Letswee breaks new ground as Exposure Scientist
Calistus Kolantsho | Wednesday August 6, 2025 11:46
Letswee told Mmegi in an interview that he graduated in July and that he is now a niche group of global professionals in the highly specialised field. He said the qualification also signals Botswana’s growing capacity to address complex occupational and environmental health challenges through Science-led approaches.
“Exposure Science is the study of our contact, such as by swallowing, breathing, or touching, with environmental factors and their effects on the human body. Research in this field aims to determine the types, levels, and combinations of exposures people experience and how those exposures affect human health and disease over a lifetime. The Master of Science in Medicine: Ex posure Science programme at WITS offers a comprehensive and future-oriented curriculum that examines the full range of environmental exposures individuals may face throughout their lives,” he said.
Letswee said he enrolled for the programme to strengthen his ability to protect the public, be it workers or the community, from harmful exposure. He explained that the programme trains students in methods for organising and interpreting complex exposure data, as well as in exposure pathway analysis, which investigates how harmful agents move from their sources through environmental media to ultimately reach humans.
“Through this integrated approach, exposure Science provides a scientific basis for identifying, assessing, and managing environmental risks in a structured and evidence-based way. For Botswana, where rapid industrialisation, urbanisation, and climate variability are influencing environmental conditions, Exposure Science offers a practical and proactive lens through which to manage these challenges,” Letswee said.
He indicated that as a country, there is a need to move towards predictive and preventive Science. He said Exposure Science provides tools to make informed decisions about environmental quality, infrastructure planning, and public health.
“It is the scientific foundation for designing effective interventions in occupational safety, environmental protection and public health,” he said. Letswee said his graduation is more than a personal academic success, but marks a significant advancement for Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) in strengthening its internal capacity to manage workplace exposures through scientific expertise.
“Serving as an Occupational Hygiene Technologist, I bring expertise and specialised knowledge that directly supports BPC’s commitment to sustainability, compliant and evidence-based operations. My qualification will enhance the Corporation’s ability to anticipate, assess and control occupational health, safety and environmental risks across its power generation and distribution activities,” he said.
Letswee stated that he has been in the occupational health and safety sphere for a long time, with first-hand information on how exposures can affect human beings if not managed properly. “In Botswana, there is still a gap in specific legislation on occupational and environmental exposure limits; therefore, I am well equipped to add value in developing such,” Letswee said.