December 2009

Message from the Dean

I have been the Dean of our Faculty for thepast six months. The 100 days of honeymooncame and went like a flash. The end of theyear is with us and the Jacaranda trees attestto the time. The campuses look deserted withstudents and staff busy writing or markingexams. I trust that you are all looking forwardto a well-deserved break.

As I look back, a lot has been achieved inthe past six months. Let me very brieflymention some of the prominent issues:

The Faculty has been through ‘Size andShape,’ an exercise that made us reflect onwhat we do and how we can improve onour efficiency and effectiveness in termsof academic delivery. The process saw theFaculty shrinking by 10% in terms ofstaffing across the board. Programmes andmodules were re-organised and some weredropped so as to enhance our under-graduate and postgraduate offerings. Incertain Schools this will provide space forindividuals to enhance research. This was

Professor Deo Jaganyi.

a painful, yet necessary exercise in the faceof budgetary realities. I believe we willmove into 2010 in a better position to beprudent, selective and wise as to what wewould like to invest in so that we candistinguish ourselves from other Faculties.During this process, we did not diminishour intensity of purpose as we looked intothe future. Our effort in teaching andresearch must, and I believe will, continueto differentiate us from the rest, both atUKZN and on the African continent. Thankyou very much for your respective contri-butions to this very important initiative.

During August we all engaged with theMinisterial Report on Transformation andSocial Cohesion and the Elimination ofDiscrimination in Public Higher EducationInstitutions and the Governance andAcademic Freedom Report of UKZN. TheFaculty, through our Specialist ScienceComputing Unit (SSCU), developed anonline survey for students. The wholeprocess was a success with 1 241 studentsresponding to the questionnaire whichresulted in 735 pages. The University’sfinal report served before Senate and I amhappy to report that our contribution madean impact on the report. Out of the 591references, from 26 University structures,the Faculty of Science and Agriculturefeatured in 135 (i.e. approximately aquarter). Well done to everyone for beingpart of this change process and I lookforward to your participation andcontribution to the implementation of therecommendations emanating from thereport in 2010.

The second semester also saw theconsolidation of Agricultural offerings intothe School of Agricultural Sciences and

Agribusiness (SASA). Through aconsultative process, the discipline ofExtension and Agricultural Rural ResourceManagement (ERRM) and Farmer SupportGroup (FSG) rejoined SASA from theSchool of Environmental Sciences. Thisprocess, including the appointment ofProfessor Kevin Kirkman (a grasslandscientist, whom we congratulate) as theDeputy Dean in Pietermaritzburg taskedwith the responsibility to grow Agriculturein general, will certainly invigorate thecreation of novel programmes whilestrengthening the current initiatives.

This year the Faculty Fun Run was heldlate in October, and while we at Facultywere worried because of the lateness of theevent, it proved to be a resounding success.There was a record turnout of over 200people with two bus loads from theWestville Campus. Professor MikeHenning and Mrs June Watson took theprizes for the first man and woman home.The Team with the best representation wasthe Centre for Electron Microscopy whilethe team with the best spirit was ComputerScience. A new floating trophy, which is tobe awarded to the first team carrying adouble canoe, was donated by ProfessorHugh Murrel. This year it was won by HughMurrell and his partner Rob Dempster. TheFaculty Office gave themselves the bestdressed team prize. They were the judges!I am sure we all enjoyed the breakfast; letus make the event even bigger next year.

The Faculty has been extremely productivein fund raising, having raised a total ofR22,46 million. We signed a R9,4 millionMoU with the Moses Kotane Institute.These funds were used to support 200access students. The support will be for four

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years at the access level. The other financialsupport for access students came fromSASOL (R500 000), Herman Olthaever(R200 000) and the Carl and Emily FuchsFoundation (R60 000). A total of R1,95million from SASOL, Eskom, BHP Billitonand the Development Bank of South Africawas raised to run a Winter School in Julyon our Westville Campus. A total of 400Grade 12 students from rural KZN and theEastern Cape attended the Winter School.The main subjects covered were Maths,English and Physical Science. The Facultyis running a BSc for Educators Projectwhich is supported by BHP Billiton (R10million) and Nedbank Eyethu Trust (R850000). This is a pilot project aimed at

training school teachers from the NorthernCape to enable them to obtain BSc degreesin five years. We currently have 25 teachersin the programme. The official launch ofthis programme will be early in 2010.

I take this opportunity to say farewell to20 Faculty members who retire at the endof the year. We thank them for theircontribution to the Faculty and theUniversity and wish them well. I would alsolike to congratulate 27 staff members whoreceived long service awards for havingserved the University for 15 and 25 years.These 47 individuals have served theUniversity for a total of 985 years. This isan inspiration to all of us.

In finishing, I would like to thank each andevery one of you for all the hard work overthe past year. In your own way you havecontributed towards pushing our Facultyand the University a notch higher.

Take a break over the festive season to re-energise and come back in 2010 ready totackle the challenges and opportunities thatthe World Cup and the class of 2009National Senior Certificate will bring.

Cheers

Deo

Left: Members of the Faculty Office wonthe Best Dressed Award.

Dean of the Faculty, Professor Deo Jaganyi, dressed as thecircus ring master, starts the fun run.

The Centre for Electron Microscopy won the award for theBest Representation.

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2009 Faculty long service awardees and retirees

25 years

Pietermaritzburg Campus:

Professor Trevor Anderson Biochemistry, Genetics and MicrobiologyMr Rob Dempster (also retiring) Computer SciencesProfessor Jeff Hughes Environmental Sciences

Westville Campus:

Professor Glenda Matthews Statistics & Actuarial ScienceDr Vadivelu Moodley Environmental SciencesMrs Hemamalini Padayachee ChemistryMr Sagren Pillay Central Academic WorkshopMr Pravin Poorun Biological & Conservation Sciences

15 years

Pietermaritzburg campus:

Mrs Elsie Correia Agricultural Sciences & AgribusinessProfessor Colleen Downs Biological & Conservation SciencesMrs Roseanne Els Computer ScienceMr Roelie Hendriks Mechanical Instrument WorkshopMrs Marsha Manjoo Agricultural Sciences & AgribusinessMr Nyagitheni Ngcobo Agricultural Sciences & Agribusiness

Westville campus:

Professor Peter Dankelmann Mathematical SciencesMr Mark David Geological SciencesProfessor Holger Friedrich ChemistryProfessor Sreekantha JonnalagaddaChemistryDr Alan Matthews PhysicsMr Enoch Mkhize ChemistryMr Gregory Moodley ChemistryMrs Prabashini Moodley Faculty OfficeDr Tom Moyo PhysicsMr Devalogan Naidoo Computer ScienceProfessor Ashley Nicholas Biological & Conservation SciencesDr Francois Smith Biological & Conservation SciencesMr Herbert Sibiya Biological & Conservation Sciences

Long service awardees and retirees on the Westville campus. Long service awardees and retirees on the Pietermaritzburgcampus.

Retirees

Pietermaritzburg campus:Mrs Gail Briggs – Centre for ScienceAccessProfessor Denis Brothers – Biological& Conservation SciencesProfessor Pat Caldwell – Biochemistry,Genetics & MicrobiologyMr Alan Cullis – Electrical WorkshopMr Rob Dempster – Computer ScienceMrs Pricilla Donnelly – Centre forElectron MicroscopyProfessor Owen de Lange – PhysicsProfessor John Field – ChemistryProfessor John Klug – AgriculturalSciences & AgribusinessMr Jerry Naiken – Biological &Conservation SciencesMr Mike Underwood – AgriculturalSciences & AgribusinessDr Andre van der Hoven – Chemistry/CSA

Westville campus:Professor Mario Ariatti – Biochemistry,Genetics & MicrobiologyProfessor Chris Appleton – Biological& Conservation SciencesProfessor Roseanne Diab – Environmental SciencesProfessor John Dunlevey – GeologicalSciencesProfessor John Hey – MathematicalSciencesMr Johnny Lutchmiah – EnvironmentalSciencesProfessor Di Scott – EnvironmentalSciencesDr Luigi Scribani – MathamaticalSciences

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Centre for Electron Microscopy

The Centre for Electron Microscopyis very happy to announce the arrivalof a new Variable Pressure ScanningElectron Microscope (VPSEM) tosupplement its range of researchsupport equipment on the Pieter-maritzburg campus. Jointly funded byUKZN and the NRF, the newinstrument represents state-of-the-arttechnology in the field and is the firstinstallation in South Africa of a highsensitivity X-ray microanalysisdetector with an area of 80mm2. Thisdetector is particularly well-suited tothe biological applications ofmicroanalysis frequently encounteredin the work the Centre performs forstaff and postgraduate students.

The CEM has become known in thecountry as a leading centre forbiological studies using reducedvacuum technology – a reputationestablished through its pioneeringinstallation of the FEI ESEM in 1999.

In addition to this new arrival, the Centre offers the very latest technology in live-cell imaging on the Zeiss LM 710 LaserConfocal Microscope, fluorescent light microscopy as well as high-resolution conventional scanning and transmission electronmicroscopy.

This equipment is all conveniently placed in the CEM for use by research staff and postgraduate students in the Faculty ofScience & Agriculture, the wider University, local research bodies and commercial communities in KZN. Staff and studentsin the Faculty are, in particular, invited to come around and see the instruments and discuss their applications with CEM staff.

Ms Tutuzwa Xuma, Chief Technician at the CEM, getting acquainted with thenew Zeiss EVO VPSEM.

New electron microscope on the Pietermaritzburg campus

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Centre for Science Access

Dr Neil Koorbanally was recentlyappointed as the Head of the Centre forScience Access. He is an organic chemistand a former Dean’s Assistant in the Facultyof Science and Agriculture at the Westvillecampus.

Mrs Sheelagh Halstead was recentlyawarded her MSc degree. Her dissertationis entitled “A critical analysis of researchdone to identify conceptual difficulties in

Ms Ntombi Mtwentula and Mrs Shelley Barnsley.Dr Neil Koorbanally.

acid-base chemistry.” The Centrecongratulates her on a job well done.

Centre for Science Access StudentCounsellors, Mrs Shelley Barnsley and MsNtombi Mtwentula, attended the 30th

Annual Conference of the Southern AfricanAssociation for Counselling andDevelopment in Higher Education(SAACDHE) held in September inGaborone, Botswana. This was generously

funded by the Faculty of Science andAgriculture. Mrs Barnsley’s paper wasentitled: “How important is the role of thestudent counsellor in access, retention, andthroughput?” and Ms Mtwentula’s paperwas entitled: “The integration of the basicpeer help training model in theimplementation of the science access classrepresentative system”. Both papers werewell received.

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School of Agricultural Sciences andAgribusiness

Dr Mthulisi Siwela, a lecturer in Dieteticsand Human Nutrition, was recentlyawarded a PhD on the topic “Finger milletgrain phenolics and their impact on maltand cookie quality.” His research examinedthe composition of finger millet grainphenolics and its effect on the antioxidantproperties of the grain. The findings of thestudy showed that phenolic composition infinger millet grain, particularly tannins, wasa varietal property and tannins were locatedin the testa layer of the grain. Phenolics infinger millet grain impacted positively onmalt quality and contributed significantlyto the antioxidant properties of the grainand cookies, which could be health-promoting.

Dr Mthulisi Siwela.

(fr om left) Professor Mark Laing withDr Joe de Vries, Director of PASS (asubprogram of the Alliance for a GreenRevolution in Africa) and Dr ChrispusOduori.

Food security specialist visitsUniversity of California

Dr Joyce Chitja, an organic farmingspecialist, recently spent two weeks in theUnited States of America at the Universityof California (UC) where she gave a lectureon the role of small-scale and organicfarming in ensuring food security. Shevisited a number of organic farmingspecialists who have been leaders in thefield for over 45 years. The trip wasprompted by her concern for theunsustainable ways in which countriesproduce food. Dr Chitja was exposed toorganic farming science teaching, researchand community outreach programmes andfeels that the School of AgriculturalSciences and Agribusiness can play a rolein developing organic science and other

forms of sustainable production methodsto support this fast growing market.

Bill Gates mentions AfricanCentre for Crop Improvement(ACCI) Plant Br eeder inspeech

Bill Gates mentioned PhD graduate DrChrispus Oduori in his speech at the 2009World Food Prize Ceremony. Dr Oduorihas managed to increase the yield of fingermillet from 500-700 kg per hectare to astaggering 2500-3000 kg per hectare on histrial plots in western Kenya. Finger milletis grown almost entirely by small farmersand is consumed by more than 100 millionAfrican people and crucial for continuedfood security. The ACCI philosophy oftraining African Plant breeders on Africancrops, in Africa, is successfully illustratedby Dr Oduori’s contribution.

Researcher from ACCI r eceivesfunding fr om PlantBio Trust

Dr Hussein Shimelis received a researchfunding grant from the PlantBio trust for aproject entitled “Chemical mutagenesis forherbicide resistance in sorghum andmaize”. The final approved budget for theproject, which will be funded for the period2009-2012, amounts to R 1 593 216. Theproject is aimed at developing herbicideresistant cultivars of grain and sweet stemsorghum and maize through chemicalmutagenesis by generating mutantspossessing one or more genes that encodefor herbicide resistance associated with anyother desirable agronomical trait.

Conference attendance

l Mr Mike Underwood was invited bythe African Network for Agriculture,Agro-Forestry, and Natural ResourcesEducation (ANAFE) to give a presen-tation and supporting paper at the 2nd

World Agroforestry Convention inNairobi, Kenya during the last week ofAugust. The conference drew over1 400 representatives from numerouscountries and agencies. His presen-tation emphasised the importance ofimproving both pre-and post-harvestphysiology which affects shelf life bydeveloping existing interventions withrealistic workable solutions in miti-gating food insecurity.

l Professor Hussein Shimelis attendedand presented a paper entitled:“Determination of selection criteria forseed yield and seed oil content inVernonia (Vernonia galamensis var.ethiopica)” at the 9th Conference of theAfrican Crop Science Society, heldfrom 27 September to 1 October inCape Town.

l A number of staff and students from theACCI presented papers and posters atthe meeting of grantees of the Alliancefor a Green Revolution in Africa(AGRA), Programme for African SeedSystems (PASS), 5-8 October in Mali,Bamako.

l Professor Janusz Zwolinski attendedthe UNESCO-sponsored 5th DubrovnikConference on Sustainable Develop-ment of Energy Water and EnvironmentSystems, held in Croatia from 29September 29 to 3 October.

l Students from Agricultural PlantSciences (AGPS) attended the AllAfrica Horticulture Congress from 31August to 3 September in Nairobi,Kenya. Professor John Bower pre-sented an invited paper, while Dr IsaBertling, PhD student, Mr SamsonTesfay and MSc Agriculture students,Mr Robert Blakey, Mr NhlanhlaMathaba and Mr Xolani Sibozapresented two papers and five posters.

PhD awarded to Dr MthulisiSiwela

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School of Biochemistry, Genetics andMicr obiology

Conferences:

l Westville students and staff fromMicrobiology and Biochemistryattended the SASM-Bio2Biz Confer-ence at the Durban International Con-ference Centre from 20-23 September.There were seven oral presentationsfrom the School, including a keynotepresentation by Professor Bala Pillay(HOS), and seven poster presentations.In addition, Ms Simphiwe Butheleziwas invited to attend the Bio-Entrepreneurship workshop and shealso gave an oral presentation in aspecialised session entitled “Studentsin Bio”. Ms Charlene Singh wasawarded a SASM student travel awardworth R1 000. Dr Carola Niesler (Bio-chemistry, Pietermaritzburg) was aninvited speaker at Bio2Biz. She pre-sented a talk within the Stem CellTechnology session: “Stem celltechnologies: past, present and future”which outlined the history of the com-mercialisation of stem cell technologyand highlighted the state of stem cellresearch and technology in SouthAfrica. She was also invited to take partin a radio program on SAFM entitled“Science Matters” where the state ofstem cell research and laws werediscussed.

l Dr Hafizah Chenia attended the 2nd

Conference on Members of the GenusFlavobacterium, from 21-23 Septem-ber in Paris, where she gave an oralpresentation on “Comparative analysisof four core genome loci for the geno-typing of fish pathogenic Flavo-bacterium johnsoniae-like isolates”.

l On 23 October, the Discipline ofMicrobiology at the Westville campushosted the 22nd Annual Symposium ofthe South African Society forMicrobiology. BSc Honours studentsfrom UKZN and the University ofZululand, as well as fourth-year BTechstudents from DUT, presented their

research project findings. There were atotal of 74 oral presentations and thesymposium was attended by 162 dele-gates. Four students from UKZN wonprizes for the best presentationssponsored by Beckman Coulter: MsKarin Pretorius, Ms Pervashni Padayacheeand Mr Nick Chadwick from the West-ville campus and Ms Karis Moxleyfrom the Pietermaritzburg campus.

l Ms Phillia Vukea, a LEAP lecturer andPhD student in the Biochemistrydepartment (Pietermaritzburg) won oneof only 100 competitive fellowships toattend the Young Scientists Program,followed by the 12th FAOBMB Inter-national Congress of Biochemistry andMolecular Biology (IUBMB-2009-

Congress) whichtook place inShanghai on 2-7August. The fellow-ship covered themajor part of thetravel and livingexpenses of the trip.Ms Vukea pre-sented a posterdescribing her workon Infection Bursal

Disease Virus (IBDV), a commerciallyimportant chicken pathogen. The novelapproach used in her studies drewinterest from several people at theconference.

Ms Phillia Vukea inShanghai.

In the press

Ms Preshanthie Naicker featured in the 26th

July issue of the Sunday Tribune for herstudy on producing grey water treatmenttechnology in an effort to make it safe forreuse on crops and for toilet flushing. Greywater describes the waste-water derivedfrom bathing, laundry, dish and carwashing. Ms Naicker said. “We have tomake sure that the reuse of grey waterprevents any health risks, but will alsoensure that it benefits the environment.” MsNaicker has designed a low-cost, low-maintenance treatment technology for on-site treatment implementation which willfacilitate the reduction of the variousconstituents of grey water. The design,which is currently in use at Buffalo City

Municipality in East London, will bedeveloped by the Stockholm Environ-mental Institute.

Outr each Activities:

l Dr Setati and postgraduate students,Miss Atheesha Ganesh, Miss AdhikaBalgobind, Miss Kovashnee Naicker,Ms Deseree Rajpal and Miss SinazoManentsa participated in NationalScience Week on 3 August. The studentswere involved in demonstrating differentmicrobiology and biochemistrytechniques to Grade 9-11 learners fromselected schools around Durban.

l Former and current Biochemistrystudents, Ms Rachel Tucker and MrKyle Goetsch, were also involved inNational Science Week presentations atthe Inanda Seminary School where theyexplained DNA fingerprinting.

l On 17 June, a group of learners fromHillcrest School visited the GeneticsDepartment. The learners isolated DNAfrom Kiwi-fruit and learned the basicsof DNA sequence alignment. With agesranging from 7-12 years, no one cansay we’re not trying to get them young!

Ms Atheesha Ganesh demonstrating agarosegel electrophoresis and SDS-Page to thelearners.

Mr Kyle Goetsch explains DNA finger-printing to learners at Inanda SeminarySchool.

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School of Biological and ConservationSciences

Professor Denis Brothers retires

We bid farewell to Professor DenisBrothers (Pietermaritzburg campus) whowill be retiring after 35 years of service tothe University. World-renowned as ataxonomist of modern and fossil species ofaculeate Hymenoptera (stinging bees,wasps and ants), Professor Brothers servedas President of the International Society ofHymenopterists, International Palaeonto-logical Society and International Commis-sion of Zoological Nomenclature. Cur-rently a professor of Entomology, he alsoserved as Head of School from 2003-2007and was instated as a Fellow of UKZN in2006. We are very fortunate that ProfessorBrothers will continue with his taxonomicresearch and will still contribute to teachingand learning activities in the School.

Other Staff News

l Dr Daryl Codron and Mr Justin Du Toit(both from Pietermaritzburg) will alsobe leaving at the end of the year andwe wish them well in their new careers.The Pietermaritzburg campus also bidsfarewell to technical staff member, MrJerry Naiken who will be retiring after40 years of service, 37 of these withthe disciplines of Botany and GrasslandScience. During this time, Jerry wasactively involved in several researchprojects and appeared as a co-authoron several scientific papers.

l Professor Kevin Kirkman, previouslyHead of School, was recently appointedas Deputy Dean on the Pietermaritz-burg campus. Together with ProfessorRob Slotow (Westville), the Schoolnow boasts both Deputy Deans.

l We are delighted to welcome two newstaff members under the auspices of theLeadership and Equity AdvancementProgramme (LEAP): Ms MandisaMgobozi and Mr Mohammed Nakuda.

2009 Garden & Leisure ShowThe University was awarded a Gold Medalfor its exhibit at this annual premierhorticultural event held from 25-27September in Pietermaritzburg. Organised

by Christina Potgieter and manned by ourpostgraduate students, the Schoolcontributed to the “Take a leaf out of ourbook” exhibit that involved bookspublished by the UKZN Press in whichresearch or studies undertaken at theUniversity were featured.

Dr Terry Olckers also contributed to anexhibit on the biological control of alieninvasive plants that formed part of the “Stopthe spread, plant me instead” display at theShow. Contributors to this exhibit includedthe ARC-Plant Protection ResearchInstitute, SA Sugarcane Research Institute,UKZN, Working for Water Programme andthe SANBI Early Detection and RapidResponse Unit.

Our leading researchers

In launching its 2006/2007 ResearchReport on 19 August, the Universityacknowledged its top 10 researchers,including three A-rated researchers andseven Research Chairs recognised by theNational Research Foundation (NRF). TheSchool boasts two of these top 10, notablyProfessors Patricia Berjak (A-rated) andSteven Johnson (Research Chair and subse-quently A-rated). In addition, under thecategory of “most prolific researchers”, theReport also acknowledged the followingstaff from the School of Biological & Con-servation Sciences: Professors ColleenDowns, Trevor Edwards, Mike Perrin, RobSlotow, Johannes van Staden and DaveWard.

School’s Annual ResearchMeetingThis annual event, hosted by thePietermaritzburg and Westville centres ona rotational basis, provides an opportunityfor the School’s postgraduate students topresent the results of their research. The2009 meeting was hosted by the Pieter-maritzburg centre on 27 October and wasopened by Professor Steve Johnson with areview of the status of research in thebiological sciences in South Africa. As istraditional, the different sessions werechaired by the students. Attended by staffand students from both centres, eight talksand four poster presentations featured onthe day.

Faculty Fun Run

Hosted at Pieter-maritzburg’s UkulingaFarm on 28 October,the annual 5km funrun was supported bystaff and students whobraved the infamous“Heartbreak Ridge”but enjoyed a wonder-ful breakfast at theend. Unfortunately,the School did notmanage to scoop any of the prizes on offer,but seeing Professor Kevin Kirkman, ourex-HOS, in a clown’s outfit made up forthis. Well done to the Faculty Office fortheir clever and amusing costumes. Whosaid they were a bunch of clowns?

Adopting a sporting dress code, the SBCS celebratesCasual Day.

Ex-Head of School,Professor Kirkman,clowning around atthe Fun Run.

The Administrative Staff on thePietermaritzburg campus con-tinued their efforts to boost spiritamongst staff and students bydressing up for several eventsincluding: Easter, St Patrick’s Dayand National Cleavage Day(images censored). Noteworthywas Casual Day on 4 Septemberwhich encouraged a sportingdress code or the impersonation

of sporting heroes. Prizes for the best dressed girl (Ms Laura Rice) and guy (Mr MatabaroZiganira) were awarded at tea, along with several randomly drawn prizes. The arrivalof rally driver, Jane Flockhart, in an authentic stock car was also noteworthy. As part ofthe festivities, the School managed to raise R350 for local charities.

Celebrating Casual Day

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School of Bioresources Engineeringand Environmental Hydrology (BEEH)

Professor Smithers Elected asPresident of the South AfricanInstitute of AgriculturalEngineers (SAIAE)

Head of School, Professor Jeff Smithers,was elected as President of the SAIAE fora two-year period from 2009 to 2010. TheSAIAE is broadly responsible for thepromotion of the profession, the develop-ment of the science and technology ofAgricultural Engineering, the promotionand encouragement of research and trainingin Agricultural Engineering, the distributionof knowledge, information and ideas andthe protection and promotion of theinterests of the members of the AgriculturalEngineering profession.

Under Professor Smithers’ leadership theCouncil of the SAIAE is focusing onestablishing norms and standards, trainingstudents, supporting members, andmarketing and representing the AgriculturalEngineering profession. Professor Smitherspreviously served as the Vice-President ofthe SAIAE for two periods (2003-2004;2007-2008) and as Chairman of the KZNbranch of SAIAE during 1993-1994 and2002-2004.

Professor Smithers.

Pictured at the Academy of Science of SouthAfrica (ASSAf) Awards Ceremony: (left-right)Executive Officer of the ASSAf, ProfessorRoseanne Diab, Professor Roland Schulze andPresident of the ASSAf, Professor RobinCrewe.

The expeditions and the acco-lades of the not so retir edProfessor Schulze

“Retired” Professor Roland Schulzerecently spent a busy and highly productivetwo weeks interacting with various groupsand organisations across Australia.Organised by Dr Keith Bristow and fundedby the CRC for Irrigation Futures,Professor Schulze travelled to Canberra,

Townsville, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perthto meet and interact with staff from a rangeof organisations and give a number ofseminar presentations.

The visit to Canberra, hosted by the Bureauof Meteorology Water Division and CSIROLand and Water, entailed two seminarpresentations on the following topics:“Projecting impacts of climate change atthe local scale is what matters” and “TheEstimation of Daily Penman-Montiethbased reference crop evapotranspiration atone arc minute resolution.” During his two-day visit to Canberra, Professor Schulzealso met with members of CSIRO Land andWater’s Hydrological Modelers Group andthe National Water Commission.

Professor Schulze then headed to northQueensland where he met with membersof the Burdekin Water Futures Group in Ayrto share his knowledge and experience onintegrated water resources management.This included a trip to view the BurdekinRiver, including sand dams used as part ofthe Burdekin Water Board’s groundwaterrecharge programme, pump stations, andrecharge pits. On 28 August, CRC IF-CSIRO hosted a very well attended seminarin Townsville on the topic of “ClimateChange and the Agriculture Sector in SouthAfrica: To Stress or not to Stress? . . . Thatis the Question”. This seminar raisedconsiderable interest amongst attendeesfrom a wide range of organisations who arekeen to see a similar approach taken up inAustralia that links potential climate changeimpacts on hydrology and agriculture.

In Brisbane, Professor Schulze held in-depth discussions with CRC for IrrigationFutures and International Water Centrestaff.

The two-day visit to Flinders University inAdelaide encompassed a visit to the lowerMurray and the Murray Mouth, as well asdiscussions with Flinders Universityresearchers who are working on down-scaling outputs of global climate models.The highlight was Professor Schulze’spresentation to over 50 attendees fromFlinders and other universities, CSIRO and

SARDI on “Projecting Impacts of ClimateChange at the Local Scale is what Matters– Procedures for Downscaling andApplications of Agro-Hydrological Modelsat the Quinary (5th) Level of SpatialDisaggregation”. Professor Schulze alsohad the opportunity to meet with the Boardof the CRC IF while he was in Adelaide.

The last stop was a jam-packed day in Perthstarting with discussions with CSIRO staff,and ending with a CRC IF-CSIRO-AWA-hosted seminar held at CSIRO FloreatLaboratory. With a good attendance fromabout 15 different organisations, ProfessorSchulze’s seminar on Climate Change andthe Agriculture Sector in South Africa: ToStress or not to Stress? . . . That is theQuestion” generated considerable dis-cussion and debate.

Professor Schulze jetted back to SouthAfrica in October to attend the Academyof Science of South Africa (ASSAf) AnnualAwards Ceremony where he was elected amember of the ASSAf in recognition of hissignificant achievements and contributionto the advancement and application ofScience in South Africa. Academymembers are nominated by their peers andare elected via a secret ballot. Criteria formembership include scientific contributionto the problems and challenges facingSouth African society. Membership of theAcademy is considered an honour and anobligation as members are expected toassist the academy in achieving its variedobjectives.

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School of Chemistry

Conferences attended:

Professor Orde Munro attended the COST-D39 Metallo-Drug Discovery workshop inDebrecen, Hungary from 24-25 September.He presented a short talk entitled “NewMetal-Organic Topoisomerase Inhibitors”.This EU-funded programme aims to fostercollaboration amongst researchers acrossEurope and specifically focuses on thedevelopment of novel metal-basedchemotherapeutic agents. The DST andMINTEK have a bilateral agreement withthe EU so that AuTEK Biomed researchersare now part of a wider metallo-drugdiscovery consortium. Dr Raymond Hewerof MINTEK presented his work on metal-organic HIV reverse transcriptaseinhibitors. The South African metallo-therapeutic drug discovery initiative is

currently relatively small in comparisonwith the effort across Europe. However, itis more broadly focused with projectsacross South Africa targeting the develop-ment of new metal-based compounds fortreating cancer, HIV, and malaria. Asexpected, the focus on the latter twodiseases reflects the prevalence of theseconditions in the southern African region.

Professors Field and Munro, together withthree Pietermaritzburg research students,attended the INDABA 6 conference heldin the first week of September in the Berg-en-Dal camp of the Kruger National Park.This was the sixth in a series of conferencesconcerned with X-ray crystallography andits applications that are held every three

years in the Kruger National Park. Theconference is organised by a committee ofthe South African Crystallograhic Society,with the International Union ofCrystallography as the main sponsor. About80 delegates attended of which one-thirdwere from outside South Africa, mainlyfrom the US, Europe and Japan. The themefor 2009 was “Structure and Function”, andin this context a talk was given by ProfessorField on “A new vapochromic sensormaterial”. Posters presented by ProfessorMunro’s students also tackled the relation-ship between crystal structure andmacroscopic properties. Miss Wen-WenSuo showed an extremely rare example ofhow thin fibre-like crystals can bend alonga specific direction in the crystal.

Garden and Leisure Show

On 26 September the Chemists from Pietermaritzburg left the lab and went down tothe garden to participate in the annual Witness Garden Show. Our green-fingeredchemists took part in Ready, Steady Plant – a fun garden-design race in which teamsof five had to arrange potted plants and various garden accessories in a pleasingdesign. Professors Fanie van Heerden and Siegfried Drewes, along with Mr MatthewAkerman, Ms Caryl van Rensburg and Dr Colin Southway incorporated a “molecularflower” (Caryl in a pot!) into their design. Great fun was had by all and the cheeringcrowd learnt that chemists don’t only belong in the lab!

Two Honours students, Ms CathrynSlabber (Pietermaritzburg campus)

and Ms Nontando Mkhize (Westvillecampus), won the top prizes for theirpresentations at the South African

Chemical Institute (SACI) KZNHonours Symposium held at DUT on21 October.

(fr om left) Dr Colin Southway, Ms Caryl van Rensburg, Professor Fanie vanHeerden, Professor Drewes and Mr Matthew Akerman.

Ms Nontando Mkhize (left) and MsCathryn Slabber with their prizesfr om the South African ChemicalInstitute.

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School of Environmental Sciences

Conferences/Workshops

l Dr Sagie Narsiah from Geographyparticipated in UKZN’s StudentLeadership Development Seminar inJune where he made a presentationentitled: “Globalisation, the globaleconomic crisis, and the implicationsfor Africa”. Dr Narsiah also presentedand participated in the BiennialConference of the Society of SouthAfrican Geographers in Midrand inSeptember where he presented a paperentitled: “The Spaces that Neo-liberalism Makes”. Dr Narsiah’sMasters students, Mr BerhanuWoldemariam and Ms Shivani Naidooalso presented papers at this con-ference. In addition, Dr Narsiahattended and participated in the GGLNand Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) inJohannesburg in October where hemade a presentation entitled: “RoundTable: The Politics of Protest: Causes,consequences and Response chal-lenges’. He was also the chair of thesession entitled ‘Voices of Protest”.

l Professor Heinz Beckedahl fromGeography was voted onto the Boardof Directors of the SA Chapter of theInternational Erosion and ConservationAssociation (IECA). He also attendedthe IECA(SA) workshop & conferencein Vredefort at the end of August, atwhich he presented a paper on theconservation challenges posed by soilsof low cohesive strength.

l Ms Karen Caister, Ms MaryAnn Greenand Dr Steve Worth from the Centrefor Environment, Agriculture andDevelopment (CEAD) presentedpapers at the Agricultural Research forDevelopment Conference in Pretoria atthe end of October.

l Professor Michael Savage fromAgrometeorology presented thefollowing conference papers:

p Clulow, A.D., C.S. Everson andM.J. Savage, 2009. The long-term measurement of total evaporationover black wattle (Acacia mearnsii)

using large aperture scintillometry.Poster presentation to the SouthAfrican National Committee of theInternational Association ofHydrological Sciences 14th con-ference, 21-23 September, Pieter-maritzburg, South Africa. (AD Clulow was a Masters student whograduated last year)

p Nile, E.S. and M.J. Savage, 2009.Evaluation of surface renewalapplied to sugarcane (SaccharumOfficinarum) for estimating evapo-ration. Paper presentation to theSouth African National Committeeof the International Association ofHydrological Sciences 14th con-ference, 21-23 September, Pieter-maritzburg (ES Nile is a PhD studentthat is submitting this year).

Awards / Achievements

Geography Honours student, Ms SusanCarter-Brown, was awarded the JubileeBursary from the Society of South AfricanGeographers for her research on“Alternative methods of commercial maizeproduction in the KwaZulu-NatalMidlands”. Her research examined theincorporation of more environmentallyfriendly methods of maize production for

biodiversity conservation as well as foodsecurity.

The DAAD Linkage Pro-gramme – Visit to Germanyby Geography staff

Professor Beckedahl and ProfessorMutanga visited the Universities of MartinLuther and Göttingen in Germany from 3-17 October under the DAAD L inkProgramme. The DAAD Programme is athree-way partnership between MartinLuther University, University of Swaziland,and UKZN. Currently in its second year,the Programme has another two years torun, with a strong likelihood of a secondfour-year phase. It is underpinned by aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU)between the three Universities in the fieldof Physical Geography/EnvironmentalScience. The benefits include opportunitiesfor staff and postgraduate students tointeract at an international & regional level.UKZN is also in the process of setting upan MoU with the University of Göttingenand a research application under the SouthAfrica/Germany joint Science andTechnology research agreement isunderway. There is also a move towardsthe exchange of staff and students.

The Dean of Natural Sciences at MLU, Professor Wycisk (second from right),together with UKZN staff and Russian partners.

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School of Geological Sciences

Warwick Hastie wins SouthAfrican Geophysical Associ-ation Best Student Award

For his work “Orthogonal AMS and SPOfabrics in the MORB-like Rooi-Rand dykeswarm of South Africa and Swaziland”,PhD student, Mr Warwick Hastie won theBest Student Oral Presentation Award fromthe South African Geophysical Association(SAGA) at their 2009 Biennial meeting inMbabane, Swaziland (14-18 September).

The presentation focused on unusual grainorientations/rock fabric in dolerite dykesof the Rooi-Rand dyke swarm of thewestern Lebombo. “The results of my workappear to show that very late stage magmaflow of highly viscous magma is the causeof the unusual rock fabric. The work shouldprovide us with an improved understandingof magma flow related fabrics and the AMStechnique (anisotropy of magneticsusceptibility),” said Mr Hastie.

Underwater work earns UKZNstudent accolades at prestigiousconference

Research on Blood Reef – an offshoreextension of the Durban Bluff – has wonMasters student, Ms Hayley Cawthra, tophonours at the South African Society forQuaternary Research’s (SASQUA)Biennial Conference in Knysna. Theprestigious SASQUA Conference isattended by leading internationalresearchers in geology, geomorphology,palaeoclimatology and palaeoanthropology.Ms Cawthra’s detailed geophysical surveysand sea floor mapping using SCUBA hasrevealed a complex history of sea-level risesince the last glacial maximum 18 000 yearsago. This history is preserved as a series ofbeach-rock platforms. Samples of thisbeach-rock have been collected to be datedusing state-of-the-art feldspar luminescencetechniques with collaborators in France andCanada.

Dr Juergen Reinhardt attended a three-dayinternational conference in Edinburghjointly organised by the MineralogicalSociety of Great Britain and Ireland, theDeutsche Mineralogische Gesellschaft andthe Societe Francaise de Mineralogie et deCristallographie. The main theme of theconference was Micro-Analysis – Pro-cesses – Time (“MAPT”), concentrating on

Professor John Dunlevey.

Juergen Reinhardt attends conference in Edinburgh

state-of-the-art micro-analytical methodsand their applications in the geosciences.Dr Reinhardt presented a talk on newmethods of studying mineral replacementin metamorphic rocks through optical-chemical fingerprints using opticalmicroscopy, cathodoluminescence andelectron microprobe analysis.

Geological hazard posters

In order to educate learners aboutgeoscience hazards, Dr Nick Richards(School of Geological Sciences) and DrTanja Reinhardt (Science and TechnologyEducation Centre) prepared two geologicalhazard posters on tsunamis as a NationalScience Week initiative. The posters were

printed by the South African Agency forScience and Technology Advancement(SAASTA) and distributed to about 2 500schools country-wide. Special thanks to MrRandy Phalad from the Copyright Officefor sorting out the copyright.

Staff Matters

l The School welcomes the arrival ofLecturer in Igneous Petrology, DrSaumitra Misra from Mumbai. DrMisra obtained his PhD from thePresidency College of Kolkata in 1993where he worked on granites.

l Dr Karen Taslagyan, Lecturer inGeotechnical Engineering, is moving toCanada at the end of the year.

l Dr Nick Richards, Senior Lecturer inEngineering Geology, leaves for NewZealand in December. Nick has spenta very happy 3½ years in the School,

but now leaves to forge a new life withhis family in the “Land of the LongWhite Cloud”.

l And last but not least, the School bidsfarewell to Professor John Dunlevey,who, after 22 years at the University,retires at the end of the year. ProfessorDunlevey joined the former UDW as alecturer and worked his way toAssociate Professor, specialising inMineralogy. He is hoping to continuehis association with the School ofGeological Sciences as a SeniorResearch Associate.

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School of Mathematical Sciences

PhD mathematics student Mr Ayoub Basheer was recently awarded the 2009 Southern Africa Association for theAdvancement of Science S2A3 Bronze Medal at UKZN’s Scholarship Awards Ceremony.

Recognising perseverance and dedication in the application of scientific principles in original research, the A2S3 Medalis awarded annually by each South African university and university of technology to the most outstanding Mastersresearch student in a scientific discipline.

Exemplifying what the medal stands for, Mr Basheer outclassed other nominees from the Faculty of Engineering and theFaculty of Health Sciences. He was also awarded R45 000 from UKZN to further his studies. Mr Basheer’s Mastersresearch was in the area of pure Mathematics and focused on algebra and finite groups. He achieved a distinction for hisdissertation which was rated as one of the “best” by his external examiners.

Mr Basheer credits his supervisor, Professor Jamshid Moori, for his academic success. “My first acknowledgementalways goes to Professor Moori. I have learned so much from him, in all areas of life.”

While studying at the African

Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Cape Town, Professor Moori, who was lecturing a course there, persuadedMr Basheer to come to Pietermaritzburg and study a Masters under his supervision.

Together they have published two papers and Mr Basheer is currently registered for a PhD. This will, no doubt, stand himin good stead when he takes up a position he has already secured as lecturer at the University of Khartoum in his homecountry of Sudan.

Prestigious scientific award for mathematics student

Professor Jamshid Moori (left) with Mr Ayoub Basheer and a picture of the S2A3 Medal.

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School of Physics

South Africansatellite carriesUKZNexperiment

SumbandilaSat, a South Africanmicro-satellite, was launched on 17September from the BaikonurCosmodrome. The satellite has anumber of scientific payloads, one ofwhich is a VLF (very low frequency)radio receiver. The design of thisreceiver was directed by ProfessorArthur Hughes and Dr AndrewCollier of the School of Physics.Although the implementation andfabrication of the VLF experimentwas regarded primarily as aneducational exercise for the studentsinvolved in this project, it is stillhoped that it will yield useful data.The data could be used to further ourunderstanding of the nature of VLFradio waves in the magnetosphere.

Emeritus Professor Manfred Hellberg, whoretired at the end of 2003, has had a busyyear. His research in theoretical plasmaphysics has for many years encompassedthe study of waves and nonlinear structuresin ionised gases relevant to space physics.Apart from working with doctoral studentMr Thomas Baluku, and long-termcollaborator Dr Richard Mace, he hascontinued his strong interaction withHonorary Professor Frank Verheest(University of Ghent, Belgium). ProfessorHellberg presented papers at international

SumbandilaSat in the lab.

conferences in May (Boulder, Colorado)and August (Sopron, Hungary), andcombined his conference trips withsuccessful research visits to Ghent and tocolleagues at Queen’s University Belfastand the Max Planck Institute forExtraterrestrial Physics in Munich,Germany. Together with his collaborators,Professor Hellberg has published fourjournal articles this year, has three underreview, and has another six projects whichare in an advanced stage.

Ultracold Matter at UKZN

Dr Magnus Rehn, who is a member of the Quantum Research Group (QRG) headedby Professor Francesco Petruccione at UKZN, has realised the first Magneto OpticalTrap in Africa. With precisely tuned lasers, magnetic fields and in an Ultra HighVacuum system, a small cloud of Rubidium atoms have been trapped and cooledto the micro Kelvin range. This is an important step in the current research relatedto Quantum Information processing in the QRG.

(left) Professor Manfr ed Hellberg and his wife Karin, photographed with Dr PhilMjwara, Dir ector-General of the Department of Science and Technology, at theGeneral Assembly of TWAS (the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World),that was recently held at the ICC, Durban.

Busy year for Emertius Professor Hellberg

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School of Statistics & ActuarialScience

Head of School celebratesinternational award

Professor Delia North and her colleaguesin the Maths4stats Programme wererecently rewarded for their hard work whenthey received the 2009 Best CooperativeProject Award in Statistical Literacy. Theaward, which was shared withEarlyStatistics (a joint project coordinatedby the European University of Cyprus), waspresented to the team at the 57th Session ofthe International Statistical Institute inDurban recently.

Maths4stats is a Statistics South Africaproject that aims to restore numeracy andstatistical literacy in the country byencouraging the development ofmathematics education. One of the mainobjectives of the project is to create aspecialised body of educators around thecountry who are skilled to effectively teachmathematics and statistics to high schoollearners. The focus is on capacity buildingat all levels.

Professor North, who has been working onthe Maths4stats project for the past 11years, and a colleague from Wits Universityare the master trainers for the project.Together they have written all the teachertraining material, conducted workshopsand seminars for teachers in all theprovinces, conducted oral and written tests,and set up fully trained provincialcoordinators in each province.

SASA Honours 2008/2009Project Competition

The winners of the 2008/2009 SouthAfrican Statistical Association (SASA)Honours Student Project Competition wererecently announced (SASA newsletter,September 2009) Eight projects werereceived from four universities (UCT,UKZN, PU and WITS) which, accordingto the judges, were all of a very highstandard. Ms Tarylee Reddy from UKZN’sSchool of Statistics and Actuarial Sciencewon the third prize, worth R3 500. Herproject was entitled “Multistate MarkovModels for Disease Progression”.Congratulations to Ms Reddy and hersupervisor, Professor Delia North for thisgreat achievement.

Link With SACEMA

SACEMA is a centre of excellence basedin Stellenbosch which focuses onadvancing research in epidemiologicalmodelling and analysis. Apart fromtheoretical analysis of mathematical modelson infectious diseases, the centre alsopromotes the linkage of these models withreal data. Dr Henry Mwambi was activelyinvolved in the early meetings which ledto the formation of SACEMA. Hecontinues to work closely with the centrethrough his supervision of students. Anumber of students have already benefitedfrom this collaboration.

57th ISI Conference

The International Statistical Institute (ISI)Conference was held in Durban at the ICCfrom 16-22 August. The School activelyparticipated in this unique meeting in anumber of ways. Staff and postgraduatestudents attended the pre-conferencecourses ranging from official statistics,statistical education, application andmethodological topics such as longitudinaldata analysis, to new methods in surveymethods, analysis of count data and generalnon-Gaussian data. These interactionshelped those students aspiring to do theirPhDs find topics of interest.

A number of academic members wereinvolved in organising, chairing andcontributing talks in the invited sessions.Notable among them was a session onStatistics Education in sub-Saharan Africaorganised by Professor Delia North. Shechaired and planned the session which wascalled Census@School InternationalWorkshop. She also planned and chairedthe IASE workshop: “Further steps inStatistics Education” in which HigherEducation Institutions from around theworld participated. Professor TemesgenZewotir and Professor North gave acombined talk entitled: “StatisticsEducation in South Africa: Challenges andSuccesses.” Dr Henry Mwambi chaired asession organised by Professor CiprianCrainiceanu (Johns Hopkins University,USA) on the application of statisticalmethods to understand sleep deprivationand associated adverse health outcomes.

Sub-Saharan Africa Network(SUSAN) of the InternationalBiometrics Society (IBS) 11th

Biannual Meeting

The School featured actively in the above-mentioned meeting, bringing both statis-ticians and researchers from various fieldsto present and share their research findings.This year it was held at Kabarak Universityin Nakuru, Kenya, in the heart of the riftvalley.

In the main conference, the School wasrepresented by three postgraduate students:Miss Makhala Khoeli (current PhD), MrAyele Dawit (current MSc) and MissThembile Mzolo (completed MSc in April2009). They all contributed talks from theircurrent areas of research. Miss Mzolo iscurrently pursuing further studies inBiostatistics at Hasselt University inBelgium after having briefly worked withthe HSRC in Pretoria until September.During the Network’s business meeting, DrHenry Mwambi was voted as the newRegional Co-ordinator of SUSAN. Thenext meeting will be held in 2011 inGaborone, Botswana.

Professor Delia North with (left) Headof Statistics at Stellenbosch University,Professor Tertius de Wet and (right)Head of Statistics at the University ofPretoria, Professor Nico Crowther.

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Produced by:

Corporate Relations v University of KwaZulu-Natal

Contact : Vicky Crookes

e-mail: Crookesv@ukzn.ac.za v Tel: (033) 260 5808