Piketh obtained his Phd in Geography and Environmental studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 2000.   He was appointed as a full professor at North-West University in 2012  as Co-Chair of the Eskom Power Plant Institute (EPPEI) in the School of Geo and Spatial Science and as Director of this School in June of 2015. He is currently a NRF B-rated Scientist and a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa.  Over the past decade he has led research in atmospheric science focussing on the understanding of air pollution emissions, transport, and impacts.   His research has been conducted using surface monitoring stations, aircraft and the South African research ships, through which he has built a large network of international collaborators.   Stuart has trained more than 40 post-graduate students in the field of atmospheric research and air pollution.  Many of these students now hold prominent positions in both Government and the private sector.