Stellenbosch University's Alumni Relations team in partnership with Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russell, SU alumna, winemaker and acclaimed author of Entertaining at Hamilton Russell Vineyards hosted an exclusive event to celebrate Women's Day.

The event was held at The Table Bay Hotel on Tuesday 13 August.

Attendees enjoyed exclusively produced Pinot noir and Chardonnay which is highly regarded internationally as one of the best locally produced wines.

Olive also shared extracts from her recently published cook book showcasing the best indigenous recipes from her vineyard.

In commemoration of national Women's Day, a day which pays homage to the women of our nation, SU Alumnae were invited to celebrate the great courage and strength of women in South Africa.

According to SU Alumni Relations Senior Director, Ms Bev Witten: "We acknowledge the significant contribution that women have made to the development of our great nation. Women have and continue to be the backbone of our society and the driving force behind true economic liberation."

She continued: "Our alumni recognise this and through various initiatives and events like these, we join in the celebrations and thank our heroes, the women of our nation."

Organisers had a good turnout of 123 ladies attending the event and are already looking to forward to planning next year's event.

​​​​Stellenbosch University's Alumni Relations Office in partnership with the Faculty of Law hosted an interactive discussion by the honorable Justice Edwin Cameron and Prof Sonia Human, Dean of the Faculty of Law.

Activist and advocator of equality, human rights, gay rights and health and HIV/aids rights Justice Cameron was appointed by former South African President Nelson Mandela as an acting judge and later a judge of the High Court.

In support of SU's Faculty of Law being committed to developing legal knowledge, strengthening the legal profession, the administration of justice and the democratic constitutional order in South Africa, Justice Cameron delivered a talk to SU law alumni on The Constitution: Precious and Precarious at the Five Flies Restaurant in Cape Town on Tuesday 30 July.

Cameron spoke of the need to make citizenship work and encouraged alumni to "evoke civic agency to bring about change in South Africa". He further went on to state that in order for South Africa to progress as a democracy, it is our responsibility to understand the past and more specifically Apartheid law, which manifested itself so strongly in the legal system.​

According to SU Alumni Relations Senior Director Ms Bev Witten: "This event showcased the important contribution that an alumnus from SU is making to the legal fraternity. Justice Cameron is one of our many alumni that make us proud and fly the SU flag high."

Organisers were very happy with the good turn out and are planning more such events in the future.

For more information about law study options at Stellenbosch University please visit www.sun.ac.za.

​Stellenbosch University will for the first time be hosting a diversity week from 30 September to 4 October 2013.

"We are convinced that a kaleidoscope of people and ideas makes us stronger – hence this celebration," SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Russel Botman has told staff members and students in an email.

Highlights include performances by DJ Fresh, Marc Lottering, Siv Ngesi, as well as the Maties Sêr winners. And week will be concluded with a big party – Maties' own "Festival of Colours".

• Read more about the celebration in the Rector's message below.
• Visit www.sun.ac.za/diversity for more information.
• Use use #MatiesDiversity on Twitter (@MatiesDiversity) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stellenboschuniversity).

* * *

'Let us celebrate diversity'

The time has come for celebrating our diversity. We will be doing so at Stellenbosch University from 30 September to 4 October 2013 – because we are convinced that a kaleidoscope of people and ideas makes us stronger.

There will be a broad range of exciting activities expressing the ideal of inclusivity. Among the highlights are pe​rformances by DJ Fresh, Marc Lottering, Siv Ngesi, as well as the Maties Sêr winners. And we will conclude or celebrations with a big party – our own "Festival of Colours".

Please consult the programme (www.sun.ac.za/diversity​) for more information on the various activities that you can partake in – including a video competition for residences and PSO's with great prizes – and use #MatiesDiversity on Twitter and Facebook.

The arrival on campus earlier this year of our first "born free" students – those born after the 1994 elections – has again shone a spotlight on the aim of being united in our diversity. If you fall into this category, enter the blog competition, or come and chat to me on the Rooiplein at 13:00 on Monday 30 September. I would love to hear what you think.

Diversity is one of the cornerstones of the University's new Vision 2030. We want to become more inclusive, and we are doing this by broadening access to Maties and by fostering a welcoming culture. I want to get suggestions from staff and students on how we can improve our inclusivity. Join me for coffee on the Rooiplein between 11:00 and 13:00 on Wednesday 2 October.

The University is already reaping the benefits of diversity. We are proud of the fact that we are not just a knowledge provider but also prepare our students to operate in the context of our country and continent.

See you there!

Prof H Russel Botman
Rector and Vice-Chancellor​

​

Are you proud of the way that the concept of diversity in all its facets is being implemented at your residence or private student organisation (PSO)?

Then share it with the rest of the world by creating a video and loading it onto the MatiesTV platform. In the process your residence or PSO could win R5 000 (first prize) or R3 000 (runner-up).

This competition is part of the SU's Celebrating Diversity week which will be held on the Rooiplein from 30 September to 4 October. This is an initiative from the office of the Rector.

The idea of the video competition, "Residences and PSOs display diversity", is to create an awareness of the diverse people, languages and interests in and around residences and how these concepts are represented in and around the residence and PSO.

"We hope that at least 15 residences and PSOs will participate in this competition," says Wiaan Visser, the SRC member with the portfolio Transformation.

"We do not want to be too prescriptive, but the duration of the videos have to be between three and five minutes" 

 The videos have to be handed in before 12:00 at the SRC office in the Neelsie on 23 September.  The videos will then be uploaded onto MatiesTV during the week.

• You can follow us on Twitter #MatiesDiversity and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stellenboschuniversity
• For more information, contact Wiaan Visser at wiaanv@sun.ac.za.

He is proud of the fact that they managed to establish the Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Partnership for Africa's Next Generation of Academics (PANGeA), and that the initiatives are successful.

These are the words of Prof Hennie Kotzé, the man to whom these two initiatives were his brainchildren. As outgoing chairman of PANGeA, he is now handing over the reins to his successor, Prof Edward Kirumira of Uganda.

Since the Graduate School was founded four years ago, 88 candidates from 14 African countries have registered for doctoral studies at Stellenbosch University. This year, 19 of the candidates who registered in 2010 and 2011 graduated.

"It is now clear that fulltime PhD students can obtain their degrees within three years, with the aid of dedicated tutors and the excellent support offered by die Graduate School". Kotzé said.

In 2002, during the run-up to the dean's election of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, he already pointed out in his policy positioning that he would like to form stronger ties with Universities North of the Limpopo.

He argued that the Faculty should make a stronger move towards relevant research by students and lecturers, and that this kind of collaboration will allow them to tackle more African challenges together. A Start-up Fund allocation by SU's Overarching Strategic Plan (later the HOPE Project) made the development of PANGeA and the Graduate School possible.

​"There is also a financial consideration to the greater emphasis the Faculty places on postgraduate studies. Since 2002, the Faculty's undergraduate student numbers have increased dramatically, but the same growth did not happen on the postgraduate level. The state's funding models favour postgraduate students, especially when they are able to complete their degrees in the minimum time."

By educating fulltime PhD students at the various departments under the banner of the Graduate School, it would also make sense to use PANGeA to cultivate a closer connection with other universities in Africa, in order to collaborate on research projects which can contribute to possible solutions for the challenges facing Africa.

"A large number of the junior academics who enrol under the banner of the Graduate School are from these universities. This indicates that most of the PANGeA members also have a serious need for capacity building at the PhD level," Kotzé said.

After initial contact – early in his first term as dean – with his academic peers at the universities of Dar-es-Salaam, Nairobi and Malawi about possible collaboration, another talk took place in Stellenbosch in 2006 with those deans he visited in 2004 along with three of his colleagues, to wit Makarere (Uganda), Dar-es-Salaam and Nairobi; in addition, the Arts and Social Sciences deans of Botswana and Malawi were invited to discuss possible collaboration in an official network.

During his second term as dean, getting the Graduate School and PANGeA off the ground started in earnest in 2009 – especially with the prospect of start-up funds for fulltime PhD bursaries by the OPS. In 2010, the first fulltime PhD students were accepted under die banner of the Graduate School, and an official collaboration agreement was reached with PANGeA members. In 2011, the University of Ghana (Legon) became the first University in West Africa to participate in PANGeA.

"Initially, our colleagues elsewhere in Africa were a bit sceptical. They feared a kind of academic colonialism, and there were also fears that we would lure away academics educated here. It is important to us to constantly remind foreign postgraduate students that they will have to return to there country of origin. We do not offer jobs to student who completed their studies. Most PhD students are midlevel academics who can apply for a bursary from the Graduate School through their faculties, or they can be nominated by their faculties."

Through the Graduate School, PhD students in their first year receive weekly education in both soft and hard skills. These include research and learning techniques (hard skills), and how to make use of the library, how to budget for projects and the ethics of research (soft skills). The tutors are encouraged to offer constant assistance and guidance – for example, the students all have study facilities at the departments where they are enrolled, making regular contact between students and tutors possible.

One of the aims of the Graduate School is to counter the brain drain. Kotzé admitted that the students who obtain their PhDs at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences represent "a drop in the ocean" in the greater scheme of skills shortages and the lack of academics with doctoral qualifications in Africa in general, but also in South Africa specifically.

"But at least something is being done. So far, only one of our PhD graduants left the continent to work somewhere else."

At the end of his term as chairman of the PANGeA Board, which coincided with his retirement as dean, Kotzé, who still acts as PANGeA coordinator, said, " the biggest challenge remains the raising of bursary funds and to further expand and strengthen the research networks. The goal we want to achieve is for academics from the various universities to cooperate actively, being tutors, presenting workshops and  writing books and research articles."

​Staff members of Stellenbosch University (SU) celebrated Casual Day on Friday, 6 September, with big spectacles, big bow ties, big hair and big hats.

This year, the theme for Casual Day was "Go Big!" – and judging by the outfits SU staff members wore at the "Amazing Race" event held on the Rooiplein, they certainly went big.

The "Amazing Race" was organised to create awareness of disabilities. Twenty teams of six members each had to unravel riddles to move from one building on campus to another. But three of the team members had a "disability": one was in a wheelchair, the other was blindfolded and a third team member wore earplugs.

All six team members had to arrive together at each building, amongst others Admin B and C, the Conservatoire, the Neelsie and the Arts and Social Sciences building. They received their clue and then had to move on to the next building. An official accompanied them on their route, kept time and made sure they did not cheat.

The objective was to give people an experience of how disabled people move about on campus and how accessible or not buildings on campus are.

Dr Jerome Slamat, Senior Director: Community Interaction, welcomed staff and students at the race and said the event is a result of SU's new institutional intent to make the University an inclusive institution. "Inclusivity means that everyone has physical access to all the facilities and is not hindered from moving around on campus. This event shows that SU's vision is not just words, but it is also put into action," said Slamat.

Before the race started, six teams strut their stuff on the "catwalk" to show off their costumes and compete for the prize for the best dressed team. The winning team was the Human Resources Division with their bright clown and baby outfits. In the second place was the Vehicle Pool.

For those who participated in the "Amazing Race", the experience was enriching.

"It is very difficult to run when you're blindfolded," said Jonathan Quanson of the Department of Biochemistry. "I tripped a few times and it was especially difficult to judge how high the steps were."

Quanson's teammate, Gertrude Gerstner, who was in the wheelchair, said the furrows along the road en small spaces made the race difficult.

Khanita Rhode of the Vehicle Pool, also in the wheelchair, said: "I was surprised that most of the buildings actually had easy wheelchair access."

But Marvin Koopman of Alumni Relations thought it was not so easy. "I really struggled with the wheelchair. The surface of the road and walkways is very bumpy."

Elvira September of Human Resources had to tackle the race wearing earplugs. "The biggest problem is that you can't hear trouble approaching, like a motorist that hoots."

The team of the Department of Biochemistry completed the "Amazing Race" in the shortest time, while Irene women's residence and the Vehicle Pool were in second and third place respectively.

CAPTION: The team of the Division Human Resources with the colourful outfits that earned them the prize for the best dressed team. Photo: STEFAN ELS

​​​Matie student volunteers were recently honoured for their contributions to the community at the annual closing ceremony of Matie Community Service’s (MCS) One-Stop Service.

MCS, one of the Community Interaction Flagship Projects of Stellenbosch University (SU) and also a HOPE Project initiative, provides for the needs of communities inside and outside Stellenbosch and has been a trusted service provider for 49 years. The One-Stop Service forms part of these services and leads student groups in providing sustainable, effective community service projects in partnership with established non-profit organisations. The One-Stop Service projects have different focuses and address issues such as educational assistance, life skills development, sport coaching, arts and culture and health promotion.

A total of 34 student volunteers and leaders were awarded certificates at the ceremony, in recognition for their volunteer hours in the community, while 69 students also received certificates for completing the short course in Leadership through Community Interaction presented in collaboration with the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development, also a HOPE Project initiative. This course was presented to House Committee: Community Interaction members, student volunteers, Thuthuka bursary holders and students of the SAWIP programme (South Africa-Washington International Programme).

The FVZS Institute for Student Leadership Development at Stellenbosch University is the first of its kind within higher education in South Africa and offers programmes to develop and strengthen the leadership, as well as personal and graduate attributes of students. The objective of the programmes is to foster ethical leadership and an understanding of students’ role as leaders in an African and global context; and to develop leadership, communication, conceptual and decision-making skills.

​MJ Dippenaar was elected as the new Chairperson for the Students' Representative Council (SRC) 2014 by his fellow SRC members on 4 September. 

The other candidates for this position were JC Rademeyer and Tosca Ferndale.

The SRC for 2014 and its ex-officio members were announced on 29 August. Apart from Dippenaar, Rademeyer and Ferndale the other members are Michelle Bezuidenhout, Joshua Chigome, Renita van Zyl, Samuel Arendse, Willem Steyn and Altus Viljoen. The ex-officio members are Willie Ross (Chair: Prim Committee), Courtney Roots (Vice-chair: Prim Committee), Chrisna Robbertse (Chair: Academic Affairs Council), Vera Leven (Chair: Societies Council), Victoria van der Schyff (Chair: Tygerberg SRC) and Elize Knoetze (Mad2 Manager).

According to the new Student Constitution, the term of the current SRC ends after the last SU Council meeting of the year, which means MJ and his team will assume their role as SRC 2014 in December 2013. The rest of the Executive Council of the SRC, which would include the new Vice-Chairperson, is to be elected within a month after the announcement of the SRC.

​​Prof Eon Smit, USB faculty member and driving force behind the school's accreditation strategy, gives some insight into the road travelled by the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) to gain the coveted Triple Crown of international accreditations.

When the USB received AACSB accreditation in 2012, it became the first school from an African university to obtain all three major international accreditations, also called the Triple Crown. What does this mean for USB's stakeholders?

Says Prof Eon Smit, USB faculty member and driving force behind the school's accreditation strategy: "A business school, like any other organisation, has to decide on what basis it wishes to compete. USB competes on all round quality. The problem is that quality is difficult to define, prove or measure.

"This is where accreditations come in. They give prospective students a truly independent, globally-benchmarked view of the school and the programme that they are buying. These accreditations are done by professionals who professionally audit your operation in terms of globally agreed upon quality criteria and end up knowing it better than you do."

The USB's accreditation journey started in 1995 when South Africa's new political dispensation allowed the school to cooperate with academic institutions in other parts of the world.

Prof Smit explains: "When the South African environment began to change, USB took a strategic decision to comply with international quality standards. EQUIS accreditation opened up the world for us."

USB achieved EQUIS accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) in 2000. In 2002, the USB achieved AMBA accreditation from the Association of MBAs in the UK, and in November 2012 AACSB accreditation from the USA's Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Says Prof Smit: "Together, AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA look at business schools from three different geographical and three different quality perspectives. EQUIS, representing European industry, focuses on the entire school, internationalisation and corporate connections. AMBA evaluates the MBA programme, processes and quality parameters as seen through the eyes of MBA graduates. AACSB, among other criteria, uses well-defined quantitative measures, which include assurance of learning, departing from the point of view of educational institutions.

"The dichotomy between accredited and non-accredited schools will increase. This will lead to the upward adjustment of quality standards - also in terms of research. It will become increasingly difficult to obtain accreditation. During the past decade, new quality measures have been included, such as governance, sustainability, ethics and to an ever increasing extent, internationalisation. Schools need to adjust their strategies to comply with these quality standards."

For Prof Smit, USB's Triple Crown is a "virtual monument for everyone who has been part of the USB's accreditation efforts over more than a decade".

Only about 60 schools out of the 6 000 or so in the world have all three international accreditations. Accredited schools are regularly re-assessed by the accreditation bodies to ensure continued adherence to all the quality standards.

Over and above international accreditation, USB's international stature has also brought about growth in its international student body (in the full-time MBA class in particular), visiting student groups, visiting international faculty, research fellowships and student exchange programme. All USB MBA students have to attend a compulsory International Study Module at a foreign business school. The school has partnership agreements with over 80 international business schools.

According to Prof Smit, triple accredited schools convey a message of confirmed quality. "The accreditations guarantee that the schools have gone through quality control processes that put them among the best in the world."

Prof Eon Smit is a professor in Business Management at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) and a member of the USB's Management Committee

​

Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-chancellor of Stellenbosch University and Prof Ralph Eichler, President of ETH Zürich met recently to discuss opportunities for collaboration between the two institutions.

ETH Zürich (German: Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich) is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. 

The insitution is consistently ranked by all major World University rankings among the top universities in the world and is considered the best university in continental Europe by the Shanghai Ranking ARWU, the Times Higher Education Ranking and the QS World University Ranking.

Possible collaboration between the two institutions hold significant value in particular for SU, and details will be published once available.

For more information, contact Robert Kotzé, Senior Director: Postgraduate and International Office: 021 808 4460 | rk@sun.ac.za.​

Higher education and other training institutions should collaborate closely with governments to help nations and communities build resilience to disasters.

This was the view of delegates at a United Nations Forum on Sustainable Training Initiatives for Resilience (UN STiR) on Wednesday (11 September).

The three-day (11-13 September) Forum, which is organised by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), takes place at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) at Stellenbosch University (SU).

Themed Focus on the Role of Education and Training Institutions in Advancing Resilience, the forum offers delegates the opportunity to reflect on issues such as capacity building, knowledge management, as well as the quality and effectiveness of education and training relating to disaster risk management.

Mr Tarekegn Yehuala of Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia said African cities are increasingly exposed to disaster risks, but the reduction of such risks does not receive enough attention. "Disaster risk reduction is everyone's business and therefore my university is working with the government in this regard," he added.

Professor Michael Tarrant of Queensland University of Technology highlighted the importance of good governance in risk management and advocated the involvement of both the public and the private sector. He said people who are working in the field of disaster risks management and resilience should be linked with education and training.

"Education and training aimed at building resilience to disasters can be promoted through partnerships with various stakeholders in both the public and the private sector," added Mr Sisara Kumara of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand.

Dr Therina Theron, Senior Director: Research and Innovation at SU, welcomed the delegates and highlighted the value of partnerships to address complex challenges such as countries and communities' resilience to disasters. Referring to the development of human capacity to deal with disaster risks, Theron said excellent higher education institutions in Africa can be used as springboards to achieve this.

Echoing the sentiments of Theron, Mr Glen Dolcemascolo, Head of the UNISDR Office for Northeast Asia and Global Education and Training Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction (GETI), said in his opening remarks that there is "a huge demand for capacity development in disaster risk reduction".

According to him, higher education institutions should do more to support disaster managers, especially in terms of providing them with the necessary knowledge in this regard.

The UN meeting doubled as the launch of SU's Research Alliance for Disaster and Risk Reduction (RADAR) which replaces DiMP (Disaster Mitigation for Sustainable Livelihoods Program). RADAR will be based in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

MORE ON UNISDR

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) was established in 1999. It facilitates the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), which is a strategic framework adopted by the United Nations Member States in 2000. This framework intends to guide and coordinate the efforts of a wide range of partners to achieve a substantive reduction in disaster losses. Its aim is to build resilient nations and communities as an essential condition for sustainable development.

Photo: Delegates at the UN Forum at STIAS.

Photographer: Anton Jordaan

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has gone some way in fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor by working side by side with medical students at Stellenbosch University.

Going to lectures with students of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and learning how to recognise symptoms of childhood diseases in the skills lab at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences has become part of Tutu's life over the past few months.

"I've been going to lectures and working with dedicated young students. I've always wanted to be a doctor and now I've had the opportunity to see what it's like," he said.

The Archbishop has been quietly going to lectures and becoming just another member of the class. He has been to four long sessions, covering childhood TB, cancer, kidney conditions and working with premature babies.

At the department's skills lab, he used a stethoscope and worked on a simulated doll to learn how to diagnose conditions.

Part-time lecturer Dr Marlene Morkel said she was very impressed with the interest her new student had shown, as well as his natural ability. 

"He was very good at listening to the chest and picking up abnormal signs on the sim doll. He has a natural affinity for picking up clinical signs. For a first-timer, he was fantastic. I was very surprised. He was also enthusiastic and asked appropriate questions."

The Archbishop Emeritus had approached Professor Nulda Beyers from the Desmond Tutu TB Centre at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health about his idea of learning what it was like to become a doctor.

Tutu said he had been accepted into Wits University to study medicine as a young man, but that his family could not afford to pay the fees. He instead went into the ministry, but had always wondered what it would have been like had he become a doctor.

Tutu said he was moved by the commitment shown by the medical students at Stellenbosch University.

"I'm so impressed with the passion and care these aspiring doctors show to their young patients, and how committed they are," he said.

In their advanced years of study, medical students work under the supervision of the paediatricians at the Tygerberg Children's Hospital.

The Archbishop said he was also very impressed with the dedication shown by the professors and lecturers.

"They were incredibly helpful. You can see how determined they are to make sure that all of their students pass and do well.

"You're very fortunate. They give you remarkable support," Tutu told his classmates. 

Tutu visited the acute admissions ward for newborns for one of his sessions, where neonatologist Prof Johan Smith talked about the risks facing premature babies. The ward cares for babies weighing under 1,000 grams.

The Arch showed interest in how the babies were treated with expensive but often life-saving medication, and by keeping them warm and hydrated.  

At the end of the session Professor Rob Gie presented Tutu with a stethoscope with his name engraved on it. It was sponsored by the Tygerberg Children's Hospital Trust, which raises much-needed funds to upgrade facilities and buy technologically advanced equipment at the hospital, where 16,000 babies and children are admitted every year. 

Gie called the former Nobel prize winner an 'honorary doctor'.

"You have been an inspiration to the students, to the staff and to the patients," he said.

5^th year medical student Annika Roux said it had been wonderful to meet the Nobel prize winner. 

"He lights up the room when he starts laughing and asking questions. It was also so nice to see him show his support. It raises awareness of these tiny patients. They are so vulnerable and they need as much help to recover as possible."

She said she felt privileged to be studying medicine at Stellenbosch University.

"It such a great opportunity to be a doctor, especially in South Africa, where the need for doctors, especially in public hospitals, is so high."

Professor Mariana Kruger, head of department of Paediatrics and Child Health said that the staff had been inspired by Tutu during his time at the hospital.

"The staff were inspired by the interest, humility and loving interaction of Archbishop Tutu with everyone he came into contact with. He made time for everyone and posed for photographs very patiently with people from all walks of life in the paediatric wards."

Professor Kruger said the Tygerberg Children's Hospital as well as the Desmond Tutu TB Centre at Stellenbosch University were very honoured to have the Archbishop Emeritus as their patron.

CAPTION:

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu works on the simulated doll under the watchful eye of part-time lecturer  Dr Marlene Morkel. (Photographer: Hermien Nel)

She is crazy about her work and never has enough time to do all that can be done. The job also comes with some serious hardware – like a high performance computing cluster boasting over one Terabytes of RAM, more than 200 processors and over 60 Terabytes of storage. 

Meet Anelda van der Walt, a bioinformatics analyst in the DNA sequencing unit at Stellenbosch University's Central Analytical Facility.

What is a bioinformatician?

Bioinformaticians are scientists who work on some aspect of Life Sciences research with their main research tools being computers – they analyse data, develop software, or develop algorithms to deal with complex problems, such as finding cures for dangerous diseases. Bioinformaticians can work in a laboratory and perform their own experiments and generate their own data or they can use data generated by other laboratory specialists to work on.

How does one become a bioinformatician?

The reality is that you can come to Bioinformatics from basically any field. One of my colleagues studied Actuarial Sciences, another Applied Mathematics, and another Microbiology. Even medical doctors and engineers can move into the field of Bioinformatics. As far as I know there are no undergraduate degrees in Bioinformatics in South Africa at the moment, but there are several institutes offering postgraduate courses such as Honours, Masters, and PhDs in Bioinformatics. There are also minor introductions to Bioinformatics at some universities as part of various undergraduate subjects such as genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology.

My career started with a BSc degree at the University of Pretoria, and then Honours at Stellenbosch University with Genetics as my major subject. I then completed an MSc in Bioinformatics at the South African National Bioinformatics Institute at the University of the Western Cape.

Describe a typical day in the life of a bioinformatician?

Sitting behind my computer! There are various "flavours" of bioinformaticians. If I can use the study of proteins as an example: you might be looking at three dimensional (3D) modelling of protein structures to find biological functions for the protein of interest. If you are more mathematically inclined, you can develop new algorithms to improve the way 3D modelling is done, or you could be writing software that can be used by biologists to perform 3D modelling of your protein molecule. Some bioinformaticians might be more closely associated with the biology and you may prepare your own samples in the laboratory and perform your own data analysis and even do some minor scripting (writing little programs). It really can be whatever you want it to be, with as much or as little programming as you like.

Why do you think this kind of work is important?

Over the past few years technological advances in the genomics field have led to huge increases in the data volume that can be produced in laboratories. Biologists and medical scientists cannot find important clues in these huge datasets via traditional analysis methods. Bioinformaticians support biological and medical research by finding ways to move, store, analyse, and interpret these large datasets. Without Bioinformatics the human genome would not have been sequenced and Angelina Jolie would not have known that she is at risk of developing cancer later in life.

What kind of research can be done using Bioinformatics?

If you are in a Life Sciences related field and you are generating data and analysing it on a computer, you are using tools and algorithms developed by bioinformaticians (excluding of course Microsoft Excel). Some of the projects currently running in South Africa that are making use of bioinformatics, include human genome sequencing to look at genetic causes of various genetic diseases and cancers; genomics analysis of interesting animals such as sharks; biodiversity studies; food scarcity related projects; and development of software for data analysis. But these are only the tip of the iceberg!

How do you stay up-to-date with what is happening in this field?

I read articles published in academic journals, follow blogs of experts and attend national and international conferences. Did I mention read, read, and more reading?

What do you like the most about your work?

I love most aspects of my job. But what I like the most is the opportunity to be part of a very diverse group of scientists that gets to work on unbelievably interesting and challenging projects. I also enjoy working with people who are very passionate about their research. There are three things I absolutely cannot do without: my Mac, my high performance clusters, and some great colleagues.

What do you dislike the most about your work?

The fact that I do not have enough time to do everything there is to do.

Where do you see this field going in the future?

There are no limits. The "big data" problem has only recently arrived in the Biological Sciences domain. There are uncountable unsolved problems related to health, populations, conservation, and food scarcity, to name but a few. Bioinformatics is definitely here to stay.

Would you recommend this career path?

Yes absolutely. If you enjoy problem solving and interesting challenges, bioinformatics is a phenomenal field to get involved in. There are several career paths open to you – you can stay in academia, work for industry or even start your own consulting or software development company.

Some cool links to explore:

https://apps.facebook.com/fraxinusgame/

http://circos.ca/intro/published_images/

http://jmol.sourceforge.net/screenshots/

http://human.brain-map.org/static/brainexplorer

Pictured above, an image from the journal Cell, showing a vast gene regulatory network in mammalian cells that could explain genetic variability in cancer and other diseases. Source: http://www.bioquicknews.com/node/600

For more information about the Central Analytical Facilities at Stellenbosch University, visit http://academic.sun.ac.za/saf/about.html

Anelda van der Walt will also feature in the October 2013 issue of Quest​ magazine.

Diversity in all its guises will be celebrated at Stellenbosch University's Celebrating Diversity from 30 September to 4 October.

The Matie campus is a kaleidoscope of people from different race groups, languages, genders and religions and the celebrations offer an opportunity to reflect on the co-existence of all groups. On campus the Islamic Society of Stellenbosch University (ISUS) represents Muslim students.

Adli Peck, chairperson of ISUS answers a few questions.

How many members does ISUS have?

ISUS has about 85 members, however we represent over 400 Muslim students.

How does ISUS try to interact with other groups/societies on campus?

We have a Basics Islam lecture series that runs throughout the year to inform non-Muslims about Islam and to try and address common misconceptions. We also engage with other faith-based societies and the faculty of theology in discussions of faith. Furthermore we assist with charity, justice and environmental awareness issues.

 What are the most important religious days for Muslims?

We essentially have two main days of celebration (Eid) these are: Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, our month of fasting and the day of pilgrimage and sacrifice called Eid-ul-Adha. Muslims follow the lunar calendar and since the lunar year is 10 days shorter than the solar year, the days of celebration shift according to the solar calendar. This year Eid-ul-Fitr fell on the 9th August and Eid-ul-Adha will be coming up on the 15th October 2013.

To what extent does SU cater for the needs of Muslim students/staff?

Our students have only two essential needs: Implementation of five daily prayers and halal food dietary requirements.

Huge strides have been made this year to cater for Muslim students by providing a Muslim prayer room. There is only one mosque in Stellenbosch and it has been difficult for Muslims to get there to pray five times a day.

Our main concern remains the lack of halal food on campus and in Stellenbosch in general.We are working with the SRc and Student Affairs and will put forth proposals to the SU  management about improving the halal food options available for students. Hopefully this will be implemented by the end of this year/beginning of next year.

What do you think are the biggest misconception about Muslims and the Islamic faith?

The biggest misconception is with regards to our beliefs and practices. Many students are surprised to learn that we believe in God and that Allah is the Arabic name of God. Even more surprising is the fact that we believe in all of the messengers of God, especially Jesus (peace be upon Him).

The portrayal of Muslims in the media as terrorists and oppressors of women has left a barrier of ignorance regarding our fellow students' perception of what Islam represents. Hence the next topic on our Basics Islam series is Women in Islam.

How do you feel about Diversity Week?

I think this is an excellent initiative and I, our members and our fellow Muslim students are looking forward to engage in the celebrations.

At the opening of the prayer room in March, the Rector, Prof Russel Botman said: "We want to grow at Stellenbosch University and understand that we're all here for a purpose. I want the Muslim community to feel that they're roleplayers at this University. May everyone using this facility enjoy peace, secure in the knowledge that they are welcome here. And may we all engage with each other in a spirit of tolerance."

• The ISUS website is www.isus.co.za.
  
• Read about Maties Diversity Celebration by clicking here to go to our  webpage where you will also find the programme.
• Follow us on Twitter @MatiesDiversity.
• Join our Facebook page at Stellenbosch University here.

If you choose red, it means you are a South African student.

Choose blue, and you tell the world you are a born free – a member of the generation born after 1994. In this year South Africa held its first truly democratic election.

During Stellenbosch University's Celebrating Diversity week (30 September to 4 October) you can create your own Matie rainbow bracelet from different coloured beads. Out of ten colours, you can choose five. And each colour has a specific meaning (see list below).

"We want to give students and personnel an opportunity to interrogate and acknowledge their different identities," says Monica du Toit, a member of the Celebrating Diversity task team (www.sun.ac.za/diversity). 

"These bracelets also show that we all are composed of a kaleidoscope of identities."

Roxanne Eastes, outgoing Vice-Chair of the SRC said that choosing the colours for her bracelet made her realise how diverse she is. She made her armband during a preview session.

 "I have never thought of identifying myself as someone who comes from either a rural or an urban setting. I find it interesting to see how others identify themselves through the different colours they choose. During the Maties Diversity celebrations seeing a bracelet on a stranger's arm will definitely lead me to start a conversation with him or her."

Another SRC member Shomane Mathiba chose yellow as one of his colours. This symbolises his multilingualism – he speaks Afrikaans, English, Sepedi, Setswana and Setsonga fluently and he understands the Nguni languages.

"The diversity celebrations take place at an important time. The first group of students who were born after 1994 are now first years and the SU has recently announced its Vision 2030. The celebrations are a wonderful way of kick starting the new strategy."

Clinton du Preez, outgoing SRC chair, says people on campus have been associating diversity with something negative for too long.

"They think diversity is something that takes something away from their own culture. It is good that the celebrations also focus on fun events such as the music concerts and making bracelets which can stimulate conversation. The conversation about diversity needs to be opened up. If we do not acknowledge our diversity as individuals and the diverse community of which we are a part, we all lose."

Dr Llewellyn MacMaster, project leader at SU's new Centre for Inclusivity, showed he was born before 1994 by using, amongst others, a purple bead.

He believes the diversity celebrations are a positive initiative of SU because there "is still a perception that the SU campus is Afrikaans and white. The celebrations acknowledge that the university is quietly becoming more diverse."

"As a South African you cannot escape the fact that you are always busy engaging with different identities."

What do the different colours represent?

Students and personnel can choose five colours from the following colours:

Red – to show that you are a South African student.

Orange – international student

Green – if you are bilingual

Yellow – to show that you speak more than two languages

Blue – for those that were born after 1994

Purple – showing that you were born before 1994

White – to show that you are a first generation Matie

Black – Second (or more) generation Matie

• Follow us on Twitter @MatiesDiversity and on Facebook at Stellenbosch University.

​Students from Stellenbosch University (SU), the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) will have an opportunity to share their research and work-in-progress at the 13th Education Students' Regional Research Conference taking place at SU on 27 and 28 September 2013. 

This year's theme is: Pushing the frontiers of educational research.

The keynote speakers at the conference are Prof Crain Soudien (UCT), Prof Ronelle Carollisen (SU) and Prof Yusef Waghid (SU).

This annual student-led education conference, hosted this year by SU's Faculty of Education, has been running for over 10 years and was started to create and build an academic community network among education researchers. Masters and doctoral students from all four universities in the region present their research to a wider audience and receive comment from other students as well as academics from the different universities.

"The conference is significant in that it creates immediate opportunities for peer interaction in what is often the lonely journey of postgraduate research," says Prof Maureen Robinson, Dean of SU's Faculty of Education.

According to Prof Robinson, the conference impact is very significant in that students' research is publicly shared in a safe environment. "Students hear critique, engage in discussion, are asked to clarify concepts or methodology and generally get feedback that can enhance the quality of their work. The conference also includes preparatory workshops in, for example, writing an abstract or doing a presentation, which adds to students' skills and confidence in an academic arena," she says.

"We are so impressed by our student coordinators this year who have been so professional in what they have arranged thus far. An enormous amount of energy is generated through preparing for the conference. The activity of generating themes for the conference, organising papers into coherent sessions, recruiting chairpersons, and designing a programme is in itself a wonderful exercise in thinking through research directions and emerging trends," she adds.

Conference convenor Jennifer Feldman, who is currently doing her MEd in Education Policy Studies at SU, says there are at present over 100 students registered to attend. "We are expecting about 130 people including faculty and students and we have 45 students presenting abstracts and 10 poster presentations booked thus far."

Feldman says they also started a conference website for the first time this year. "This website will be passed on each year to the next hosting university. We also have a Facebook page that enjoys lots of interest and support and in keeping with the conference theme, we have pushed the frontiers and encouraged students to register and pay online through the website."

Registration: You can register for the conference before 20 September, either online or by faxing the registration form to the ESRRC office on 0865 103 907.

• For enquiries, please contact the conference secretary, Isabel Tarling on 082 602 4543 or visit the website:  http://www.esrrc.co.za/ or the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ESRRC?ref=stream.

​Pest control should be an area wide effort, and not be compartmentalised to single farms if farmers want to be able to limit damage to their produce. So says Dr Pia Addison, co-ordinator of the Integrated Pest Management Group in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University, and co-author of a new study that throws the spotlight on the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programme to manage fruit flies in deciduous fruit orchards in the Western Cape.

The paper appears in the scientific journal Pest Management Control, and assesses the value of using this relatively costly option that has been used since 1999 in the Western Cape. The study is lead by one of Dr Addison's former postdoctoral students, Dr Aruna Manrakhan, who now works for Citrus Research International.

It was carried out in five major fruit production regions of the Western Cape, namely Elgin/Grabouw/Vyeboom/Villiersdorp, Hex Rivier Valley, the Riebeeck Valley, Prince Alfred Hamlet/Ceres and Stellenbosch. It focused on Ceratitis capitata and Ceratitis rosa, the two fruit fly species that cause most economic losses in the Western Cape deciduous fruit regions. Both species have quarantine status for certain export markets.

Because of the high cost involved in the aerial release of sterile flies, the commercial SIT programme is based on a philosophy of targeted ground release within selected regions of the Western Cape, and especially in home gardens and residential areas within the regions. 

C. capitata was the predominant species in all locations except for Stellenbosch where the pest co-existed in equal proportions with C. rosa. The latter was not found in Prince Alfred Hamlet, Ceres and the De Doorns/Hex River Valley region. The populations of C. capitata peaked between March and May, which coincided with the end of the deciduous fruit growing seasons. Numbers were lowest during July to January.

The researchers found that table grape, peach, nectarine, pear and plum were most susceptible to fruit fly damage.

From fruit fly monitoring data collected between 2006 and 2008, it was noted that the SIT programme was effective in limiting population levels of adult C. capitata. However, SIT only limited fruit fly damage in regions with low population densities, and were less effective in regions where the fruit fly occurred in abundance.  Damage was lowest in the EGVV, an area under SIT programme, and in Ceres, a region where the Bait Application Technique (BAT) programme is used. In these regions damage never exceeded 1%.

"As SIT is a method which is most effective at low pest densities, methods such as chemical control, bait sprays and cultural methods might be more appropriate for higher pest densities," Dr Manrakhan advised.

The release strategy of sterile insects as part of the SIT programme in the Western Cape currently targets urban areas and farm gardens as so-called "hot spots" for fruit fly breeding throughout the year.

"In the absence of alternate hosts in orchards, most flies disperse to nearby residential areas or farm gardens, and this helps the pest populations to breed throughout the year," Dr Manrakhan explains.  "As the first fruit start to mature in commercial orchards in October, fruit flies are likely to then move back into the orchards to breed."

The finding that fruit fly populations are not sustained throughout the whole year in commercial deciduous orchards therefore has relevance for how the SIT programme is managed. In areas like Riebeeck Kasteel and Hex River Valley, where populations are high, the release of sterile males in breeding sites might be insufficient to tackle the pest population build-up and other faster acting control measures, such as bait sprays and orchard sanitation could be more appropriate.

The researchers concluded that SIT is not being properly applied in some regions.

"It should be implemented when pest populations are low, and additional sterile flies should be released to increase the sterile to wild fly ratios," Dr Manrakhan advised.  "Another option is to use BAT first to lower pest populations, before sterile flies are released."

"Control methods of fruit flies and other pests should be more integrated and applied area wide, and farmers should work together," Dr Addison pointed out. "It doesn't help to manage your own piece of land, when insects can simply spread from neighbouring farms quite easily."

Reference: Manrakhan, A., & Addison, P. (2013). Assessment of fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) management practices in deciduous fruit growing areas in South Africa. Pest Management Science.

Notes to editors:

• Fruit flies are a pest in almost all fruit growing areas of the world, and can do serious damage to commercial fruit production.
• The female fly deposits eggs within the host fruit, and emerging larvae feed on the fruit thereby causing damage.
• A number of species are of quarantine importance, and their presence can restrict or deny export markets.

   How does the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) work?

• Insects are mass reared at the Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Fruit , Vine and Wine Research Institute of the Agricultural Research Council in Stellenbosch. These are sterilised using gamma radiation before being released into the wild to mate with the natural pest population, thereby supressing or eradicating the pest population.
• It is seen as a viable option for the Western Cape, where fruit are produced in relatively isolated valleys which are interspersed with mountain ranges and natural vegetation. Valleys are ideal because this technologically-intensive pest management method should preferably be applied on an area-wide basis.

How does the Bait Application Technique (BAT) work?

BAT is used widely across South Africa to control fruit flies. Protein-rich baits are mixed insecticides and directly applied to fruit crops to attract and kill adult flies (in particular females) in search of food.

There is only about a week left before residences and PSOs that want to enter the Maties video competition as part of the Maties diversity celebrations (30 September – 4 October) have to hand in the final product.

The goal of this competition is to show that diversity comes in many guises. It is not only about race, language, religion, gender, place of origin, or age. It is also about diversity of fashion, modes of transport, hairstyles, music tastes and much more.

"We hope that at least 15 residences and PSOs will participate in this competition," says Wiaan Visser, the SRC member with the portfolio Transformation.

"We do not want to be too prescriptive, but the duration of the videos may not be longer than four minutes."

The videos will be loaded onto the MatiesTV YouTube channel by die multi media coordinator of Stellenbosch University.

The video which is deemed the best by a panel of judges, will ensure that the specific residence or PSO receives R5000 in prize money. The video which has the most hits on YouTube by 12:00 on 30 September, will win the residence or PSO R3000.

All the videos will simultaneously go live to ensure that there is no unfair advantage to anyone.

For queries about the video, send an e-mail to wiaanv@sun.ac.za and for technical queries send an e-mail to stefane@sun.ac.za.

Rules and Specifications:

• Each residence and PSO will only be able to enter one video into the competition.
• The videos should not be longer than three, maximum four minutes in duration. (They may be shorter.)
• Every video must include one still shot of at least five seconds of the "Celebrating Diversity" logo at the beginning of the video. You will find the logo attached to this email – in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. It is up to you which one(s) you use.
• Videos can be in either of two formats: H.664 or MPEG2.
• Using copyrighted music without permission or without having acquired the rights will be grounds for disqualification. If you search on the internet, you will find plenty of free film stock music. Please provide details of the source of your music – the URL ­–  where it was downloaded from, as well as the track name, in a Word document saved on a flash disk with your video.
• In the same Word document, please provide the title of your video, the name of your residence or PSO, and a short description of your video.
• The file name of your video should consist of the title of your video and the name of your res or PSO.
• Submit your video on flash disk at the SRc office before 12-noon on the 23^rd of September. The videos should thus be produced in the period leading up to the 23^rd.

You can follow us on Twitter #MatiesDiversity and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stellenboschuniversity

For more information, contact Wiaan Visser at wiaanv@sun.ac.za.

Are you a first-year Maties student? Were you born in 1994? If so, then you are a "born free", one of the young people born in the year that South Africa held its first truly democratic elections.

The concept "born free" is linked to the ideals of the new South Africa, which include non-racialism, gender equality, human rights, human dignity and freedom of expression. But what does this mean to you?

Share your thoughts on being a born free, and you could win a cash prize of R1000. The second prize is R500. To enter, write your blog and post it on the website www.bonfiire.com. Mark your blog #bornfree and #matiesdiversity. Blogs should be between 600 and 1 000 words long. The deadline is 23:59 on Friday 27 September 2013.

What does the future look like from the perspective of a born free? Can you see your own dreams and aspirations coming true in South Africa? What is your contribution as a born free in making your community and your country a better place?

These are only a few examples of what you might like to address in your blog. But do not let any suggestions or restrictions hamper you. Write what you want about what it means to be born free.

The winners will be announced on the Rooiplein on 30 September at an open discussion between born frees and SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Russel Botman (@RusselBotman).

The competition forms part of the first ever diversity celebrations at Stellenbosch University. From 30 September to 4 October the Rooiplein will be a hive of activity with stalls, conversations, interactive art projects and much more.

* For more information on the #MatiesDiversity celebrations, visit http://bit.ly/17gl6h0.

* Join the #MatiesDiversity conversation on Twitter @MatiesDiversity (https://twitter.com/matiesdiversity) or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stellenboschuniversity). 

​​Dr Christie Dorfling, senior lecturer in the Department of Process Engineering, recently received an exceptional award from the Faculty of Engineering: The Dean's Award for Outstanding Achievement.

This award, which is not necessarily made every year, may be awarded to a student whose undergraduate and postgraduate performance has been outstanding.

Dr Dorfling's astounding average of 95% over the four years of undergraduate study is the best in the history of the Department of Process Engineering.

Dr Dorfling received his PhD degree in December 2012. His doctoral studies covered the characterisation and dynamic modelling of the behaviour of platinum group metals (PGM) in high pressure leaching systems. His external examiner stated that the depth of insight, understanding of a broad range of diverse aspects and attention to detail with which he addressed a challenging problem faced by industry, is seldom found in academic theses.

Previous recipients of the Engineering Dean's Award were Dr Derick Moolman (1996) and Dr Marilie du Rand (2004).