/10.4314/sajg.v4i3.10

Paasche, H., Eberle, D., Das, S., Cooper, A., Debba, P., Dietrich, P., Dudeni-Thlone, N., Gläßer, C., Kijko, A., Knobloch, A., Lausch, A., Meyer, U., Smit, A., Stettler, A., Werban, U. (2014). Are Earth Sciences lagging behind in data integration methodologies? Environmental Earth Sciences, 71. pp 1997-2003. doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2931-9

Technical Report: Esterhuyse, S., Avenant M, Watson M, Redelinghuys N, Kijko A, Glazewski J, Plit LA, Kemp M, Smit A, Sokolic F, Vos AT. (2014). Development of an interactive vulnerability map and monitoring framework to assess the potential environmental impact of unconventional oil and gas extraction by means of hydraulic fracturing. Water Research Commission Report; 2014 Oct. wrc.org.za/Knowledge%20Hub%20Documents/Research%20Reports/2149-1-14.pdf

Kijko, A., Smit, A., (2012). Extension of the b-value Estimator for Incomplete Catalogs. Bull. Seism. Soc. Am, 102, Number 3, 1283–1287. DOI: 10.1785/0120110226. doi.org/10.1785/0120110226

Conferences

Jan 2018. Summer School. Bayesian Inference. Foundations and Applications. Betty’s Bay, South Africa

June 2017, 10th Extreme Value Analysis Conference, Delft, The Netherlands
July 2017, R Software Fundamentals with Applications to Statistical Analyses and Modelling, Johannesburg, South Africa
August 2017, IAPSO-IAMAS-IAGA Joint Assembly, Cape Town, South Africa
November 2017, 59th Annual South African Statistical Association Conference, Bloemfontein, South Africa

April 2016, European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2016, Vienna, Austria
June 2016, Global Earthquake Model: Regional Training on Risk Assessment for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
August 2016, Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) GIS User Seminar, Pretoria, South Africa.
November 2016, 58th Annual South African Statistical Association Conference, Cape Town, South Africa.
February, South African Symposium on Numerical and Applied Mathematics, Pretoria, South Africa.
August 2015, Geomatics Indaba 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa.
September 2015, Advances in Extreme Value Analysis and Application to Natural Hazards (EVAN), Spain.
November 2017, 57th Annual South African Statistical Association Conference, Pretoria, South Africa.

April 2014, European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2014, Austria.
July 2014, South African Statistical Association Gauteng Chapter Meeting, Pretoria, south Africa.
October 2014, International Workshop on Mega-Earthquake and Tsunamis in Subduction Zones - Forecasting Approaches and Implications for Hazard Assessments, Greece.
January 2013, 8th Annual AfricaArray Workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa. Assisted in half-day training course on seismic hazard.
April 2013, Colloquium on Data Integration Technologies for Earth System Modelling and Resource Management, Pretoria, South Africa.
July 2013, Aon Benfield Research Conference, Singapore.
March 2012, ICSU ROA Hazard and Disasters Projects Workshop, Centurion, South Africa.
March 2012, Fluid-Induced Seismicity Workshop, Boksburg, South Africa.
July 2012, Aon Benfield Research Conference, London, England.
September 2012, GFZ Potsdam International Training Course on Seismology, Seismic Data Analysis, Hazard Assessment and Risk Mitigation, Morocco.
January 2011, 23rd Colloquium of African Geology, Johannesburg, South Africa.
April 2011,  Extreme Natural Hazard and Societal Implications Workshop (ENHANS), Pretoria, South Africa.
April 2011, First Scientific Seminar of the Japan-SA Collaborative Research Project, Johannesburg, South Africa.
August 2011, 4th Annual Seismology Workshop on Fluid-Induced Seismicity, Pretoria, South Africa.
November 2011, 7th Annual AfricaArray Workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa.
July 2009, AfricaArray 5th annual workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa.
August 2009, 57th Session of the International Statistics Institute (ISI), Durban, South Africa.

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