Robin Renaut is emeritus professor at University of Saskatchewan, where he taught sedimentology and limnogeology for more than 30 years. His research focus has been on sedimentation, hydrochemistry, and environmental history of the saline alkaline lakes of the Kenya Rift Valley, and hydrothermal spring deposits in Kenya and New Zealand. Bernie Owen has taught a variety of geology and physical geography subjects in both Malawi and Hong Kong. He is currently emeritus professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University and continues his research into palaeoenvironments, sedimentology, geochemistry and micropalaeontology in lake and spring settings.