Prof. Brink van der Merwe is Head of the Computer Science Division at Stellenbosch University. His research lies in theoretical computer science, with a focus on automata theory, formal languages, regular expressions, and computational complexity. He works on the structural and algorithmic properties of automata, including ambiguity, determinisation, and memoisation techniques, publishing in leading international venues. He supervises honours, MSc, and PhD students across theoretical computer science and data science, with an emphasis on rigorous foundations and research excellence. As Division Head, he contributes to strategic academic planning, research development, and postgraduate capacity building. His work combines deep theoretical expertise with a commitment to strengthening Stellenbosch University’s research profile in advanced computing and AI.