UKZN Student One of Africa’s Top Young Rocket Scientists!
Rocketman Mr Kai Broughton from the Aerospace Systems Research Group.Click here for isiZulu version
PhD candidate and propulsion engineer in the Aerospace Systems Research Group (ASReG), Mr Kai Broughton has been named among the African Space Industry’s Top 10 Under 30 Class of 2020.
The listing is announced annually by the Space in Africa news agency.
‘It’s an honour to be chosen as one of this year’s class of young people contributing to the space industry, and it’s an important opportunity to draw attention to the work and mission of ASReG,’ said Broughton.
The 27-year-old engineer responded to Space in Africa’s call for applications, and was selected for the Top 10 alongside two other South Africans, two each from Angola and Morocco and one each from Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria.
Africa’s space ecosystem is experiencing growth in expertise, investment from governments and the private sector, and contributions from innovators, engineers, researchers and writers. In 2019 Space in Africa began profiling their selected top 10 individuals in the industry, employing a thorough selection process to decide on the stand-out achievers.
2020’s Top 10 individuals will be recognised at the New Space Africa Conference in Ethiopia in November.
According to statement from the organisation: ‘These young people continue to display outstanding courage and contribute significantly to the industry, reminding us at all times that Africa is ready to take its place in the global space market.’
As a propulsion engineer at ASReG, Broughton is working on liquid rocket propulsion systems and static test facilities, laying the foundation for an indigenous satellite launch capability. He is also working on ignition systems for several engines under development by ASReG, and is involved part-time as the lead engineer for the Phoenix-1B hybrid sounding rocket project, developing and upgrading two sounding rockets to be launched by the end of this year. These launches will prove technology and operations required for a commercial workhorse sounding rocket, to be used to commission a new sounding rocket launch facility in South Africa.
His work at ASReG contributes to his PhD research, which is in the area of liquid rocket engine design.
Broughton completed his undergraduate and Master’s studies in Mechanical Engineering at UKZN, attaining his degrees summa cum laude and cum laude respectively and receiving first prize for his final-year project as well as the best fourth-year student award, and the prestigious Engineering Council of South Africa Merit Medal. His master’s project involved the development of the Phoenix-1B Mk II hybrid sounding rocket, focusing on the rocket motor design and testing and culminating in a launch test in February 2019.
Having always been interested in aerospace, Broughton’s exposure to the field was accentuated during his master’s studies, and as he watched worldwide trends in space exploration and technology, he became passionate about helping South Africa build its own capacity for launching aerospace vehicles and technology. He felt launching could be achieved if the country developed critical infrastructure and expertise, and capitalised on the knowledge of experienced engineers and researchers who were part of South Africa’s early launch vehicle programmes.
Broughton’s work helps meet the aims of ASReG, which include the development of aerospace technologies related to rockets and space vehicles, and the development of human skills in Aerospace Engineering.
‘There is a huge market gap to launch satellites into space from Africa - not just to build them! We are trying to fill this gap, which will create jobs, expertise and investment.’
Said leader of ASReG Dr Jean Pitot: ‘The ASReG team is proud of Kai’s profound contributions to the group’s objective of developing technologies and human capital to enable South African space access. Over and above his dedication, determination and spirit of innovation, this prestigious recognition is testament to his remarkable abilities as a young engineer. His accomplishments, along with those achieved by the rest of ASReG’s exceptional team, demonstrate beyond a doubt that South Africa has the depth of engineering talent required to establish an indigenous launch capability that is commercially competitive and able to service Africa’s space launch needs.’
Academic leader of Mechanical Engineering at UKZN Professor Mike Brooks paid tribute to Broughton’s achievement, saying: ‘Kai is a highly talented engineer and a valued member of the team. ASReG is fortunate to have top-flight engineers working on incredibly complex aerospace propulsion systems, and this award rightfully recognises the technological strides that Kai, and the group, have made as we pursue a commercial rocket launch capability for South Africa.’
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Biostatistics PhD Candidate a Member of African Union’s COVID-19 Taskforce
Mr Innocent B Mboya has joined a task team that is developing a mathematical model to mitigate the spread and impact of COVID-19 in Africa.PhD candidate in Biostatistics, Mr Innocent B Mboya has been invited on to a taskforce for COVID-19 Pandemic Modelling in Africa.
Invited by the African Union Scientific Technical Research Commission through the African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC), the Applied Biostatistician and assistant lecturer at Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo) will contribute to efforts to model the COVID-19 pandemic to assist in slowing down the epidemic curve in Africa.
This is Mboya’s first call-up to work with the African Union or with ASRIC on this type of project.
Mboya, who is studying for his doctorate at UKZN under the supervision of Professor Henry Mwambi, joins a team of leading African scientists from diverse backgrounds including medicine and biomedical sciences, epidemiology, statistics, mathematics, and artificial intelligence. Over the course of three months, they will develop a mathematical model to mitigate or ameliorate the spread and impact of COVID-19 in Africa. Their modelling work will also capture some critical aspects of epidemiology, biostatistics and economics.
To collect the data needed for the modelling work, the team will engage African Union member states to obtain the information. Thus far, Mboya has contributed to a concept note describing the purpose of the COVID-19 modelling and drafted a tutorial on data collection and validation for COVID-19 modelling - both will be presented to AU member states.
‘This is critical in informing the need for COVID-19 data, including which types of data are required for effective modelling, given the current data quality challenges in Africa,’ said Mboya.
Mboya emphasised the importance of modelling the spread of COVID-19 in Africa, saying that as COVID-19 has spread in the African region since mid-May after an initial relatively low number of cases, it is important to use data to curb not only the spread of the disease, but its impact in various spheres. He pointed out that the modelling would also inform socio-economic decisions across member states.
Mboya, who completed his MSc in epidemiology and applied biostatistics at KCMUCo, is pursuing his PhD through UKZN, on a scholarship from GlaxoSmithKline and the Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics Training. His research involves examining joint predictors of preterm birth and perinatal death among singleton births in northern Tanzania based on a zonal hospital birth registry data between 2000 and 2018. Mboya is pursuing this research in order to contribute to the reduction of avoidable maternal and perinatal deaths in Tanzania and their associated consequences.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .UKZN Student Appointed to Global Youth Parliament
Ms Thembalethu Ntuli.Click here for isiZulu version
Social Sciences student, Ms Thembalethu Ntuli has been appointed secretary of the Global Youth Parliament (GYP), one of the world’s largest youth ideas transforming organisations, which aims to motivate young people in societal work, entrepreneurship, democracy and sustainable development.
Ntuli was selected by the GYP because of her contribution as a catalyst for social development and integration through promoting the spirit of self-realisation and determination.
‘I would describe my appointment as a moment in time that has been truly humbling, affording me the opportunity to continue serving in purpose, through the development of young people in South Africa and throughout the world. I look forward to not only leaving a global footprint through empowerment but also learning a lot from the GYP Network,’ said Ntuli.
As a student activist, she is passionate about being an agent of change through various community projects, having served in organisations such as the Imbeleko Foundation and Enactus UKZN that are driven by social development and youth organisation within the prisms of providing political classes, career guidance, entrepreneurship support, mentorship and promotion of a healthy and safe lifestyle.
Ntuli served in the South African Students Congress (SASCO) as a member of the Branch Executive Committee in 2018/19 and was elected Deputy Chairperson of Student Dynamics, a non-profit organisation, in 2018.
In her advocacy, she continues to be a member of an international volunteer organisation, Future Team. In solidifying her socio-political background, in 2019 she graduated from the Program of Young Politicians in Africa (PYPA).
Ntuli continues to fight for the rights of women as she strongly resonates with the words of former Burkina Faso president Thomas Sankara: ‘There is no true revolution without the liberation of women.’
Words: Melissa Mungroo
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .UKZN’s Farmer Support Group Assisting Rural Communities Impacted by COVID-19
Groups in Okhahlamba and Msinga Local Municipality receiving COVID-19 parcels from FSG.The Farmer Support Group (FSG) - a community development, outreach and research unit in UKZN’s School of Agricultural Earth and Environmental Sciences (SAEES) in Pietermaritzburg - has identified ways of assisting rural communities cope with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virus has impacted negatively on the livelihoods of rural farmers with drought conditions exacerbating the situation in some areas.
The national lockdown made it impossible for rural farmers to plan for their agricultural production. Furthermore, many were not fully informed about the stringent measures that would be imposed.
To help alleviate the difficult situation, the FSG worked with communities in Msinga and Okhahlamba Local Municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal implementing action-research aimed at improving smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.
The first intervention was to conduct remote monitoring of project activities by phoning farmer representatives weekly to assess the situation on the ground with respect to inputs, markets and associated factors. The FSG also sent SMS messages to community members every two weeks to update them about important information associated with the virus and the lockdown.
The second intervention involved FSG partnering with the Umgeni Resilience Project (URP) to conduct a telephonic survey with 215 farmers in rural communities in the Msinga, Okhahlamba, Richmond and uMshwathi local municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal. The action provided valuable information on the status of rural farmers’ food insecurity.
Preliminary results of the survey indicate that about 63% of farmers had concerns about access to seedlings as their normal suppliers were not operating due to the lockdown. In addition, farmers did not receive any agricultural assistance during lockdown, which adversely impacted their operations resulting in 67% of them encountering a decrease in agricultural income due to a loss of production.
It was established that smallholder farmers were not fully conversant about the pandemic or about the precautions needed. A COVID-19 information pamphlet was compiled containing information about symptoms, importance of vitamins, crops to plant in different seasons, particularly to boost immunity, and other virus-related information.
A total of 430 foods parcels were distributed in Msinga and Okhahlamba and, in addition, the FSG provided farmers with agricultural seeds as part of the COVID-19 food packs to ensure food security. The packs contained non-perishable food items, seeds, face masks, and the COVID-19 pamphlet.
The farmers thanked everyone involved for the assistance they received.
Words: Avrashka Sahadeva and Maxwell Mudhara
Photographs: Bongumusa Mbatha and Avrashka Sahadeva
author : .author email : .21 Years of JOMBA! Through the Lens - a Digital Exhibition by Val Adamson
Award-winning Durban photographer Val Adamson.Click here for isiZulu version
Award-winning Durban photographer Val Adamson, who has photographed the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience since it began in 1998, shares her work in an online exhibition titled: 21 years of JOMBA! through the lens.
The exhibition will run on the festival website at the same time as the dance experience - from 25 August to 6 September.
‘This is not only a moment for honouring Val’s extraordinary photographic eye for dance and performance, but it is also a time to visually remember the festival’s 21-year history through her amazing pictures,’ said the festival’s Artistic Director Dr Lliane Loots.
Enjoying a long association with the performing arts, Adamson has carved a name for herself through insightful and creative photography in the fields of theatre, music, dance, and visual art as well as portrait photography. The generous support she gives artists across the spectrum is legendary.
She was named a Living Legend in 2014 by the eThekwini Municipality for her work in documenting theatre.
‘In the early days of shooting ballet, I had such amazing artistic directors and choreographers to work with, including Ashley Killar, Christopher Kindo and Mark Hawkins. They would not use certain photos if a leg or foot or arm was not technically perfect or I had not captured the leap or turn at its most flattering. So I had to hone my skills and focus my eye on exactly how the dancer’s body would move, and almost anticipate what they would be doing in order to capture the moment,’ said Adamson.
Reflecting further, she said: ‘I was working on film and printing images so I had to be so careful not to shoot willy-nilly – it was an expensive exercise! Then came the fluidity and flexibility of contemporary dance where the mood and emotions became the focus, and this - coupled later with digital technology - enabled me to experiment and play. I would not have been able to create this work without the dancers, choreographers and stage lighting technicians. I have loved working with JOMBA! over the years and feel incredibly privileged to have witnessed so many creative works and talented dancers up close!’
Adamson was born in Kenya, studied in Scotland and came to South Africa, her mother’s birthplace, in 1985,when she joinedthe Performing Arts Council of Transvaal as an assistant photographer. In 1988, she was invited by the Playhouse Company to set up and run their photographic department in Durban.
She was commissioned to produce six exhibitions over the years. The first, Caught in the Act (1988), featured images of theatre and earned her a nomination for The Rising Star of the Year award. She had further exhibitions in 1992 and 1993, which toured the country using performing artists sponsored by AGFA. She began freelancing in 1993 and continued to work extensively in the arts but broadening her subject matter.
In 2012, DanceLink recognised her photographic services to dance with an award at the Durban Dance Awards. In 2013, Adamson created Love Dance and KZN DanceLink commissioned this exhibition of her dance photography, supported by the eThekwini Municipality Department of Arts and Living Culture and funded by the National Arts Council and the National Lotteries Commission. The exhibition, part of Giyani Lusha 2013 in Durban, was featured at the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience and the Witness Hilton Arts Festival, both in 2013, and the National Arts Festival in 2014.
JOMBA! is presented by UKZN’s Centre for Creative Arts in the College of Humanities and features an array of dance-works. Adamson’s exhibition is available for viewing via the website (jomba.ukzn.ac.za) throughout the festival.
Words: Melissa Mungroo
Photograph: John Ivins
author : .author email : .Research on Fig Extract for Diabetes Treatment Among Journal’s Most Cited
Expert in the field of type 2 diabetes and obesity, Professor Shahidul Islam.Professor Shahidul Islam of the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Life Sciences (SLS) has been recognised for authoring one of the Top 10 most cited articles in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis last year.
The article explored the effects of fig (Ficus carica) extract on enzyme activity in metabolic syndromes.
Islam, an expert in the field of type 2 diabetes and obesity, co-authored the paper with postdoctoral researcher Dr Ramgopal Mopuri; Professor Neil Koorbanally of the School of Chemistry and Physics at UKZN, and two collaborators from the Sri Venkateswara University in India. The paper focuses on the potential inhibitory effects of fruit ethanolic extract from F. carica against carbohydrates and lipid digesting enzymes activities, and suggests that the extract may contain agents that counter the onset of obesity, while being antioxidative and antidiabetic.
Obesity and diabetes are interrelated global health problems, which have increased recently, including in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. With the coexistence of diabetes and obesity affecting lifespan and quality of life around the world, and placing a burden on healthcare systems, many treatment methods are employed that include the inhibition of carbohydrate and lipid digesting enzymes to reduce the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and lipids as well as to reduce blood glucose and body fat levels.
With phytochemicals produced by plants presenting a cost-effective alternative to modern drugs for the treatment of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity, plants such as F. carica with their edible fruits and their medicinal properties such as antispasmodic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, make them good candidates for investigation into the effectiveness of their phytochemicals to treat metabolic diseases.
The authors’ research shows that F. carica fruit ethanolic extract may be an alternative for the treatment of oxidative stress, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Islam, a full professor in Biochemistry, is a member of South Africa’s National Health Laboratory Service Data Access and Ethics Committee, and has served on UKZN’s Animal Research Ethics Committee as a member and then as Chairperson for several years. Currently he is serving as an Academic Leader of the Biotechnology Cluster at the Westville campus of the School of Life Sciences. He has a C2 research rating from the National Research Foundation and more than 12 years’ teaching experience in Biochemistry and Metabolism.
Islam has published 10 book chapters and more than 130 full-length articles in international, peer-reviewed journals as well as serving on editorial boards for distinguished international journals. He was the recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Teachers’ Award from the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, was among the Top 30 published researchers at UKZN in 2017, and has supervised more than 50 postgraduate students from honours through postdoctoral studies.
His research has been focused on the development of animal models of type 2 diabetes, antidiabetic intervention trials of various medicinal and functional foods, food supplements, artificial sweeteners, sugar substitutes, and medicinal plant extracts that could contribute to the development of novel drug development and food supplements for the better management of diabetes and obesity.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Digital Arts Student Shortlisted in Yogi Sip Competition
UKZN honours student, Mr Zico Mthethwa. Digital Arts honours student Mr Zico Mthethwa is among finalists in the Yogi Sip Young Creators Network competition after being selected from more than 600 hopefuls throughout South Africa who submitted their best work.
The 15 finalists are in line to be the one chosen to design Yogi Sip’s packaging for 2021 and to receive a cash prize of R20 000.
Well aware that working on a project involving a well-known brand could open doors for him and strengthen his portfolio, Mthethwa says just being in the top 15 makes him feel a winner already as the venture will expose him and the design work he creates to a much wider audience.
‘I am hoping to get exposure as an upcoming designer and to get my name known in South Africa as an artist who creates work that Yogi Sip SA finds more than worthy to put on its packaging,’ he said.
Mthethwa’s interest in art grew as a child when he began to recreate the cartoon characters from some of the TV shows he watched growing up. In Grade 3, he began tracing these characters, with special attention given to Dragon Ball Z’s lead character, Goku. ‘I recall how my mum bought me brown covers for my books and this friend at school had the latest cartoon covers of Yu-Gi-Oh! I borrowed them and spent the week drawing my own cover which made my books really standout.’
Mthethwa, who says he is looking forward to gaining financial freedom and creating higher quality work without any limitations, has just completed his latest work, Jika (2020). ‘I wanted to express the energy, diversity, and the freedom the generation of today has. We can all party together no matter our sexual orientations, colour and beliefs!’
Words: Melissa Mungroo
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Decolonisation Discussion Series Features Three Doctoral Candidates
Presenters and PhD students (from left) Ms Subashini Govender, Ms Angela Mathias Kavishe and Ms Asania Reneilwe Maphoto.The School of Social Sciences launched their Decolonisation Discussion Series, with PhD candidates Ms Subashini Govender, Ms Angela Kavishe and Ms Asania Maphoto presenting under the theme: Can There be Decolonisation without Africanisation?
Academic Leader in the School, Professor Maheshvari Naidu said the idea was for the first session to be student led. ‘The three students were selected to be part of the School mobility programme with our MoU partner, the University of Botswana. They were the perfect candidates to share thoughts and ideas, drawing from their engagement with their own studies.’
Govender’s presentation focused on the need to decolonise the African mind, saying colonialism propagated a racial hierarchy system, which classified people as inferior or superior based on their “race”. ‘Africans were, over centuries, psychologically “gaslighted” into seeing themselves as the inferior “race”.’ She emphasised that decoloniality and Africanisation were imperative to restore the dignity, pride and positive identity of Africa while also highlighting the need to affirm the continent and its people in everyday life.
Kavishe’s presentation was on the restoration of African traditional culture. ‘Colonisation made Africans imitate European ways of thinking and acting, hence, Africans use foreign philosophies, epistemologies, and ontologies to interpret their realities which do not help to solve their own challenges,’ she said. ‘This calls for decolonisation and Africanisation at the same time because the African future can better be understood from the communal traditions of Africans themselves rather than using one-sided knowledge.’
She focused on various decolonisation attempts by Africans and called for an African political union, authenticity, and education for self-reliance.
Maphoto explored the imperative to decolonise African education, saying South Africa had ‘inherited the education of the oppressor that did not reveal the culture and authentic identity of Africans. Universities need to emphasise an awareness of indigenous knowledge systems as a factor in entrenching new knowledge in understanding societal needs through local languages substantially rooted in cultural, historical, economic and political contexts,’ she said.
This, she argued, could be achieved through tapping into the ontological discourse and narratives of the African people from their own point of view. ‘Africanisation is not about the exclusion of the Western knowledge but about inclusion of African culture, beliefs, knowledge production and dissemination. There is a need for African voices in the education of an African child,’ she added.
The presenters agreed that the session was knowledge sharing and that they had learned a lot from each other and from the comments and questions from the audience.
They were grateful to the School of Social Sciences for the opportunity.
Words: Melissa Mungroo
Photographs: Supplied
author : .author email : .COVID-19 and Gene Editing – Ethical and Legal Considerations Investigated
Bioethics, medical and reproductive technology law expert, Dr Sheetal Soni.A legal academic at UKZN, Dr Sheetal Soni is on a mission to ensure research and the development of treatment and vaccines in the fight against COVID-19 are not taking place at the expense of ethical and legal standards.
A bioethics, medical and reproductive technology law expert and member of the Association for Responsible Research in Genome Editing (ARRIGE), Soni is using media platforms and peer-reviewed journals to share her research on the ethical and legal considerations inherent in genome editing as an option to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her article: COVID-19 and Gene Editing: Ethical and Legal Considerations, discusses three ways in which the CRISPR genome editing tool could be used as way to fight the coronavirus.
Earlier this year Soni was profiled in The CRISPR Journal - the only peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science and applications of gene editing - and wrote on her interest in CRISPR research as a legal academic and what this research means for Africa.
‘There is already research being done with regard to editing the COVID-19 genome, however this is still in preliminary stages. Many CRISPR laboratories began to focus their research on COVID-19 and have developed CRISPR-based testing kits,’ said Soni.
Through her research, Soni explores how the CRISPR genome editing tool could be used as a way to fight the virus, including the process of editing the genome of COVID-19 in order to render it incapable of infecting human cells. Investigations have also taken place into how it could be used as an alternative way to test for COVID-19 infection, or how it could be used to edit ‘our own genome in order to genetically immunize us against infection.
‘The possibility of editing the human genome carries a myriad of ethical and legal implications and may conflict with current national and international ethical and legal policy,’ said Soni. ‘Gene editing is associated with a range of ethical issues such as safety, equal access and consent. Bioethicists and researchers believe that gene editing in humans must be proven safe before it can be offered as a treatment option. There is also the issue of equal access to treatment, which must be considered.’
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .UKZN and AgriSETA Collaborate for the Good of Agriculture in SA
The Rabie Saunders Building on the Pietermaritzburg campus – UKZN’s long standing centre of teaching and learning in Agriculture.UKZN’s School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences (SAEES) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Agriculture Sector Education Training Authority (AgriSETA), enabling collaboration in research within the authority’s focus areas and in training that will boost the agricultural sector in South Africa.
The agreement will help cultivate collaboration between UKZN, a leader in agricultural research and capacity development in the country, and AgriSETA, which is responsible for the skills development of the agricultural workforce.
The collaboration creates the opportunity for UKZN to submit proposals for funding for various projects to AgriSETA with an initial three-year funding cycle for research and training proposals for SAEES researchers and academics.
‘By developing sustainable thematic research focus areas, we aim to build long-term projects and research teams which are sustainable beyond individualistic research projects,’ said Dean and Head of SAEES Professor Fhatuwani Mudau.
AgriSETA is mandated to provide training and development in the agricultural sectors aligned to the objectives of the 2030 National Skills Development Plan, which places emphasis on the importance of research which is vital for the improvement of food security and economic growth, and fosters the generation of new skills and knowledge.
Academics and researchers within SAEES are developing proposals in line with research focus areas such as climate change, food and nutrition security, extension services, land and society, forestry, seed production, sugar, protein production, export crops, crop disease prediction and modelling, creating resilience among smallholder farmers, building human capacity throughout the food value chain, soil conservation, sustainable land management and water harvesting, integrated pest and disease management, biological control, market models and value chains, and promoting gender equity and participation of vulnerable groups in agricultural-food value chains.
Said AgriSETA’s CEO Mr Zenzele Myeza: ‘By establishing key partnerships with Higher Education Institutions, we ensure better quality research material for the agricultural sector and also advance our skills development focus areas.’
Research produced under this collaboration will have strong proactive and participatory training and development components, contribute to the development of researchers and postgraduate students, be trans- or multi-disciplinary, feature diverse teams, focus on scarce skill areas and include robust knowledge dissemination plans.
Words and photograph: Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .Online Workshop on Time Management and Study Strategies during Lockdown
Top: Mr Simangaliso Bayabonga Zulu, Mr Victor Faniran. Bottom: Ms Cebisile Kubeka and Ms Claire Mondlana.Academic Development Officer (ADO) in the School of Management, IT and Governance, Mr Simangaliso Bayabonga Zulu facilitated an online educational workshop on time management and study strategies.
Organised in collaboration with the College of Law and Management Studies’ Student Support Services, the goal of the workshop was to equip student participants with a guide to effective time and stress management.
The lockdown, introduced in South Africa and many other countries in the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has presented numerous difficulties for students with the shift to online learning a challenging transition for many.
Workshop organisers hoped to bridge the gap through enhancing learning and exam preparation.
‘Exams often cause anxiety,’ said Zulu. ‘Students are under pressure to study and do well either by their lecturers or their peers. The workshop provided students with knowledge and skills on how to access resources and materials online during lockdown, emphasising the importance of rising above circumstances being experienced because of the pandemic.’
The Student Support Services Unit plays a critical role in enhancing the wellness, holistic growth and development of students as well as providing constructive help to support them as they navigate their way on their academic journeys. ‘It was important that we collaborated with them in this workshop as they are the experts in the field,’ added Zulu.
Student counsellors on the Westville campus, Ms Claire Mondlana and Ms Cebisile Kubeka provided the students with tools to help them cope with the distractions of being at home and are offering one-on-one sessions for anyone battling to keep up with the challenges of online learning. Also, Victor Faniran, the ADO of the Information Systems and Technology department, provided the students with study strategies, skills and tips during lockdown, with a central emphasis on technology-aided studying. ‘Technology may aid your studying but not improve your attitude,’ Victor emphasised.
‘I have a strong passion for contributing to society in and outside of university,’ said Zulu. ‘Assisting and sharing study tips and techniques with students warms my heart and gives me a sense of achievement,’ he added.
Words: Lungile Ngubelanga
Photographs: Supplied
author : .author email : .Engineer Dreams of Improving Perceptions and Use of Water
Dr Joy Tuoyo Adu, a lecturer in Civil Engineering at UKZN.To commemorate National Science Week and National Women’s Month, UKZN’s College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science is honouring its female scientists through a Wonder Women in Science campaign, highlighting women who are passionate about their fields, pioneering innovative research and development, and being examples to colleagues following in their footsteps on the road towards careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
This week in UKZNdaba Online the spotlight falls on Dr Joy Tuoyo Adu, a lecturer in Civil Engineering and an expert in water quality modelling and wastewater engineering, who dreams of changing the way water is used and preserved for present and future generations.
Adu - a recipient of a Nuffic Award to study at the UNESCO-Institute of Water Education in The Netherlands - focuses her work on water, an essential resource for life and sustenance. Her most recent work is on non-point source pollution in streams and rivers which directly impacts water quality, safety, and availability. Through mathematical modelling and simulations, the movement of this pollution along a natural watercourse is monitored for effective pollution control, treatment, and management.
Adu’s interest in science was sparked by experimenting in the kitchen when she was a child. She tried different combinations of food and realised the reason certain ingredients complemented each other in calculated proportions while others did not, was simply because of the principles of science and mathematics.
‘Everything we do in life is science-based,’ she said.
As a young girl, Adu was inspired by the strength, work ethic, and determination of her mother and grandmother, which encouraged her to aim for a career in engineering to prove the capability of women in a male-dominated field.
Her fascination for buildings, roads and waterworks led her specifically towards civil engineering. On her study journey she learned that mathematics and science were straightforward routes to solving real-world problems.
From a humble background, she hopes to inspire other women in similar positions to beat the odds to achieve their goals - just as she did.
Adu said being a woman in Engineering still had its challenges as women often had to go the extra mile and work harder than their male counterparts to prove their worth. However, acceptance of women in Civil Engineering had improved tremendously.
‘Women generally have unparalleled inner strength,’ said Adu. ‘They are problem-solvers and are passionate about what they set their hearts on. These qualities influence how they tackle and approach issues in science and life.’
She advised aspiring female scientists to persevere and believe in themselves while pursuing their goals through hard work and discipline. Asking questions, she says, is the surest way to gain knowledge.
Adu feels more attention should be given to science education and the training of teachers in mathematics and science in South Africa because of the shortage of educators in these subjects. She suggested introducing incentives for talented young people to pursue careers in these fields.
Adu runs a small tutorial group for budding scientists in the townships during her free time – however, this is temporarily on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She says balancing life and work is exhausting but she manages it through prioritising her commitments, creating a “will do” list to focus her energies on and help her attend to little things that would otherwise perhaps get overlooked.
With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting a lot of her field and laboratory work currently, Adu has had to adjust her approach to her research and teaching.
UKZNdaba Online had some fun and laughter with Adu asking her to imagine she was a Civil Engineering Superhero!! These were some of her responses – ‘If I was a superhero:
• My chosen special power would be the ability to regenerate – not only my cells to help me do more work but also the instant regeneration of water resources and the environment
• My theme songs would be Way Maker by Sinach and I Look to You by Whitney Houston, songs that reflect my journey in life
• My go-to gadget would be the Word of God, which has been a source of strength in my life
• My Avengers team to take on the world would include my twin daughters Moyin and Mosope - both determined goal-getters; my son Mofehinti, who is calm, focused, and intuitive, and also UKZN’s Professor Muthukrishna Kumarasamy - a forceful person who believes nothing is impossible!’
‘In superhero down time you would find me under a tree beside a gently flowing river, working on my “kryptonite” inability to say no!’
See Adu take on the #quarantinemoves challenge, view the striking photos from her photoshoot and discover other Wonder Women In Science on our website: wwis.ukzn.ac.za
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photographs: Sashlin Girraj
author : .author email : .