​Prior to this, Robertson served as the Secretariat and Manager of the Social, Behavioural and Education Research Ethics Committee (REC: SBE), a position she held from April 2014 – August 2024 when she was promoted to her current position.

As Director, she oversees the promotion of research integrity and ethics at SU, including the management and support of Stellenbosch University's Research Ethics Committees (RECs) for Animal Care and Use (56 new applications in 2023), Biological and Environmental Safety (45 new projects in 2023) and Social Science, Behavioural and Education research (1200 new applications in 2023). As Director, she also advises and supports the Health Research Ethics Office (533 new projects in 2023). The official 2024 numbers will be released in 2025 but the RECs currently oversee a total of 3197 active projects.

“The committee members are experts in their field, and my approach is consultative and collaborative. My aim in working with them is to ensure they feel supported and for me to learn and grow as I progress in this role," says Robertson. “Our primary responsibility is to protect those participating in the research, whether human or animal."

Three examples of the many notable projects reviewed and approved by a SU Research Ethics Committee include:

• Dwyer and Goosen et al's research which found a high prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis infection in free-ranging rhinoceros in Kruger National Park which highlighted the potential impact on the health and survival of the rhino population;
  
• The Desmond Tutu TB Centre's TB-CHAMP trial which showed the risk of children exposed to someone with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in their household was reduced by 56% when the child preventatively receiving levofloxacin; and
• The Psychiatry Division's research to develop and validate an abbreviated neuropsychological test battery for use in South African clinical settings to screen for HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment.

Robertson constantly encourages the REC managers to streamline and improve processes. “We need to be au fait with national and international ethics requirements and trends. For example, in South Africa, we have POPIA, but in the European Union, their General Data Protection Regulations apply. Thankfully, we have colleagues in the Centre for Information Governance who are experts in this."

The Senate Research Ethics Committee is currently reviewing SU's position statement on the responsible use of AI in research, with Dr Cornelia Malherbe taking the lead on this. “We are providing input such as transparency, openness and how to address the bias in AI tools, as well as the protection of privacy aspect," Robertson explains. “We are also revising SU's procedure for investigating allegations of breach of research norms and standards, with Dr Therina Theron taking the lead on this."

The research ethics review process is rigorous work and requires deep reading and additional research and consultation, taking into consideration the context in which the researchers are working. “It is certainly not an administrative process, and

it takes time," Robertson explains. “Researchers are sometimes dissatisfied that the approval processes are too slow, but our REC members are not only dealing with a high volume of applications, they are also dealing with research ethics in a research landscape that has become increasingly complex and regulated."

She says there are many reasons for this, including what she calls “the advent of a managerial style and audit culture in Higher Education that needs to comply with the many national and international norms, standards and regulations". She adds that another positive factor is that communities are recognising their agency in research, and they have expectations of the researchers, such as making sure there is meaningful engagement with informed consent, acknowledgement of the knowledge of communities, and co-production thereof.

Robertson is currently pursuing her PhD in Higher Education Studies. She explains that the journey to her research ethics career evolved from a chance offer of a post she took up after completing her Master's at SU in International Studies.

“My career goal at the time was to go into foreign policy and diplomacy, but I needed a job, and in 2014 an admin officer post was being advertised for the Research Ethics Committee: Humanities," she explains. “I think that my research experience in qualitative methods for my Master's stood out in my CV, and I was appointed.

“My thinking then was that I would do this for a while and then find a post in foreign policy and diplomacy, but I grew to love the process of how to do research ethically and with integrity. I recognised the importance of its impact in science and social science research, and I am now completely committed to this."

Robertson adds the demands of her position require a very understanding husband, and she is most appreciative of her husband Zagary Robertson's complete support of her. “He has always championed my career, encouraged me to go for opportunities and is very proud of me."

They live in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town where she grew up. To balance her work, home life and PhD, Robertson says: “Zagary and I go to the gym together. I also enjoy simply sitting in a restaurant or a beautiful garden, soaking up the sun, reading self-development books and watching murder mysteries and crime documentaries. I'm fascinated by the moral implications – what led them to commit the crime, which I guess comes back to integrity and ethics!"