Michael Pienaar is a paediatric intensivist and Universitas Academic and Pelonomi Tertiary Hospitals in Bloemfontein. He is an associate professor in Paediatrics and Child Health in the School of Clinical Medicine of the University of the Free State. He holds a PhD in Paediatrics from the University of the Free State. His research focusses on applied machine learning in critical care. He has authored sixteen peer reviewed publications His clinical interests are in mechanical ventilation, trauma and point of care ultrasonography.