​​​A career portal focusing only on the agricultural and food sector in South Africa will be launched by Stellenbosch University's Faculty of AgriSciences on Thursday the 4^th of October.

This portal is also the first of its kind developed for a particular faculty on campus and is the brainchild of Prof Danie Brink, dean of the faculty.

According to Monika Basson, coordinator of undergraduate recruitment and marketing at the faculty, the web portal is a tool that enables the agricultural sector to better reach students. Students will be able to register as job seekers, while agricultural companies can gain access to candidates by advertising job opportunities, internships, vocational work and even bursaries. “The aim is to create an effective online career platform that benefits both students and the industry," she says.

The faculty has taken the initiative to provide seed funding for the establishment of the platform. It will also be extended to other South African universities and tertiary institutions and, possibly, to international and private universities.

This portal fills a huge gap in the industry, explains Marianne van der Laarse, managing director of Agrijob. Van der Laarse is a recruitment specialist and the project manager of SU's career development project in agricultural sciences. “We are excited about this interactive, comprehensive platform that will provide agricultural employment opportunities in South Africa. With more than 25 years' experience in the agricultural industry, I am convinced that this platform will provide solutions and address the voids that the sector is faced with."

SU is currently celebrating its centenary existence with a renewed focus on its position as an internationally recognised academic institution, embedded in Africa. This initiative aligns with the faculty's intent to expand its existing work and impact in Africa through diverse collaborations and partnerships. SU has the leading agricultural science faculty in Africa and is ideally positioned to drive this initiative, Prof Brink believes.

The launch will take place at 13:00 in the JH Neethling building on campus.

Visit www.agrijob.co.za for more information. Contact Marianne van der Laarse at marianne@agrijob.co.za or 0823881000.

When fifth-year medical student, Mbalenhle Mngomezulu took a chance and sent in an online application to attend a global leadership summit, little did she know that she would be selected – and that she'd return with knowledge and contacts which she will treasure forever.

Mngomezulu, a natural leader who was deputy head prefect at the Pietermaritzburg High School in KZN, recently returned from attending the Hesselbein Global Academy for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement Summit in Pittsburgh, USA.

She found the online application while looking for leadership programmes and applied, but did not assume she'd be selected. She was thrilled when she was chosen to attend the fully covered summit - and to hear that Stellenbosch University would cover her travel costs.

Mngomezulu was one of three South Africans selected to attend the summit which took place at the University of Pittsburgh from July 20 to 24. A total of 50 people from all over the world took part.

In its ten-year history, the Hesselbein Global Academy network has grown to represent 450 alumni from 72 countries. The five-day intensive programme sees participants attending workshops, receiving mentorship from business and government leaders and engaging in service projects with local community agencies.

“The mentorship talks were so enlightening and it was amazing to spend time with people from all over the world," Mngomezulu said. “I've learnt so much and realized how important it is to seek out mentors. They needn't even be that much older than you. They can be peers with experience to share."

The service project which the delegates were involved with was called Rise Against Hunger, a non-profit initiative which aims to end hunger by 2020. “We packed 10 000 meals for needy people.

“I was reminded during our activities of the importance of team work, of how each individual in a group has a role - and of how great results come about when people work together, “ Mngomezulu said.

Among the many highlights of the trip was getting to know her Columbian roommate and learning to salsa dance in a Latin bar.

“Even though we were from different places, I was amazed at the many similarities between us."

Mngomezulu said she was immensely grateful for the opportunity to attend the summit. “I've come back inspired to be a more courageous leader and to make a difference wherever I am."

​Finding ways of preventing TB in pregnant and breast feeding women in the safest way possible for mom and baby was the objective of the study Prof Gerhard Theron presented at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences' (FMHS) Annual Academic Day.

“There is a lack of data on isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) during pregnancy. Pregnant women were excluded from previous randomised-controlled trials. The results of the study presented are vitally important because we need to know how to use IPT correctly during pregnancy and while breast feeding. These results will also inform the World Health Organisation (WHO) to develop guidelines," Theron said during his presentation entitled Randomized trial of safety of isoniazid preventive therapy during or after pregnancy. Theron is with the FMHS' Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The study was part of the International Maternal Paediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network P1078 phase IV. This multi-centre trial was conducted in 13 sites across eight countries, of which three were in South Africa, and involved 956 HIV-positive, pregnant women. The study evaluate the safety of immediate versus deferred IPT among HIV-infected women in high tuberculosis (TB) incidence settings. IPT is recommended to prevent active TB disease.  

The mothers were randomly assigned to receive 28 weeks of IPT either during pregnancy (immediate) or at 12 weeks after delivery (deferred). 

There was a low TB incidence in both the deferred and immediate groups. However, the results showed a statistically significant difference of adverse pregnancy outcomes between mother-infant pairs randomised to IPT during pregnancy and mother-infant pairs randomised to IPT after delivery, with more adverse outcomes among those who received the therapy during pregnancy. 

The study therefore showed that deferring IPT to after delivery may be advisable. Based on these results, the researchers concluded that WHO recommendation to initiate IPT during pregnancy in HIV-positive women on antiretroviral therapy may need re-evaluation.

​Stellenbosch University (SU) has a significant impact on the economy of the Stellenbosch region.

This is one of the major findings of a recent study by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) at SU. (Click here for statistics and interesting facts)

The aim of the study was to give a credible assessment and measurement of the economic contribution of the University to the economy of the Stellenbosch Municipal area. An Economic Impact Assessment (EIA**) was done using the University's operating and capital expenditure as well as spending by staff and students as an estimate of the initial impact of SU.

A descriptive analysis of spin-off companies and businesses and the role of SU as an anchor institution was also provided to give some indication of the non-quantifiable economic benefits of the institution. 

“SU is part of the fabric of Stellenbosch and it would be difficult to imagine the region without the University," says Prof Johann Kirsten, Director of the BER. “In fact, the study found that the economic impact of the University on output is estimated to be R5 112 million in 2016." (R5 644 million* in 2018.)

61% Student expenditure

He explains that this figure includes all sales and transactions that were triggered by the initial injection of expenditure. “The majority of this comes from student expenditure (61%), followed by staff expenditure (23%), and SU's creditor payments (14%) and diverse payments (2.5%). The presence of SU also generates R1 108 million in labour remuneration (whish equates to SU creating more than 21% of the formal work opportunities and 8,7% of the informal opportunities) and sustains 13 406 jobs (or fulltime job equivalents) in the local economy."

To put the magnitude of the impact of SU in perspective, more than 15,5% of production (or output) and more than 18% of gross value added generated in the municipality, is stimulated by the presence of the institution. In essence then almost one fifth of perceived economic activity in the region can be traced back to the activities of the University and its people.

“The more than 13 000 jobs (or fulltime job equivalents) in the region sustained by the University, is more than 17% of total local employment (or income received by the jobs), says Kirsten. “These estimates, however, understate the total impact of the SU as they only pertain to the local benefits. SU has close links with the rest of the province and country. For example, only a portion of the creditor payments made by SU were made to local companies, while the rest generates large economic benefits outside the region – which was purposefully not captured by this study."

He adds that this in no ways means that the University does not favour local suppliers, rather that many are national companies with only a limited presence in the town and isolating where the money went is not possible (for example Telkom or a national bank). These jobs include those directly at the University (the more than 3500 staff members included) but crucially also those that are linked to spending at local businesses for example, resulting from the increased activity.

“Nonetheless, at a local level, the benefit of having an institution such as SU in Stellenbosch is very significant and extends beyond the direct economic benefits and fundamentally uplifts and enhances the Stellenbosch community," adds Kirsten.

Anchor institution

Although not quantifiable in monetary terms, SU could also be described as a so called anchor institution, which stimulates additional benefits in the region. Examples for these include research centre STIAS, the University's technology transfer company Innovus, Maties Sport and the US Woordfees.  The value of such institutions cannot adequately be expressed in short-term economic terms. Their value spreads much further into broader society and effects the very nature of the environment and people's lives.

“There are considerable intangible benefits of having a university present, such as the promotion of spin-off companies as well as other cultural and socio-economic benefits. Overall, the economic benefits of a university stretches beyond the primary role of being a knowledge centre and driving force of innovation within a region," says Kirsten.

Adds Prof Stan du Plessis, Chief Operating Officer of Stellenbosch University: “It is clear that the benefit of having an institution such as SU in Stellenbosch is very significant and extends beyond the direct economic benefits and fundamentally uplifts and enhances the Stellenbosch community. Not only is the University labour intensive in that it creates more wealth than its relative size, but it acts as catalyst in luring investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders alike while also actively contributing to Stellenbosch as Knowledge Region. Of equal importance however is that the study reveals that the University is indeed the kind of university SU aspires to be:  Africa's leading research-intensive University, globally recognised  as inclusive and innovative, where we advance knowledge in service of society.

​MORE INFORMATION

*The research was conducted during 2017 using 2016 actual values. To arrive at 2018 Rand values the final consumer price index for 2017 was used plus the BER estimated CPI for 2018.

**More information on the EIA

An EIA is a quantitative tool to calculate the economy-wide benefit of SU, as the initial spending by the institution is only the tip of the iceberg. The so-called economy-wide impact (or total economic impact) of an institution includes the direct, indirect and induced impacts, which are trigged by the initial spending of the institution.

For staff and students, surveys were employed to determine the total expenditure and to estimate the proportion of the expenditure occurring within the Stellenbosch region for both local residents as well as staff and students residing outside of the region. For university expenditure, the location of the supplier also had to be determined in order to exclude suppliers from outside the region. 

With electricity prices set to increase significantly in the next years three years, South Africans will have to be resourceful to keep the costs down. One of the ways to achieve this, would be to use less electricity to heat your water for that daily shower or bath.

A study at Stellenbosch University (SU) found that scheduling your water heater correctly according to the amount of hot water that you use saves more costs on water heating than a thermal blanket or lowering the set temperature of your geyser.

“The best way to save on your household electric water heating, is to start heating water two hours before and stopping before taking a shower or a bath," says Prof Thinus Booysen from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at SU. He conducted the study with colleagues Philip Nel (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering) and Brink Van der Merwe (Department of Computer Science). They tried to find an answer to the age-old question of how to best save energy used for household water heating.

Their research findings were published recently in the proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies.

Booysen says because of the inefficiency and costs of household water heating, which accounts for as much as 32% of household electricity consumption where electric water heaters are used, they decided to evaluate the impact of various energy savings actions for these water heaters. These include, among others, lowering the thermostat temperature, reducing volume consumed, using a thermal blanket over the tank and the piping, and using optimised scheduled heating control.

Booysen adds that people often struggle to make sense of these savings approaches and to choose the right one for the right use.

To find out which of these methods are the most cost effective, the researchers compared them using eight typical household usages (e.g. from a showering one-person apartment to a four-person bathing household). They also compared the impact of environmental factors, such as changing the ambient temperature around the water heater and the temperature of the cold water inlet.

Booysen says they used a two-node physical model of an electric water heater to simulate the energy consumption of an individual electric water heater and tested it by analysing usage data from actual household water heaters.

Effective schedule

“Our results show that, in general, schedule control achieves by far the biggest saving, resulting in savings ranging from 9% to 18%. The biggest savings, as expected, are the scenarios where only one small usage event (e.g. a short shower) occurs per day".

“We found that schedule control saves as much as 18% for households that take only one bath or shower per day, and an average of 12% for all the different usage patterns assessed."

“Ones with two baths (one in the morning and one in the evening) per day could save 10% and ones with two showers (one in the morning and one in the evening) could save 9%."

Booysen adds that schedule control is efficient because it shouldn't require any sort of behavioural change if implemented correctly.

“An effective schedule will be able to deliver hot water on demand while minimising the standing losses of the electric water heater. Standing losses result from the temperature difference between the water in the heating tank and the temperature of its surroundings."

He says schedule control also has the most significant impact on the standing losses (thermal energy lost to the environment) of water heaters for both single- and three-person households.

Booysen points out that the second most effective savings are achieved through insulation of the pipes and the tank, with savings ranging from 5% to 12%.

“Thermal insulation saves as much as 12% for low-volume infrequent use, and an average of almost 9% across profiles."

He mentions that implementing schedule control, pipe insulation and a thermal blanket in combination will result in total average energy reductions of 25.1% and 14.7% for single- and three-person households respectively.

According to Booysen, it also important to pay attention to the cold inlet water and to set the right temperature for the water heating tank, especially in a single-person household.

“The results shows that the temperature of the cold inlet water has a significant impact on energy consumption, with a 5°C increase leading to an average saving of 13% savings, compared to only 5% for the same change in ambient temperature."

“By simply decreasing the set temperature of the water heater by 5°C (to 60°C), a single-person household can achieve a similar total heater energy reduction as reducing his/her warm water consumption by 20%. This same reduction can be achieved by installing a thermal blanket and pipe insulation," says Booysen.

• Source: Nel, PJC; Booysen, MJ; Van der Merwe, B. Saving on household electric water heating: What works best and by how much? IEEE International Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies.

FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES ONLY

Prof Thinus Booysen

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Stellenbosch University

Tel: 021 808 4013

E-mail: mjbooysen@sun.ac.za

       ISSUED BY

Martin Viljoen

Manager: Media

Corporate Communication

Stellenbosch University

Tel: 021 808 4921

E-mail: viljoenm@sun.ac.za

​ 

​​

“We are who we are through language." This was one of the key sentiments expressed during the Stellenbosch University (SU) Language Day 2018, held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) on Friday, 28 September.

Seventy-five invited students, lecturers and representatives of professional academic support (PASS) environments attended the Language Day to discuss the value of multilingualism and how SU can create an enabling environment for it to flourish. The event was also streamed and recorded, and an edited version will be made available. Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel, Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching, opened and participated in the event, which focused on open conversations around Multilingualism in Teaching and Learning Spaces and Multilingualism in Social Spaces. The topics were contextualised and introduced by Prof Christa van der Walt and Ms Denai Nyagani, after which the participants discussed the questions posed by the speakers. Each group had the opportunity to provide brief feedback in plenary sessions, and all the feedback was recorded.

According to Dr Antoinette van der Merwe, who facilitated the event, what struck her the most about the day was the open and frank conversations at the tables and the creative solutions and examples of good practice provided for the two main topics.

“One of the groups stated in their feedback, 'We are who we are through language', indicating that we cannot separate identity and language. Language is what makes us human, and the focus was therefore on respect and dignity for each other's language(s) as basic values," said Van der Merwe.

One of the other concepts that was also unpacked during the discussions was the issue of linguistic citizenship and that one cannot be part of the conversation and a citizen of South Africa if one does not embrace multilingualism.

“Acknowledging each other's language and identity is very important. It's part of our identity of being South African, and all staff and students should be sensitive to multilingualism and the struggles we have. Some of the practical solutions that emerged included the use of trilingual terminology lists, peer assistance, extended conversations outside the classroom between lecturers and students within a multilingual environment, and social events in which we celebrate multilingualism together with, for example, our music and food," said Van der Merwe.

The next step in continuing the discussions and implementing the feedback from those who attended the Language Day will be preparing a document with proposals, recommendations and examples of good practice for further dissemination. The participants were also challenged to create a more enabling multilingual environment at the institutional, faculty, departmental and individual levels.

“Change starts with the individual. All the participants should take this conversation forward in their respective environments with a focus on what they can do, and not expect other role players to do it for them," said Van der Merwe.

Prof Schoonwinkel commented: “I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the exciting discussions among staff and students from diverse language backgrounds. The Language Day yielded many constructive suggestions on how we can reap even more benefits from embracing multilingualism at SU and beyond." 

​​​

The Equality Unit (EqU) recently welcomed a group of 16 Stellenbosch University (SU) staff members as mediators, following their successful completion of the SU Workplace Mediation Course. The course was presented over a period of five days by Francois Botha, a Mediator and Relations Strategist in the Office for Inclusivity & Change at UCT and the EqU.

During the course, the group received extensive training in areas such as mediating two-party and group disputes involving faculties, staff and students.

The group also gained knowledge about the unique nature of conflict in an academic environment and how to resolve it. Coming from various faculties, divisions and departments, not only will these mediators be assisting the University community with addressing their conflicts in specific situations; but will also more importantly, promote sense of cohesion, and foster mutual respect through a facilitated process.

The unit says while there are many ways to manage conflict at the workplace, the SU Policy on Unfair Discrimination and Harassment places mediation as the preferred means of resolution in matters about unfair discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and victimisation. Mediation is quickly growing as one of the preferred alternative approaches to conflict resolution in the 21st Century, including in the Higher Education sector in South Africa. However, we do recognise that certain matters may not be resolved through mediation.

According to Head of the Equality Unit, Jaco Greeff Brink, since their inception in 2016, 90% of mediation sessions initiated by the unit were successful where both parties were able to reach an agreement or an amicable solution.

He adds that the Unit aims to strengthen its mediation programme in the 2018 Academic Year to enhance personal development, conflict resolution and interpersonal relationships.

“We are excited to welcome the group to our already existing pool of mediators and hope that moving forward they will be able to utilise some of the key aspects and tactics learned throughout the course", said Jaco.

One of the course participants said attending this course was the most enriching experiences they ever been privileged to be part of.

“I lost my enthusiasm in the last few years for being part of this institution, but I can see that there still are such units focused on individual growth and kindness", read the remark o the course evaluation.

Another one said they appreciated the manner in which the teaching was done saying, it was very practical and interactive, and it pushed their boundaries in some instances.

“Above all, the training provided training a skillset that I can use in different contexts. It also offered the opportunity to do some self-reflection", said the remark.   

The Equality Unit, promotes collective action towards social justice, discourse regarding social asymmetries at SU, and implements a comprehensive HIV response. The Unit coordinates, educates and raises awareness around sexualities, gender non-violence, HIV/Aids and anti-discrimination. The Unit also formulates and oversees the implementation of SU's Unfair Discrimination and Harassment Policy, EndRapeCulture 2017 Report findings and the SU HIV/Aids Policy. We also serve as a centralised service for students and staff managing accounts of unfair discrimination and various forms of harassment at Huis Simon Nkoli House (at 39 Victoria Street). 

Prof Deborah Blaine was recently elected as President of the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) for the period 2018 to 2020. Prof Blaine is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University.

She has been involved in the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering since 2008 and served as Chair of the Western Cape Branch between 2011 and 2013. 

Regarding her election as SAIMechE President, she says: "2018 has seen a couple of disturbing public comments regarding the place of women in science and technology. I am really pleased that SAIMechE has chosen to elect me to represent our members at this time – it reflects my experience over the past 10 years of interaction with the institution, where I have always been welcomed, encouraged, supported and acknowledged by my fellow mechanical engineering colleagues. We all know that the shape of society is changing faster than we can blink our eyes. SAIMechE has continued requests from our engineering student and early graduate engineer members for opportunities to engage with more experienced engineers, especially those who are qualified professionals (PrEng, PrTech), so that they can benefit from mentoring and insight into the profession. I hope that we can create these opportunities, to connect engineers from across the spectrum, in dynamic and interesting ways."

Prof Blaine's interests in engineering awakened at an early age when she visited her father's factory. "I liked seeing how stuff was made and the efficiency of the production line," she says. "I chose mechanical engineering, because it is the broadest of the disciplines and because it is the discipline where mechanical structures, materials and science meet."

After obtaining her BEng (Mechanical) at Stellenbosch University in 1996, she pursued her interest in materials engineering by doing a PhD in Engineering Science and Mechanics at the Pennsylvania State University in the USA, graduating in 2004. "Here I worked in my exact field of interest, namely sintered products. I was part of a strong research group led by Prof Rand German, a world-renowned expert. I had the opportunity to teach some of his classes when he went on sabbatical. 

"I thought it would be good to acquire experience in industry and joined Bleistahl Produktion in Germany, the number one producer of valve seat inserts in the European Union," she adds. "I worked in the materials research and development office and helped develop a new material."

In 2007 she joined the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University and was appointed in January 2017 as the first female Associate Professor in the Department. 

Prof Blaine has a passion for teaching and was a member of the founding board of the SA Society for Engineering Education. "I enjoy research, but especially teaching. While teaching some of Prof Rand's classes at Penn State, I realised how much I liked to explain things to people. I enjoy the challenge to find new ways to explain and present information when some students do not grasp it. I think this is why I became a lecturer. Helping people unpack information and build knowledge brings me immense satisfaction. I feel I can make a difference."

Photo: Prof Deborah Blaine.

​Do you have a free will, or not? Is this something you have ever thought about? If your answer is YES, then you are in the company of biomedical engineering researchers at Stellenbosch University who like to 'grapple' with this question.

The thought-provoking issue regarding the human brain and free will no longer has to remain in the sphere of mere intellectual debate. The Biomedical Engineering Research Group (BERG) at Stellenbosch University (SU) recently purchased state-of-the art brain imaging equipment that can possibly shed more light on this interesting topic.

Dr Dawie van den Heever, who now heads BERG, says: "The new piece of equipment is a welcome addition to the already well-equipped research group aiming to be the leading biomedical research institute in South Africa. One of the focus areas of BERG is neuroscience and we are currently investigating brain processes during decision making which might leave our common notion of free will in the balance."

The brain imaging equipment comes from Obelab, in Korea. NIRSIT is a device designed to measure variations in cerebral blood oxygen saturation by radiating a near-infrared light beam into the cerebral cortex. Software is then used to monitor the distribution of cerebral oxygen saturation via multiple channels. The device can record up to 204 channels on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain believed to be responsible for higher order decision making.

In 1983 the world was shocked with the first neuroscientific evidence against free will. Benjamin Libet and his team of researchers showed the presence of brain activity in the motor cortex preceding voluntary hand movement up to half a second. The surprising finding was that this brain activity also preceded the participant's conscious awareness of this "voluntary" action. Since then several variations of the study have been carried out and all seem to confirm the findings with a sufficient degree of reliability. 

Dr Van den Heever elaborates: "However, many people are still sceptical and refute the claims made by some of these researchers and also question the practical relevance of these studies. Thus, research at BERG is currently addressing some of these limitations to the previous studies. 

"Our research shifts the focus to real-life decisions with consequences, while comparing brain activity associated with both arbitrary and deliberate decisions. Furthermore, the research tries to determine the neural mechanisms underlying deliberate choices. We are investigating the use of machine learning techniques to look for other networks or markers involved in the onset of the action prior to conscious intent and, in doing so, deliver another blow to the argument of free will."

He continues: "The hypothesis is that there are other signals or markers in the brain that might not be easy and straight forward to discern and therefore the power of machine learning techniques will be used to search for these hidden markers. Currently a 128-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) system is being used due to its high temporal resolution compared to other imaging modalities. EEG measures the electrical activity in the brain on millisecond scales. We will be looking for electrical signals that precede conscious awareness of the decision earlier than Libet by looking in different areas (like the frontal cortex) and using better techniques. However, EEG has very poor spatial resolution and might not be able to accurately locate the areas involved.

"Enter the new NIRSIT system with very high spatial resolution, up to 204 channels overlaying the prefrontal cortex, the seat of deliberate decision making. The first results of the EEG study can be expected at the end of 2018. Data has been recorded and we are in the process of processing the data and looking for signals that precede decision making. In the future we will be using the NIRSIT device to replicate these studies with better spatial resolution to pin-point the area in the frontal cortex responsible for decision making more accurately and decisively," Dr Van den Heever concludes. 

Not all of BERG's research projects are at such a cerebral level. Research themes that are covered, include: 

1. Medical devices (for example an electronic game on a tablet or iPad that is used to diagnose ADHD).

2. Orthopaedic Engineering (for example the design of knee implants that are patient-specific, anatomically accurate, and reproduce normal knee motion).

3. Biomechanics (for example using computer or simulation models for the three-dimensional dynamic behaviour of a heart valve during a cardiac cycle).

4. Nanosensors (small, hand-held devices that are used for the early detection of E. coli or cancer, using one drop of blood). 

Photo:

On the left is Dr Dawie van den Heever (Head of BERG) and Llewellyn Groeneveld, master's student in Biiomedical Engineering, posing with the new brain imaging equipment, NIRSIT.

​​Maties Mechanical and Mechatronic (M&M) Engineering third-year students now have an excellent opportunity to broaden their knowledge andhorizons with the new "gap year" that was introduced in 2018. This involves studying at a German university for a semester followed by an internship at a German company for six months.

"The idea is that M&M students can interrupt their studies at the end of their third year to do supplementary studies at one of six universities in Germany. During the semester they have to look out and apply for an internship at a German company," says Prof Kristiaan Schreve, Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University.

Prof Schreve continues: "This opportunity is exclusively for M&M Engineering students and our department supports it strongly. It was made possible by the good relationships we have maintained with German universities over the years."

The division Stellenbosch University International also plays a pivotal role in the exchange programme. Sarah van der Westhuizen, Programme Coordinator: Semester Mobility at SU International, says: "This is really a very important initiative for us on two levels: Firstly, it promotes the internationalisation of the curriculum, and secondly, the international experience adds value to the students' degrees. The value of the experience is captured in the increased employability of the students, but also on a personal growth level." 

The two M&M students who are the first to do the German Gap Year, Carike Anker and Peter Toulouras, have much praise for this initiative. "I have been having the time of my life in Germany! My experience at Reutlingen Hochschule has been wonderful," exclaims Ms Anker. Mr Toulouras affirms her sentiment: "So far my experience has been incredible. I have developed a much stronger passion and connection to my industry and it has provided me with clarity with respect to the direction I want my career to head towards." 

Ms Anker tells more about her international adventure. "Reutlingen is very geared towards international students, since about 20% of their students are non-German. On my dorm floor of 18 people, only three are German citizens. The classes at Reutlingen are much smaller than in Stellenbosch, which was something to get used to, but a positive experience. Reutlingen's lecturers are required to spend a certain amount of time in industry before being allowed to teach there, and in my experience, this really shows in their teaching style. It's a lot more practical and industry orientated than it is academic. Reutlingen is a technical university, so all students have to do a practical semester. As such, they have an extensive career fair where I got all the information I needed to apply for internships."

Ms Anker will be doing her internship at Bielomatik, and engineering consulting company that provides solutions for plastic welding and lubrications technology. "The internship is paid and structured in such a way that I receive relevant training for every project I work on. During my internship I will work on various projects."

Mr Toulouras shares his experience: "My host university, Technische Hochshule Ingolstadt THI, is amazing and very accommodating towards exchange students. It is a great place to come and learn about engineering in the practical sense. All students are required to complete an internship, therefore the University hosts job fair events where hundreds of companies attend. It is a great place to get exposure to different companies and to find an internship. I am doing my internship at Airbus in the Space and Defence department. I would highly recommend the German Gap Year."

Ms Anker agrees wholeheartedly when she says: "I highly recommend the German Gap Year. In the last semester I have learned a lot about myself and the direction I want my career to go into. I look forward to learning even more during my internship. The year this added to my studies is already worth it. On a non-academic note, I have also made lifelong friends with people from all over the world. It's also really easy and relatively cheap to travel to other European countries if you're based in Germany, and the chance to visit some of the places I've visited is priceless!"

Prof Schreve concludes: "Over and above the international exposure that our students enjoy with their German Gap Year, there is another advantage. The six universities that we collaborate with are surrounded by large companies such as Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW and Bosch. Many companies in the area also have branch offices in South Africa, so doing an internship at a German company may lead to possible employment opportunities in South Africa for the students."

See the Blog link to the students' feedbackHERE.

Photo: 

Carike Anker (fourth from the right, with the white blouse) with her fellow students during an international dinner in her dormitory.

​Satellite Engineering postgraduate students Gabriël Roux and Jürgen Lüdemann excelled at the IAC-2018 by winning top awards during the two sessions of the student paper competition. Almost 7 000 conference delegates attended the 69^thInternational Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Bremen, Germany, from 1^st to 5^th October 2018. The Maties students were presented with certificates and medals during the closing ceremony. Of the six international students on the podium, two were from Stellenbosch University!

Gabriël Roux (study leader: Prof Herman Steyn) won the British Interplanetary Society Prize for the best technical paper presentation: A Novel High-Performance Nanosatellite Attitude and Rate Sensor.

Jürgen Lüdemann (study leader: Arno Barnard) won the Graduate Category 2^nd prize (Silver medal) for his paper presentation: Sub-pixel image registration on an embedded satellite platform.

Photo: From the left are Gabriël Roux and Jürgen Lüdemann, Maties Satellite Engineering postgraduate students who won top awards at the IAC-2018 in Bremen, Germany.

​Newly elected Stellenbosch University (SU) Student Representative Council (SRC) chairperson, Carli van Wyk, says that everyone has a duty to lead and serve in communities whether it is positional or non-positional.

The Rawsonville-raised third-year LLB student is the youngest of three children. Carli describes herself as a passionate leader who believes in serving others and working together in order to bring about change.

“I feel honoured to be serving in the position as SRC chairperson, but I don't see the position as my entitlement to be a leader. I believe that South Africa and Stellenbosch are at a very interesting time in our history: a turning point not only for the campus but also for the SRC."

Carli says that there are a number of problems and challenges at the institution, but there is also an opportunity. “I dream of a Stellenbosch that represents all of South Africa, a campus that is known not by its controversial and problematic history but rather by a legacy characterised by courage, vision and perseverance."

She adds that she believes in a united SRC that serves the students rigorously and without compromise, be that at Tygerberg, the Military or the Stellenbosch campus.

“As chairperson, I will not walk but run with the vision of our team and University. I will stand firm in uniting our team by focusing on how our diversity can work for us and not against us. As a leader, I believe in the value of relationships and therefore, I welcome collaboration with students and structures such as the ABR, Society Council and Prim Committee. I will invest in more platforms for students' voices to be heard because in the end, we are part of something bigger than ourselves."

Carli says that all the stakeholders of the institution are custodians of the future Stellenbosch and, even more importantly, the country.

Carli further says that in 2018, young people are facing challenges such as social exclusion, food security and the stigmatisation of mental illnesses. “We recognise that these challenges are complex, some of them deeply embedded and difficult to overcome. As a united SRC, we will make it our mandate to ensure a collaborative, inclusive and responsive culture at Stellenbosch University."

“We envision a progressive and thriving community with student success at its core. In order to achieve our vision, we recognise our past and take responsibility for our future through upholding our values of integrity, humility and empathy."

Carli will lead students alongside her deputies Alex van Greuning, Melt Hugo, Lauren Stevenson, Lethiwe Mbatha, Leighton September, Marine Botham, Tariq Khan and Mthunzi Matshabane.

​For other people it might have been an ordinary Thursday, but for Itumeleng Mabusha, who had just found his certificate of membership from the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) on his desk, it was the day he realised that anything is possible.

To him, the certificate was more than just a piece of paper – it was a summary of all the effort he had put in over the past few years and proof that his dream to become a Chartered Accountant (CA) had come true.

Seven years ago – as a first-year student at Stellenbosch University (SU) – he told himself that if he could earn a degree, he could do anything.

“The whole world has opened up. Possibilities. Opportunities of all shapes and sizes. This is only a milestone, because now the games begin. I have more energy than the past few years combined and I'm ready to go. Dreams don't work, unless you do!" he wrote on LinkedIn.

Itumeleng attended Parklands College on a scholarship and was in Grade 9 when he decided that he wanted to become a CA.

He applied to all the universities in the area and Stellenbosch University was the first to accept him into its BAccounting programme when his final marks came out. He was also accepted into the Stellenbosch Thuthuka Bursary Fund programme.

“I remember my first class in 2011. My lecturer was a CA, probably the first one I had ever seen (while knowing). I remember the admiration I felt, thinking that this is what I want to achieve and that this is year one of a long road ahead. I was really inspired."

He was worried about coming to Stellenbosch, fearing that he wouldn't fit in.

“But the experience I had was really like no other. An experience I doubt I would have gotten anywhere else. I made some really good friends and learned to approach a serious life differently. I always say I earned more than a degree at varsity: I learned how to be leader, how to balance life and how to make time for friends and family."

After graduating with his Honours degree in Accounting from SU, Itumeleng started his articles as trainee accountant at Sanlam.

“I fell in love with investments. I ended up rotating to the capital markets business where I learned about debt capital markets. I was then offered a position within the group with the debt team where I work as a debt structurer. I grabbed it with both hands and I haven't looked back since."

The first career portal focused only on the agricultural and food sector has been launched by Stellenbosch University's Faculty of AgriSciences.

This comprehensive portal for the agricultural sector is the first of its kind in South Africa and on the continent. It is the brainchild of Prof Danie Brink, dean of the faculty.

This web portal is expected to contribute significantly to students' career development and to help deliver on industry needs, Prof Brink said at the launch event on 4 October. Students in their final year, as well as postgraduate students in the faculty and roleplayers in the agricultural industry, attended the event.

“We believe this portal will help to unlock new opportunities for our students and also benefit the agricultural sector," Prof Brink said. “We want to see our graduates entering the marketplace successfully."

The faculty has taken the initiative to provide seed funding for the establishment of the platform. It will be extended to other South African universities and tertiary institutions and, possibly, to international and private universities.

The private sector is ready to invest in this initiative as they experience challenges to recruit suitably qualified graduates and experienced staff, he indicated.

The requirements of the agricultural sector and educational needs of students have changed significantly over the last few decades, Prof Brink pointed out. “Less than 20% of our students in the faculty now come from an agricultural background. We believe that this portal will help to build bridges between our students and roleplayers in the sector."

The agricultural sector and related industries are complex, added Rico Basson, Executive Director of Vinpro. “We need a new generation of multidisciplinary experts that are passionate about agriculture."

The platform is a useful tool that enables the agricultural sector to better reach students, said Monika Basson, coordinator of undergraduate recruitment and marketing at the faculty. Students, graduates, and people already working in the agricultural sector will be able to register as job seekers and apply for positions, while agricultural companies can gain access to candidates by advertising job opportunities, internships (long- or short-term) and bursaries.

This portal fills a huge gap in the industry, according to Marianne van der Laarse, Managing Director of Agrijob. “The current trend of young people showing reluctance to study in agricultural science is by now well-known and is of great concern to the agricultural industry," she said.

“Discussions with companies and organisations in the agricultural and agri-food supply chain revealed a shortage of agricultural science graduates with appropriate skills. However, from a recruitment perspective, this perception from industry is contradicted by the rather large number of agricultural graduates and postgraduates that are struggling to find employment or internship opportunities."

“We are, therefore, very excited about this interactive, comprehensive platform that will provide access to possible agricultural employment opportunities."

According to Van der Laarse, the platform also enables students to become proactive about their own career development. “Be ready to stretch yourself and operate outside your comfort zone when you enter the job market and the workplace. Pursue internships and do extra courses to gain more skills.

“It is your career story - take ownership of it," Van der Laarse concluded.

Visit www.agrijob.co.za for more information. Contact Marianne van der Laarse at marianne@agrijob.co.za or 0823881000.

​Matie Community Service (MGD) in the Division for Social Impact recently held its annual general meeting (AGM). The AGM is a platform for reporting on the activities of MGD's three programmes – the primary healthcare, matric and one-stop volunteer programme – over the past year, while also providing an opportunity to celebrate their impact.

To add to the annual report delivered by Renee Hector Kannemeyer, Head: MGD and Deputy Director: Social Impact, students and partners also shared their experience participating in MGD's programme offering.

Primary healthcare programme

The primary healthcare (PHC) programme provides Medicine and Health Sciences students an opportunity to gain real-world clinical experience with members from the community. Wade du Plessis and Nthabiseng Xashimba, both MBChB students, spoke about how this programme enhanced their studies and lives. “The programme has provided a reason for me to carry on with my degree. It constantly reminded me of why I had chosen to study medicine, and why I should carry on, even when things get tough. It became a vehicle to teach me the softer skills for interacting with patients. The PHC programme means a lot to the community, as well as to the students," said Wade. Nthabiseng added the following: “Through the PHC programme, I was already doing things in my first year that I am only being taught now in my third year, which helps build one's confidence as a future medical practitioner. Our engagement with the patients goes beyond simply dealing with their pathologies. It's a constant reminder of why I'm here. I now also know what physiotherapists and occupational therapists do because I was able to interact with the allied health sciences students."

Matric programme

Through a partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training, MGD's matric programme offers education and training to adult learners who wish to obtain their matric certificates. Elizabeth Rhoda, an adult learner, related how she learnt something new every day participating in the programme: “Thank you to the dedicated teachers for their support. Thank you to MGD for affording adult learners this opportunity." Interest and enrolment in the matric programme is growing steadily.

One-stop volunteer programme

In a bid to create a culture of volunteerism among Stellenbosch University students, the one-stop volunteer programme offers students the opportunity to become involved in volunteer initiatives through clusters or residences on both Stellenbosch and Tygerberg campus. Having participated in an initiative aimed at fostering relationships with the children of Cloetesville, student Georgina Barker said: “This outreach has shown me that children need to feel loved and know that someone is there for them. We all need to make a difference where we can, and make life better for all – this is why this outreach project is important. I have learnt to be myself around the children, and to be aware of what I say and how I treat others."

For more on impact, consult the MGD annual report at: https://www.sun.ac.za/si/en-za/Documents/MGD/SU%20Social%20impact%20MGD%20Annual%20Report%20(ENG)%202017.pdf

​"We are proud and happy to have such a good turnout of alumni and their partners. I can assure you we are a strong, dynamic, active and growing faculty," said Prof Wikus van Niekerk (Dean: Engineering) to Maties engineers who attended a cocktail event held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the Cape Town Waterfront on 4 October 2018. "We have quite a lot of young teaching staff. During selection committees we are pleased to note the high calibre of the applicants for academic posts. We have great staff at the moment."

He added: "It is not the mountains and the wine, but the quality of the students that makes the task of our academic and administrative staff easier."

Prof Van Niekerk touched on the 4^thindustrial revolution that revolves around data science, deep learning, etc. He mentioned that the reconstituted Advisory Board of the Faculty stressed at their first meeting in May this year that the Faculty must prepare the young generation to be able to work in a deluge of data. "The introduction of a BEng in Data Science is also in the pipeline," he announced.

He moved on to the major construction projects that have been the order of the day at the Faculty the past three years: "Another exciting investment in the next seven to eight years is that close on a billion Rand will be spent on revamping the Engineering building complex. The Department of Industrial Engineering recently moved into the old Information Technology building after a complete overhaul of the entire building. Next in line for refurbishment is the Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering building, with the buildings of Process (Chemical) Engineering, Civil Engineering and Electrical and Electronic Engineering waiting in the queue. A brand-new Pavement Engineering Laboratory will also be built soon. If you come and visit us in the next few years, you will see a big building site."

The Dean then made the audience aware of the Faculty of Engineering's 75th Anniversary in 2019. He invited them to participate in the celebrations and encouraged them to send in interesting anecdotes about their time spent at their alma mater.

About 150 people attended the function. Most of the alumni who attended were born between 1980 and 1995, with the majority of guests graduating in the last ten years.

Click HERE to see the photos of the event.

Photo: The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof Wikus van Niekerk, addressing Matie engineers and their partners.

​The Division for Research Development at Stellenbosch University (SU) on Monday (8 October 2018) launched Research@SU100 – a special edition of SU's annual research report (Research@ Stellenbosch University). Held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study, the event also doubled as SU's inaugural Media Excellence Awards ceremony.

As part of SU's centenary commemoration, Research@SU100 contains 100 research stories, highlighting 100 areas in which the University's research has had an impact over the past 100 years. Some of the ground-breaking research topics covered in this flagship publication are those on tuberculosis, antenatal care, diabetes, food security, renewable energy, wine, climate change, wastewater, invasive species, sexual violence, artificial intelligence and ecological restoration.

Describing Research@SU100 as a wonderful publication, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers said it is a celebration of the achievements in one of the institution's key performance areas.

“If one looks at the research report being launched today, it is clear that we have a solid foundation on which we can build going forward."

“We are very proud of all of our researchers – a group of highly talented and dedicated individuals. The publication that we are launching tonight, 'Research @ Stellenbosch University', is about sharing their work with the world."

Echoing De Villiers' sentiments, Dr Therina Theron, Senior Director of the Division for Research Development said it's a proud product not just for SU and her division but also for the researchers who work relentlessly to make the world a better place, and to positively impact on people's lives. 

“This publication really helps us to illustrate and disseminate the impact of our research. The impact of SU's research is evident when we read through this publication"

Theron mentioned that the publication is send to SU's partners and stakeholders all over the world. Among them are government departments, science councils, industry partners, stakeholders in higher education, and international organisations.

The annual Research@Stellenbosch University publications have won MACE (Marketing, Advancement and Communication in Education) excellence awards every year over an eight-year period.

• An online, virtual copy of Research@SU100 is available at https://bit.ly/2QEUGky. For a printed copy, please liaise with Maryke Hunter-Hüsselman, Director: Research Information and Strategy, at 021 808 4623 or e-mail mh3@sun.ac.za 

Media Excellence Awards

At the same event, SU, for the first time, gave recognition to 30 of its top media commentators and newsmakers for 2018. Media Excellence Awards were bestowed in three categories, namely newsmakers; media thought leaders; and contributing towards getting other colleagues in the media.

Among the newsmakers were the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), The SU Choir and the SU Law Clinic. Some of the thought leaders and commentators who were honoured included Prof Thinus Booysen (Electrical and Electronic Engineering), Prof Amanda Gouws (Political Science), Prof Jonathan Jansen ( Education Policy Studies  ), Prof Faadiel Essop (Physiological Sciences) and Prof Nico Koopman (Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel). Wiida Fourie-Basson (Faculty of Science), Wilma Stassen (FMHS) and Marina Joubert (CREST) received awards for their role in promoting other colleagues in the media.

Prof Wim de Villiers congratulated the first recipients of SU's Media Excellence Awards and highlighted the importance of communicating the institution's research to the public in an accessible way. “This will inform, educate and inspire the public," he added. Pointing to studies on science communication, De Villiers said sharing research with the public also holds benefits for SU and its academics.

• Main photo: Cover of Research@SU100.
  
• Ph​oto 1: Prof Amanda Gouws with the Prof Wim de Villiers at the Awards ceremony. Photographer: Hennie Rudman.
  

When deciding to enter the medical profession, it is important for students in South Africa to understand the different contexts in which they will be working. 

In South Africa's wide-ranging population, some people live wealthy, city-based lifestyles and others live impoverished lives in and around cities and in rural areas. Patients needing medical assistance come from a range of varying contexts. 

Exposing students to the various settings from the get go, is the thinking behind a module, entitled Heath in Context, which, for the past five years has been compulsory for first-year medical, physiotherapy and dietetics students. 

The module comprises four themes – namely Bio-Psychosocial Perspectives on Health; Enabling Competencies for Scholar Graduate Attributes; Ethics, Law and Human Rights in Health Care; and Health in Context. 

 The module is chaired by Dr Marianne Unger, who is also a senior lecturer in Physiotherapy - and essentially exposes the students to the health system as a whole. Dr Bart Willems together with Mrs Maryke Geldenhuys run theme four of the module - Health in Context. Geldenhuys, an occupational therapist, has been working in the division of Health Systems and Public Health as undergraduate coordinator for the MB,ChB programme in Public Health. Willems studied medicine and then Public Health and is one of the consultants working in the division of Health Systems and Public Health. 

The module was initiated in 2013 through the Stellenbosch University Medical Education Partnership Initiative after leaders in medical education at SU identified the need for students to be exposed early on to the communities in which they will one day work. 

“The idea of the module is to get students to understand the social environment where patients live and work and to have a strong grasp of the various factors that affect their lives and which would therefore have an effect on their health," Willems said in an interview. 

“In the module, we link the social determinants to the burden of disease and to the main diseases that will be encountered in South Africa. We look at how the health system should ideally be set out to best mitigate the burden of disease." 

“It basically introduces the students to the kind of places where they will be working and the type of patients they will be seeing," Geldenhuys added. She said the module exposes students to “the complete South African context". 

“Maybe they grew up in a context where they don't understand all the troubles people go through, and all the health problems people are exposed to in their particular environments. This module helps them to grasp these realities," Geldenhuys said. 

According to Willems and Geldenhuys, at the end of the module, students visit a community – there are 20 selected communities in the Western Cape, some of which are urban and some rural – where they spend time visiting households,  schools, old age homes, crèches and healthcare facilities.

“The idea behind this is to literally put them in the shoes of the patients they will be working with so that they can understand the context of the patients, some of the factors that contribute to their illness and how they navigate the health systems in their communities. At the end of this visit the students have a very good idea of the context of the patients – so they don't just think of their patients as people with diseases but as people with a context," explained Willems. 

According to Unger, the module is a favourite amongst the students and they really enjoy getting off campus. The purpose of this early exposure may not always be valued so early in their training, but feedback from the older students suggest this notion changes as they enter the clinical platform as student practitioners.

Photo by Sam Reinders

​The Philippi Horticultural Area represents a test case for the ethics of water governance in South Africa. The diversity of government role-players with their divergent interpretations of the legislation; the differing opinions of the farmers on the issues at hand and the number of scientific studies that have been conducted by various academic institutions and disciplines over a long period of time, make it a rich and complex ethical issue. Tensions among stakeholders in the Philippi Horticultural Area around numerous issues, including water are currently high. This area produces almost half of Cape Town's fresh produce and gives work to thousands of farm workers. The water for the Philippi Horticultural Area is supplied by an underground water aquifer. Large amounts of water are extracted from the Cape Flats Aquifer. Access to the water has not been effectively monitored and little has been done to address pollution by authorities. Water governance in the area is becoming increasingly contested following plans by the City of Cape Town to allow two developers to start large scale development in the area, and with the decision to use water from the aquifer for drought augmentation purposes. This research project, funded by the Water Research Commission, is innovative in terms of water governance, because it is the first time that an ethics methodology is explicitly being applied to an existing water governance dilemma in South Africa that is currently underway. It goes beyond a desktop analysis and attempts to demonstrate the impact that ethical dialogue can make in a contested case study.​