ISSUE No. 14 April 2014

E-NEWSLETTER

MINISTRY OF TERTIARY EDUCATION,

SCIENCE, RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

1 Editorial i

2 Interview with Dr. Nadeem OOZEER 1

3 Mauritius Research Council Amendment

Bill 3

4 National Science Week at Plaine Verte 3

5 Science Fun Day at Mont Roches Social

Welfare Centre 3

6 Prize Giving Ceremony: Science Mural

Contest at Auditorium, Rajiv Gandhi

Science Centre 4

7 DISSEMINATION WORKSHOP ON Bad

Habits Die Hard 4

8 Opening of Career & IT Fair 2014 5

9 Opening Ceremony of Workshop on

Empowering through Cooperative

Entrepreneurship 5

10 Inauguration of the Stanley Campus of

l’Université des Mascareignes 6

11 Visit of Prof J. Scrimgeour, University of

Aberdeen 6

12 Courtesy Calls and Photo Gallery 7

EDITORIAL TEAM

Ms. Shaina Woodun

Mr. Nehrroy Seechurn

Ms. Sajeda Budaly

EDITORIAL

This April has been marked by the enactment of the

Mauritius Research Council Amendment Bill by the

National Assembly on 08 April 2014.

The Université des Mascareignes opened a new campus at

Stanley.

The Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre organised a National

Science Week at Plaine Verte and the Science Fun Day at

Mont Roches Social Welfare Centre.

Mauritius as a partner country for the construction of the

biggest research project in astronomy in the world, the

Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Find out more with Dr

Nadeem Oozeer in this edition!

Editorial Team

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Interview with Dr. Nadeem OOZEER,

Commissioning Scientist of the Square

Kilometre Array Project, South Africa

Dr. Oozeer was in Mauritius in April 2014. He is a

Mauritian scientist working for the Square

Kilometre Array (SKA) project in South Africa.

Interview with a Science fanatic!

Dr. Nadeem Oozeer

A. Dr Oozeer, you started your higher studies

at the University of Mauritius (UoM), with a

BSc (Hons) Physics. Tell us more about your

higher education path and your career path.

After completing my BSc (Hons) Physics I

embarked in an MPhil/Phd in astronomy

supported by the Tertiary Education

Commission. I upgraded to a PhD working on

“Multi-frequency studies of a selected

sample of southern extragalactic sources”.

My PhD was carried out partly at the UoM

and the Raman Research Institute,

Bangalore. I worked as a Physics teacher at le

Bocage International School before joining

the Hartebeesthoek Radio Observatory for

my post-doctorate in 2009, under the

sponsorship from the Square Kilometre Array

South Africa (SKA SA). I joined the SKA SA as

commissioning scientist in Cape Town in

2011.

B. Physics offers a wide range of research

fields, from the infinitely small to the

infinitely vast. How do you explain your

passion for astronomy?

The sky has always wowed many of us and at

times we take it for granted. Astronomy

transcends borders and cultures and links all

of us together. There are lot of fascinating

objects in the Universe and so many

questions we still do not know the answers.

Most of the laws of physics are interacting in

this free laboratory. For me the best way to

teach about the wonders of the Universe is

to immerse oneself in a journey to the end of

the universe. We realise the smallness of

mankind in this whole picture and yet our

willingness to understand our environment.

All of us have seen great images from the

Hubble Space Telescope and have at some

stage or the other this urge to know more. In

order to understand this whole Universe,

Physics is the science and Mathematics is the

language we use to describe it.

C. You are currently working on the Square

Kilometre Array (SKA) project. Could you

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briefly tell us about the project, its setting

up in Africa and its purpose?

South Africa and Australia were selected for

hosting Square Kilometre Array project.

South Africa put forward a proposal which

includes 7 other African countries including

Mauritius. We are now building the MeerKAT

which will form part of the SKA phase 1 mid

array. This will be the biggest radio telescope

in the world by 2017. The SKA project will

drive technology development in antennas,

fiber networks, signal processing, software

and computing, and power. The design,

construction and operation of the SKA have

the potential to impact skills development,

employment and economic growth in

science, engineering and associated

industries, not only in the host countries but

also in all partner countries.

D. You are also very involved in Science

Outreach programmes. Do you believe that

the younger generation, especially in

Mauritius, are not enough interested in the

study of Science? If yes, how do we change

that?

The number of youngsters going for studies

in mathematics and science seems to be

declining worldwide and unfortunately it is

also the case in Mauritius. Very often

youngsters are not well aware of the

prospects of doing science and mathematics.

Science teaches us systematic reasoning and

guide us on how to analyse and process data

to produce meaningful information. We need

to trigger the minds at every stage from early

childhood up to tertiary level and this process

should not be a once off. One way of doing

this is to get educators to be involved in

communication and outreach, rather than

just teaching the materials and be done with

it. The youngsters are very high tech these

days. We have to review our teaching

methodologies to incorporate the new

technologies

E. What are your favourite activities and your

hobbies?

I love fishing, one of the things I miss in South

Africa and love cooking. Maybe one day I will

have my own restaurant! I also love

travelling, art, culture and music.

F. A few words to conclude?

We Mauritian are part of the project that will

create history in science and technology in

the near future. The SKA is a mega project

and it is more than time that our youngsters

embark on this trip to understand the

wonders of the Universe.

MAURITIUS RESEARCH COUNCIL AMENDMENT

BILL

On 08 April 2014, the MRC Amendment Bill was

enacted in the National Assembly, to strengthen

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the mandate of the Council; ensure more

effective coordination and rationalisation of

research, research and development and

innovation, at the national level in line with the

economic, technological and social needs of

Mauritius; and enhance private sector

participation in research and development and

innovation.

It introduces five new features – setting up of a

National Research and Innovation advisory

committee comprising international scientists

and noble laureates, a national research and

innovation fund, development of national

research strategy for five years, providing more

flexibility for ownership of intellectual property

rights.

National Science Week at Plaine Verte

The Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre (RGSC)

organized the national science week in Plaine

Verte as part of its series of science activities to

popularize science and technology.

Science Fun Day at Mont Roches Social Welfare

Centre

The Science Fun Day, is yet another attempt of

the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre to remove the

fears and barriers in the learning of the Science

related subjects.

Prize Giving Ceremony: Science Mural

Contest at Auditorium, Rajiv Gandhi Science

Centre

The Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre organised the

“Science Mural Contest” on the theme “Space

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Exploration for a Better Tomorrow, with the

collaboration of the Indian High Commission and

the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture.

67 entries were received from secondary schools

and 221 students registered for this activity.

Space science has led to many innovations which

have changed our life.

Prizes were awarded on Thursday 24 April 2014.

The theme “Space Exploration for a Better

Tomorrow” for this Science Mural Contest also

commemorates the Indo-Mauritian

Collaboration in the field of Science and

Technology.

DISSEMINATION WORKSHOP ON Bad Habits

Die Hard – An Investigation into the

Economic and Social Consequences of

Alcohol Abuse in Mauritius

On Wednesday 16 April 2014, the University of

Mauritius organised a dissemination workshop

on Bad Habits Die Hard.

The report of a research on A the Economic and

Social Consequences of Alcohol Abuse in

Mauritius was revealed.

Opening of Career & IT Fair 2014 at Octave

Wiehe Auditorium, Réduit

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The ‘Career & IT Fair’ was organised by the

University of Mauritius Students’ Computer Club

and the ‘Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

Department’ on Wednesday 23 April 2014. This

great platform aims at bringing the main players

of the local ICT scene in contact with our soon-to-

be graduates in the field.

Opening Ceremony of Workshop on

Empowering through Cooperative

Entrepreneurship at UTM, La Tour Koenig on

Thursday 24 April

The Ministry of Business, Enterprise and

Cooperatives and the National Institute for Co-

operative Entrepreneurship organised the

workshop which aimed at creating awareness of

university students on the concept, importance

and potential of cooperative entrepreneurship

and motivate them to consider the cooperative

approach as an alternative way of becoming

entrepreneurs.

Universities and higher education institutions can

contribute positively and significantly to

innovative and growth-oriented

entrepreneurship. This will in time have a

positive impact on future economic growth, job

creation, innovation and wealth generation.

Moreover, entrepreneurial skills and attitudes

also provide benefits to society beyond their

application to business activity.

Business incubators with the Mauritius Research

Council have been initiated. The Institut

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Francophone de l’Entrepreunariat is working on

a virtual incubator to promote entrepreneurship.

Inauguration of the Stanley Campus of

l’Université des Mascareignes

The third Campus of l’Université des

Mascareignes was inaugurated at Stanley (ex

primary school) by Dr the Hon Rajesh Jeetah,

Minister of Tertiary Education, Science,

Research and Technology.

The Honourable Minister stated that « cette

université mise beaucoup sur l’employabilité

de ses diplômés et pour concrétiser cela, les

stages en entreprises sont obligatoires tout

au long du parcours universitaire. Ces stages

sont rendus possibles grâce au partenariat de

l’université avec les industries, c’est ainsi que

des contacts se multiplient avec les

partenaires industriels de divers secteurs

économiques de l’île pour savoir quels sont

les besoins et les attentes des secteurs

industriels de l’Université ».

L’Université des Mascareignes has 2

Campuses, namely at Pamplemousses and

Rose-Hill.

VISIT OF PROFESSOR JOHN SCRIMGEOUR,

HEAD OF ENERGY INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY

OF ABERDEEN

Following the Minister’s meeting with Prof

Sir Ian Diamond, Vice Chancellor of the

University of Aberdeen, Prof Scrimgeour

visited Mauritius to assess the areas of

collaboration. He met the Vice Chancellor

University of Mauritius, the other Tertiary

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education institutions. A MOU will be signed

with the University of Aberdeen

Meeting with Prof.J.Scrimgeour, University of

Aberdeen, Scotland’ with all TEIs to discuss the

implementation of Petroleum Engineering

courses for our Institutions and also research

projects with the Mauritius Research Council.

Courtesy Calls and Photo Gallery

Meeting Dr. Nigel de Klare Silver, Special Director,

London School of General Practitioner in Health

Education, UK accompanied by Prof. R. Banarsee,

Senior Research Fellow, Imperial College, UK.

Visit of Prof. Jean Louis Carpentier, Managing

Director, ’Université de Genève’ and

Mrs.Carpentier accompanied by Mrs.M.Manraj

of the University of Mauritius.

‘The African Union Model Summit 2014’

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Meeting with His Excellency Dr. Salif Sada Sall,

Ambassador, African Union (AU) Regional

Delegate to Southern Africa and Mr.Tichawona

Shumba, Senior Policy Officer, AU, Southern

Africa Regional Office accompanied by the

Dr.K.Sukon, Director General of the Open

University of Mauritius. They are in Mauritius to

finalise the modalities for the hosting of the

African Union Model Summit to be held this year.

Wrap up Session with His Excellency Dr. Salif Sada

Sall, Ambassador, African Union (AU) Regional

Delegate to Southern Africa, Mr.Tichawona

Shumba, Senior Policy Officer, AU, Southern

Africa Regional Office and the Tertiary Education

Institutions (TEIs) to finalise the modalities for the

hosting of the African Union Model Summit 2014’

Prof.D. Mukhopadhyay from Mayo Clinic ,

College of Medicine, Minnesota,USA

accompanied by Prof.D.Jhurry of the CBBR

(Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials

Research). The aim of the visit was to discuss

possibilities of collaboration in the area of

Biomedical Research and Education.

Meeting with all the Tertiary Education

Institutions in presence of Prof.Morten Willatze ,

Deputy Head of Department, Photonics

Engineering, Technical University of Denmark to

discuss a proposal to jointly organise an

undergraduate programme in Nanotechnology.

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Work in Progress for the New Montagne Blanche

University Campus’ ‘

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