Our Team
Head: Division of Physiotherapy
Prof Conran Joseph
BSc Physiotherapy, Summa Cum Laude (UWC); MSc Physiotherapy (UWC); PhD Medical Sciences (Karolinska Institute, Sweden)
+27 21 938 9618
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Room: 4096B
Conran Joseph is a Professor and Head of the Physiotherapy Division in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. He has been actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching for over 13 years. His teaching interests include (i) applied neurological physiotherapy, (ii) functioning and disability
Professor
Prof Quinette Louw
+27 21 938 9667
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Publications
Room: 1008
Quinette Louw is a Distinguished Professor of Physiotherapy and Executive Head of the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Stellenbosch University. She has been actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate education for over 25 years, with a strong focus on research methodology, evidence-based practice, and the integration of research into teaching and clinical practice. Prof Louw’s research is closely
Researcher
Dr Karina Berner
BSc Physiotherapy 2006; MSc Physiotherapy (OMT) 2009, PhD (Physiotherapy) 2019
+27 21 938 9667
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Room: 1006
Dr Karina Berner is a researcher in musculoskeletal health and chronic disease with experience in physiotherapy clinical practice and teaching. After completing her PhD at Stellenbosch University, she was appointed to a research position in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Her research interests include multimorbidity epidemiology, HIV
Associate Professor
Prof Yolandi Brink
BSc Physiotherapy 2002; MSc Physiotherapy 2008, PhD (Physiotherapy) 2012
+27 21 938 9301
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Room: 4093
Yolandi Brink holds a BSc Physiotherapy, a Master of Science (Physiotherapy) and a PhD Philosophy (Physiotherapy) degree from Stellenbosch University (SU). Yolandi Brink is currently an associate professor in the Physiotherapy Division at Stellenbosch University. She is the chairperson for the Quality Improvement and Assessment portfolio in the undergraduate
Senior Lecturer
Dr Marlette Burger
BSc Physiotherapy 1990; BSc Honnours Physiotherapy (Paediatric Neurology) 1993; MSc Physiotherapy 2007 (Paediatric Neurology);
PhD Physiotherapy 2023
+27 21 938 9303
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Room: 4098
Dr Marlette Burger is a senior lecturer in the Division of Physiotherapy at Stellenbosch University. Her primary research focus is paediatric neurology, with a particular interest in early human neurodevelopment and the assessment of high‑risk infants. She completed her PhD in the field of
Lecturer
Dr Marisa Coetzee
+27 21 938 9617
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Room: 4082
Marisa Coetzee is a lecturer at the Division of Physiotherapy since 2023. She teaches undergraduate students in modules related to neuromusculoskeletal assessment and treatment as well as provide clinical supervision. She is also involved in postgraduate teaching and supervision of masters students at the division. In 2025 she graduated with her PhD on the topic of supported self-management of individuals awaiting total knee
Senior Lecturer
Assoc. Prof Dawn Ernstzen
BSc Physiotherapy (Cum Laude) (SU); MPhil (Higher Education) (SU); PhD Physiotherapy (SU)
+27 21 938 9304
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Room: 4101
Dawn Ernstzen is an Associate Professor in the Division of Physiotherapy at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, where she currently serves as Postgraduate Programme Leader. She previously held several leadership roles in undergraduate education and student support. Prior to entering academia
Lecturer
Brittany Fell
BSc Physiotherapy 2016 (SU) MSc Physiotherapy 2021 (SU)
+27 21 938 9502
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Room: 4095
Brittany Fell is a lecturer in the Division of Physiotherapy, involved in community-based rehabilitation and undergraduate student training at the Bishop Lavis Rehabilitation Centre. She is actively engaged in clinical practice, supervises undergraduate students, and contributes to teaching within the clinical modules of the physiotherapy programme. She also serves as Operational Manager
Professor
Prof Susan Hanekom
+27 21 938 9496
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Room: 4087
Susan Hanekom is Associate Prof within the Division of Physiotherapy. She previously served as Undergraduate programme chair, Postgraduate programme chair and Head of the Division. She currently serves as chair of the Clinical Services and Social Impact portfolio. She is rated as an established researcher by the National research foundation of South Africa and was appointed as a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 in
Lecturer
Ms A Gabriels
BSc Physiotherapy 2011 (UCT); MSc Physiotherapy 2024 (UWC)
+27 21 938 9084
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Room: 4086
Aeysha Gabriels is a Lecturer in the Division of Physiotherapy. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town and holds a Masters degree in Physiotherapy from the University of the Western Cape. Prior to joining SU, she was working predominantly in private practice as well as employed as a clinical educator at the University of the Western Cape. With over a
Lecturer
Dr Toughieda Ismail
BSc Physiotherapy 2011 (UCT); MSc Physiotherapy 2016 (UWC)
+27 21 938 9502
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Room: 4095
Toughieda Ismail is a Physiotherapist with a clinical background in working with musculoskeletal and orthopedic injuries. She is currently a lecturer at Stellenbosch University. Prior to this, she was running an outpatient department which served members of the South African National Defence Force, in particular, members of the South African Navy and their dependents. She
Lecturer
Mr Cameron Reardon
BSc Physiotherapy (UCT); MSc Physiotherapy (UCT)
+27 21 938 9617
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Room: 4088
Cameron Reardon is a lecturer in the division of Physiotherapy (SU). Before entering academia Cameron worked in clinical practice, primarily in a rural context. In his work with the division, he oversees undergraduate clinical training across a wide range of distributed clinical training sites (including a network of rural training sites). His clinical, teaching and research interests
Lecturer
Mrs San Schmutz
BSc Physiotherapy 1997; MPhil in HPE 2017
+27 21 938 9084
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Room: 4086
San Schmutz is a full-time lecturer in the Division of Physiotherapy and the Department of Health Professions Education at Stellenbosch University. She is actively involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and serves as the clinical coordinator for final-year physiotherapy students. Over the years, she has fulfilled a variety of roles related to clinical training, which has deepened
Senior Lecturer
Dr Alison Lupton-Smith
BSc(Physio) (UCT); PhD (Paediatrics) (UCT)
+27 21 938 9084
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Room: 4086
Alison is a qualified physiotherapist with a PhD from the University of Cape Town (2017) and an MPhil in Health Professions Education from Stellenbosch University. She is currently completing an MPhil in Health Systems at Stellenbosch University.
She has extensive clinical and research expertise in both paediatric and adult cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, critical care, and pulmonary
Lecturer
Ms Hazel Mapipa
+27 21 938 9617
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Room: 4082
Hazel Mapipa is a full-time lecturer in the Division of Physiotherapy at Stellenbosch University. She qualified as a physiotherapist at the University of the Western Cape and, driven by a keen interest in understanding the functioning of the South African health system, pursued a Master of Public Health with a specialisation in Policy and Management. She has accumulated extensive clinical experience in both local and international settings
Lecturer
Mr Adnil Titus
BSc Physiotherapy 2001 (UWC); M Physiotherapy 2015 (SU)
+27 21 938 9083
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Room: 4102
Mr. Adnil W. Titus is a dedicated physiotherapy educator and researcher based at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in South Africa. With over 15 years of experience as a lecturer in the Division of Physiotherapy, he transitioned from a career as a hospital clinician to become a respected figure in health sciences education. His academic home is the
Associate Professor
Prof Marianne Unger
BPhysT 1988; MSc Physiotherapy 2004; PhD Physiotherapy 2011; PGDip International Research Ethics 2009; PGDip Educational Technologies 2017
+27 21 938 9302
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Room: 4084
Associate Professor Marianne Unger brings nearly 30 years of experience in physiotherapy education and academic leadership at Stellenbosch University. She holds a PhD focused on movement strategies in children with cerebral palsy and has a sustained research interest in paediatric rehabilitation and
Senior Lecturer
Mrs Leoné Williams
B.Sc. Physiotherapy 1999 (SU); M.Sc. Physiotherapy (Cum Laude) SU 2007
+27 21 938 9503
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Room: 4097
Leoné Williams is a senior lecturer in Orthopaedics at Stellenbosch University. She teaches on the topics of orthopaedics, manual therapy, ergonomics, and cancer rehabilitation to undergraduate Physiotherapy students. She has a passion for clinical teaching and motivating students to provide high quality and evidence-based Physiotherapy management to clients. Leoné is
Administrator: Undergraduate
Administrator
Ms H van der Walt
+27 21 938 9300
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Room: 4096C
Senior secretary of the division. Responsible for the financial administration and handling a wide range of administrative duties.
Assistant
Clinical Lecturer
Ms N Fobian
+27 21 938 9084
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Bishop Lavis Rehabilitation Centre
+27 21 934 6315