Stewart’s diverse career journey extended from Southern Africa to the United Kingdom in 2020 in support of the Pandemic.
In the early stages of his career in South Africa, he worked as a Junior Lecturer and postgraduate student mentor at the University of Pretoria. He took on roles in BioSafety Class II and III Laboratories and Field Management for Zoonotic disease discovery, continuing with senior postgraduate advisement and mentoring (which he continues to do to this day). Later he joined the Special Pathogen Unit at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, where he focussed on classical virology, epidemiology, and viral zoonotics. In 2020, Stewart relocated to the UK, taking on the pivotal position of Head of Laboratory Operations at the UK Biocentre. His responsibilities during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic included building and support of the largest Lighthouse laboratory in the UK
Since 2014, Stewart has been a dedicated volunteer member of GOARN, the global outbreak and response network for WHO, with a particular specialization in viral haemorrhagic fevers, including EBOLA. These experiences reflect his dedication to public health and his significant contributions to the global response to infectious diseases.
