There were many animated conversations and some serious contemplation on Monday (7 September), the second day of Stellenbosch University's annual Student Leaders' Conference (SU Leads).

This conference, co-hosted by the institution's Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development, is aimed at creating awareness among new student leaders in all structures at SU about the challenges of leadership in a rapidly changing higher-education sphere. The Conference is now in its seventh year.

At a morning panel discussion at Metanoia Residence, SU students and staff members focused on what people expect of leaders, reports Alec Basson.

The panellists were Lovelyn Nwadeyi, a doctoral student in Political Science, Pieter Kloppers, Director of Student Structures and Communities, Ilhaam Groenewald, Chief Director: Sport, and student leader Farai Mubaiwa.

Nwadeyi said leaders must be willing to participate in discussions on many different issues and things happening around them.

"Student leaders should understand the role of leadership and engage with other people," Kloppers said.

Groenewald emphasised the importance of interaction and said leadership is about listening to other people.

Mubaiwa said leaders should try to understand why some people feel a certain way about what is happening to them. She urged students to better themselves as leaders.

The value of self-awareness and how to maximise one's role as part of a team are highlighted as some of the conference aims.

At an afternoon session, The Power Within, facilitated by Monica du Toit of SU's Transformation Office, participants were challenged to rethink the notion of leadership.

Du Toit explained that the normal state of leadership means that the leader is in a comfort zone and sticks with what he/she knows.

• This leadership state is externally directed and complies with the wishes of others in order to keep the peace.
• It is also self-focused in that the leader's interests are placed above that of the group.
• And it is internally closed because the leader blocks external stimuli in order to stay on task and avoid risk.

In contrast to the normal state of leadership, the fundamental state of leadership is results centred and the individual ventures beyond the familiar to seek new outcomes.

• It is internally directed as the leader acts according to his/her values.
• It is other focused as the collective good is the priority.
• And it is externally open as the leader is willing to learn from his/her environment and recognises when there is a need to change.

SU Leads 2015 ends on Tuesday.

​Stellenbosch University's (SU) newly elected SRC chairperson, Axolile Qina, a master's degree student in Theology, says his first and biggest goal for his term is to unite the campus.

Axolile, known among fellow students as Diamond, was elected by the new Student Representative Council (SRC), last night (27 August). He also served on Helderberg Men's residence's house committee for the last three years, this year as primarius (head student).

"I am so overwhelmed, it is such a humbling experience," Axolile said at a breakfast with former SRC chairs, among others Erica Venter, the first women to hold this position, and Chris Jones, Chairperson of the Club for former SRC chairpersons.

"My vision is to unite the campus and to change the mind-set of students to a human consciousness, realising we are all human. I want to get all the student bodies and societies around one table, because this needs to be an united effort.

"We are at a crossroads, not only at Stellenbosch, but in our country, and there are going to be some big challenges on the road ahead, but I am not one to shy away from a challenge. I am looking forward to this opportunity."

Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector en Vice-Chancellor, congratulated Axolile and wished him all the best with the term ahead.

"The University finds itself in turbulent times, and it is now more than ever that we need visionary leadership. I look forward to working with Axolile and the SRC to take the University forward and to make it a place everyone can be proud of. We have a deep appreciation for the hard work that the SRC has put in over the last few months to not only advise but also to challenge Management on issues that are important to students. This includes fruitful discussions on transformation. I am confident that Axolile and his team will successfully take over the baton in this regard."

Dr Joseph Oscar Akotey, who hails from Ghana, was recently appointed by USB as a senior lecturer in Development Finance after completing his PhD with the business school. Heindrich Wyngaard and Amber Kriel asked him:

What is the meaning of being appointed here where you did your PhD? The USB is a place of excellence; hence it searches for the best human capital. As an alumnus, my appointment is not only a recognition of the quality training given to me by USB, but more importantly an opportunity to contribute positively to the strategic agenda of USB and Stellenbosch University.

What are you hoping to contribute to USB and the Development Finance programme? Much of the developmental gaps in Africa, such as infrastructure, education, budgetary, poverty and economic inequalities, can be resolved to a greater extent through appropriate development financing schemes and responsible leadership. USB, through its Development Finance programme, is contributing towards the elimination of these developmental gaps by producing the development finance experts needed in project and infrastructure finance, agriculture finance, microfinance and microinsurance, credit guarantee schemes, as well as mortgage and housing finance. I am glad to be part of the core team driving this agenda through research, teaching and community engagements.

Your view on opportunities offered in South Africa for scholars or academics such as yourself? There are a lot of opportunities for tertiary education up to the PhD level. Most of the universities are properly accredited both nationally and internationally. For instance, USB is accredited by all the three internationally recognised accreditation bodies – AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. Hence, obtaining your degree from USB puts you in the best position to compete on the global scale.

What do you like most about life in South Africa? South Africa is a beautiful country with very good road infrastructure, a good maintenance culture and relatively well-functioning public institutions.

​​​A delegation from Humboldt University (HU) in Berlin visited the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University (SU) last week to further discuss possible joint research projects on issues such as promoting multilingualism in the classroom.

The US and HU signed a cooperative agreement in 2013 and the respective education faculties of the two institutions started investigating the possibility of undertaking joint research projects in the field of teacher training. 

Prof Arend Carl, Vice Dean: Teaching in SU's Faculty of Education, and Prof Peter Beets, formerly of the Department of Curriculum Studies, visited HU in 2014 to initiate the talks on cooperation.

The aim of last week's visit was to do more detailed planning and start looking at means of funding, among other things.  

“Despite the difference in context, there are numerous commonalities and in this regard a joint project on the promotion of multilingualism is in the planning phase,” said Prof Carl.

“The possibility to exchange education students for their practical component is part of the vision, whilst utilising and integrating learning technologies in the training of teachers are also being investigated. This initiative is also about the internationalisation of education training as it is imperative that education students are exposed to broader contexts than their local context.  

“The experience will contribute to broadening and enriching their understanding of what good education teaching is as well as impoving their ability to understand the unique challenges that each particular context presents. Although there are contextual differences there are often also commonalities and the questions are: how does each roll player handle the challenges within that context and what can they learn from it to enrich their own personal teaching environment?”

Prof Carl expressed his gratitude towards both institutions' International Offices for their efforts in making the visits a reality.

Photo: Anton Jordaan

There has been lots of talk about transformation, or the lack thereof, at Stellenbosch University (SU) lately. I want to provide the assurance that Maties is not the "racist institution" that we have been made out to be by some. That is not our policy, and we have also been working very hard to become more inclusive and welcoming to all in practice.

But, as much as it saddens me to say this, some of our students and staff members have had a different experience. This is clear from a number of incidents and also the Luister (or Listen) video on social media. I found it painful viewing, because I do not want any of my students to suffer. I am not going to defend the indefensible: discrimination, marginalisation, these things are wrong, whether consciously or subconsciously. I am sorry it happened, whether on campus or in town, and we have to fix things.

We have taken action against racism, but what is being raised by Open Stellenbosch and others go beyond individual acts. It speaks to structural issues, our institutional culture, whether everyone feels they belong here, that it is also their place.

We certainly want Maties to be a welcoming home to all. There was a time in the past when this University, along with others in our country, served a particular section of the population only. But that is long gone. We have moved from being a "whites only", "Afrikaans" university, to being a non-racial, multilingual national asset – proudly serving the whole of society.

Already in the year 2000, the University formally acknowledged "its contribution to the injustices of the past". That was an apology for apartheid, often repeated by me and my predecessors. At the same time, the University also committed itself to "redress and development".

In 1990, a mere 5% of our student body was black, coloured and Indian. Today, it is 38%, and we are aiming for a minimum of 50% by 2020. So, we have made progress, even though much remains to be done. We consider diversity an absolute requirement for excellence because it exposes us to a variety of people and ideas, which broadens the mind and enriches us.

In November 2014, Council placed English on an equal footing with Afrikaans as mediums of instruction for the first time. This was done so that neither language functions as a barrier to access; and so that both languages are used as instruments for success. The Minister of Higher Education and Training recently confirmed the validity of this framework, and we consider multilingualism an asset in today's global knowledge society.

We are now in the process of implementing our new language policy. And we acknowledge that there are practical problems – especially with bilingual classes and the use of simultaneous interpretation. Task Teams are investigating, and we will report back to Council and those who have submitted complaints and proposals. Neither of our two languages of instruction is being forced on anyone. Although, again, I am not invalidating the experience of those who feel differently.

We have reached a crucial moment in the history of Su. There seems to be a gap between our sincere intentions and the reality experienced by some. This calls for deep introspection, earnest dialogue and a concerted effort to make Stellenbosch the truly "inclusive, innovative and future focused" University we want it to be.

I have been promoting an open discussion since the start of my tenure in April. Meaningful dialogue requires mutual respect and a willingness to change. I remain committed to this, and we have issued an invitation to Open Stellenbosch afresh to engage in talks with Management.

On 1 September 2015 there were two significant developments. We had fruitful discussion with Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training. And a peaceful though spirited demonstration took place on our Stellenbosch campus by protesting students and staff members. We welcome robust discussion because universities are places of critical thinking and freedom of expression. However, that does not mean everything goes.

Earlier this year, a lecture and a career fair were disrupted, and an administration building briefly occupied. This was unacceptable, and an investigation that could result in disciplinary action in terms of codes of conduct applicable to all is underway. No-one is being victimised, and I am certainly not silencing protest. But I do have a responsibility to protect this institution – all its people and its property – against threats of violence. This is in line with a call by the Minister on all higher-education institutions in the light of destructive behaviour by protesters on some campuses.

What we must avoid at all cost is the danger of polarisation. As each side increasingly demonizes the other, compromise becomes more difficult. We must reach out to each other in the search for common ground instead of retreating into "us" and "them" camps.

We should not be surprised by the restlessness in higher-education nationwide this year. South Africa is still in transition, and the first born-frees have arrived on campuses – old enough to think for themselves and see the problems around them, and young enough to want to do something about it. But neither should we be alarmed. There is no problem with activism – as long as it does not degenerate into violence and destruction.

What I do find tremendously reassuring and inspiring is the conversations that are happening despite the current tensions – or maybe it is because of the troubles that Maties are stepping forward and doing their bit. I want to thank alumni, partners and friends of the University for their support – not blind, uncritical loyalty, but the kind of support that is based on a shared fondness of this University and its potential.

Both Council and Senate have publicly declared their commitment to transformation. The annual elections in representative student leadership structures have now been concluded, and a lot of effort is going into preparing them to help guide the honest discussion we need at this University. A wealth of work has been done for several years already to make the process of Stellenbosch becoming more diverse and integrated a positive one. Our Listen, Live and Learn initiative in student housing is a good example, an approach that is not restricted to a few units but permeates the whole system.

Significant steps are being taken to reinvigorate the process of change at Su. Transformation has been included in the restructured portfolio of Prof Nico Koopman, one of our Vice-Rectors. And a Transformation Office is being established, as well as a broader Transformation Committee. Also, to ensure that our journey of transformation is based on sound research, we will be establishing two Chairs for Transformation, Reconciliation and Justice.

And we have also allocated R70 million to diversify our staff body, especially at senior academic level. This is a big challenge, though we are not the only university in this position. There is a serious shortage of senior black academics nationwide, which we are helping to alleviate in the long run with our large output of master's and doctoral graduates from the designated groups.

Our journey of transformation is incomplete and imperfect, but we remain steadfast in our determination to go forward. That is the only way of creating a community of "social justice and equal opportunities for all" – as our mission states. Yes, we are at the moment facing challenges, but there are also many exciting opportunities. We must go forward, as I have no doubt we will, by fixing what is wrong and celebrating what is right – together.

• Click here for a YouTube version, #SUforward, or visit http://bit.ly/1PSd2I2.

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Although we should accept English as the academic lingua franca, we have to use other languages to improve the throughput rate of students as well as the quality of teaching and learning.

This was one of the viewpoints of Prof Christa van der Walt of the Department of Curriculum Studies in the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University (SU) on Monday (7 September 2015). She was the speaker at the fourth Stellenbosch Forum lecture of 2015.

The Stellenbosch Forum lecture series provides regular opportunities to staff and students at SU, as well as interested people from the public, to learn more about the relevant and world-class research that is being done at SU.

Van der Walt said even though English is widely used in higher education, we should also pay attention to other languages, especially African languages, and not neglect them based on the false assumption that such languages are not 'developed' enough to be useful for learning in higher education.

"We cannot ignore other languages because students will have to serve their communities in languages other than English."

"The introduction of other languages can also serve as a vehicle for curriculum change, improved learning and as a stimulus for new programmes."

Van der Walt said we should view language as a resource to improve teaching and to foster learning.

"When language is used a resource, decisions about language can be made by lecturers and students in the classroom."

"We are shooting ourselves in the foot by ignoring the language resources students bring to the classroom because we are not supporting them to pass their courses and programmes."

Arguing for a move beyond language policy towards a framework for decision-making in the classroom, Van der Walt said an overarching language policy cannot account for the complexity and contingency of what is happening in the classroom.

She pointed out that a framework for decision-making at classroom level "requires that lecturers develop certain skills and strategies to orientate students towards activating their existing languages while they develop a critical understanding of dominant languages".

Van der Walt said we have to think about to the extent to which we value multilingualism. It should not become superficial, she added.

• ​Photo: Prof Christa van der Walt speaking at the Stellenbosch Forum
  
• Photographer: Justin Alberts
  

The Varsity Netball tournament kicked off this weekend with the Maties Netball team producing an exceptional performance on Monday, pushing the strong UP-Tuks side to the brink.

Maties, spurred on by an excited crowd, lost 51-54 to the visiting team from Pretoria.

On Sunday the team had a below average opening performance against the NMMU Madibaz, beating them by only four goals (42-38).

The team from Port Elizabeth led 10-9 in the first quarter before Maties clawed back to make it 19-18 at the half-time break. Maties made an impressive start to the third period and scored six unanswered goals to open up a gap. They increased their lead to 33-24 before the end of the third quarter.

Going into the final quarter the NMMU girls used their powerplay – a period during which goals count two point – to narrow the gap.  The Stellenbosch team dug deep and held on for a 42-38 victory, knowing that they would have to step it up against Tuks.

The match, played in front of a big crowd in the Coetzenburg centre and being broadcast on Supersport, got off to a frenetic start as Tuks raced to a 9-2 lead after only eight minutes. Maties fought back gallantly to narrow the gap and the first quarter ended with Tuks leading 14-13.

With five minutes left in the first half the teams were even at 22-22 before Maties had a superb passage of play and opened up a lead of four goals, going into the half-time break with the score at 29-25.

Maties still had a narrow 42-41 lead at the end of the third quarter, but their struggle in dealing with the powerplay was exposed by Tuks who regained the lead and managed to keep it to the end. The final score of 54-51 meant that Maties earned two bonus points, one for scoring more than fifty goals and one for losing by less than five goals.

The FNB Player of the Match was the Maties goal shooter Nelandré Mostert, who is playing in her first Varsity Netball tournament.

Maties travel to Potchefstroom to face NWU-Pukke on Monday, with the game being televised at 19:00.

Photo: Thys Lombard

Three Steinhoff Maties Cricket players have been included in the Boland team that will compete in the inaugural Africa T20 cricket tournament from 4 September to 4 October.

Dewald Botha, Niel Botha and Jean Marais will play in this tournament that will serve as a curtain raiser for the domestic cricket season. Sixteen teams will participate - 13 teams from South Africa, as well as Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya.

Dewald Botha is the captain of the team that includes current and former national players like Hashim Amla, Justin Ontong and Robin Peterson. 

“It's a great honour for me to captain a very talented Boland side for the upcoming inaugural Africa Cup. There are players in the side with international experience and I look forward to learning from them so as to improve as a player and captain. I expect the tournament to be very competitive since all the sides may field a number of franchise and an international players. This will also ensure a very high level of cricket,” said Botha.

The 16 teams have been divided into four pools and will play at four venues in Gauteng and Free State.

Pool A (Sept 4-6, Benoni): Easterns, Northerns, Zimbabwe, Western Province.

Pool B (Sept 11-13, Potchefstroom): North West, KZN Inland, Border, Boland.

Pool C (Sept 18-20, Kimberley): Griquas, Namibia, KZN, Eastern Province.

Pool D (Sept 25-27, Bloemfontein): Free State, SWD, Gauteng, Kenya.

The four group winners will advance to the semi-finals.

The Boland team: Dewald Botha, Hashim Amla, Ferisco Adams, Niel Botha, Gereldo George, Simon Khomari, Michael Loubser, Jean Marais, Tshepo Moreki, Justin Ontong, Robin Peterson, Zakhele Qwabe and Cebo Tshiki.

Photo: Mario van de Wall, SASPA​

​Dr Morné Mostert, the newly appointed director of the Institute for Futures Research (IFR) based at USB, started in his new position on Tuesday, 1 September 2015.

In the picture is Dr Mostert (middle) with Prof Stan du Plessis (left), Dean of the Faculty for Economic and Management Sciences, and USB director Prof Piet Naudé (right).

Watch a video here where he explains the importance of Futures Research https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m9X1HbbECA

Explosions, magic fires in a dark forest and the shenanigans of the evil Gru from the movie Despicable Me and his minions.

This was the theme for the annual AlchemUS society's magic show on Tuesday 8 September 2015.

Monica Clements, chair of the AlchemUS society and a postgraduate student in chemistry, says the purpose of the show is to get children interested in chemistry from a younger age by showing them that chemistry is fun.

"After the show a group of home-schooled kids wanted more details about the experiments we performed. So I sat with them and went through each experiment explaining briefly how it worked and how that relates to what we do in the lab. I also gave them some ideas about what they can do at home."

Learners from Paul Roos Gymnasium who were very interested in chemistry were also given an impromptu tour of the labs.

"The preparation of the experiments is the most important part of the show and majority of our time is spent on this. We have to make sure they are safe and not too complicated to perform on stage, with no harmful by-products or fumes," Monica adds.

Mrs Sybil Smit, who brought her two sons Stefan (12) and Tiaan (9) along, says she enjoyed the show as much as her children: "After the show my youngest insisted on buying balloons so that he can try and make them explode at home."

Saskia Rohwer (10) from Stellenbosch Primary School says she enjoyed the flames in the forest the most. Stefan Smit (12), also from Stellenbosch Primary, liked the explosions and said he would definitely like to come again.   

The cast for the show consisted mainly of postgraduate students. They were Khaya Gould (Gru), Rabia Rawoot (Kevin the minion), Tanica Theys (Stuart the minion) and Lizé-Mari Ferreira (Bob the Minion). Dr Nefario, played by Rick O' Connor, assisted Gru with the experiments.

Maryna Janse van Rensburg and Gerbrandt Kotze assisted with the preparation of the experiments.

A video of the show and more photos will be made available on the AlchemUS facebook page. You can also follow them on Twitter at @alchemUS.

For some cool experiments, visit http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/buildavolcano.htm and http://chemistry.about.com/od/homeexperiments/

​​​Current discussions on transformation at Stellenbosch University (SU) will be meaningful if the voices of young people are also heard, writes Prof Amanda Gouws of the Department of Political Science at SU in an article published in Die Burger on Mondagy (7 September 2015). The same article also appeared in another Media24 publication Volksblad on Tuesday (8 September 2015).

Read the complete article below or click here to read the article as published.

Burger: We have to listen (7 Sept 2015)

Nobody will deny that universities in South Africa are experiencing turbulent times. Stellenbosch University is no exception. The Luister video has been viewed more than 200 000 times on YouTube. It shows us the lived experiences of black student on the campus and in the town. And these students feel powerless to do something about their experiences.

It also shows that language and the feeling of exclusion from the culture at Stellenbosch are closely intertwined. This feeling of exclusion gives rise to frustration and aggression. On a question whether transformation should not take place through considered debate – asked during a recent debate on campus – a member of #OpenStellenbosch answered that it should not be the work of black students to educate white students on racism. I have to agree with him.

#OpenStellenbosch has definitely succeeded in shaking people out of their comfort zones and, to be honest, has succeeded in scaring them. But has it made us more willing to listen? Or has it put us on the defensive?

The biggest problem is that the word transformation is bandied about, but that individuals on the campus do not truly know what to do about systemic problems. Structural racism can only change if we are prepared to change the institutional culture of SU. It has be become a more inclusive culture in which prejudice towards black people, women, gay people, etc. has no place.

However, to discredit all efforts made by SU to bring about or accelerate transformation is not helpful. All that it does is contribute to discrediting all those on the campus who have acted as agents of transformation over many years and who have been willing to incur the wrath of the "quiet majority". It alienates potential allies and causes the goodwill of many people to disappear.

When #OpenStellenbosch feels comfortable with strange bedfellows, such as those bearing placards that state "one settler one bullet", it does nothing to promote their cause. It also adds to people starting to think that there is a conspiracy on the go to destabilise all universities. People are asking whether a "third force" is involved? It is dangerous when people start asking questions such as these, as it draws attention away from the true problems with transformation on campuses.

That Stellenbosch stands for an idea, to which Max du Preez referred, is something that has been part of the past for a long time. Universities ultimately are busy with the creation of knowledge. The university is a place where students should work with knowledge critically so that all ideas must be able to be questioned in order to learn to create new knowledge themselves. The idea for which Stellenbosch stands now is one of excellence. This excellence can only be promoted by diversity. This also means a diversity of language, and not necessarily only English.

It is because a previous regime excluded so many people from the knowledge project that we are now picking the fruits of a government that has no grasp whatsoever of knowledge and that looks with suspicion on all intellectuals. With a young generation we can start to build a new knowledge base. It is not acceptable that they cannot reach their full potential at a university as a result of language, or race, or the fact that they have nowhere to live. The "born frees" must be our barometer of the impatience with the snail's pace of transformation. We have to listen.

​​Would you like to make a difference in a student's life? Do you love to watch a game of rugby? Then here's your chance to do both and score with Stellenbosch University and Absa Bank.

All you have to do is apply for a Maties Affinity Card and before you know it, you could be supporting your favourite team at Newlands Rugby Stadium.  On offer are two double tickets per game. The first game is on Saturday, 26 September at 15:00 (WP v Pumas) and the second game on Friday, 9 October at 18:00 (WP v EP Kings).

How the card works:

At no additional cost to you, Absa will donate a percentage of your card spend to student bursaries. That means, each time you use your card, you support the next generation of Maties.

How to apply:

SMS your name*surname*ID number* MATIES to 33776 (e.g. Bob*Smith*81055358081*MATIES) and an agent will contact you.  (Terms and conditions apply. Each SMS costs R1,50.)

If you're a winner:

We will inform you telephonically. The tickets can be picked up at the Development and Alumni Relations Offices in Murray Street, Stellenbosch.

• For more information contact Marvin Koopman on tel: 021 808 9265 or e-mail: marvin@sun.ac.za.   

The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University has been carrying out research in aeronautics since 2008 in partnership with Airbus and the South African National Aerospace Centre (NAC). Under this research partnership programme, Airbus and the South African Department of Trade and Industry co-fund strategic graduate student research projects dealing with control and automation of large commercial passenger aircraft.

The aim of the partnership is to develop a national research relationship with Airbus, to train graduate students in relevant areas of expertise and to access and solve cutting-edge research challenges facing the modern aircraft industry.

Over the past seven years, students and staff have been involved in research projects with Airbus Centres of Competence (CoCs) in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Flagship projects include automatic flight control for in-flight refuelling of large aircraft, automatic flight control for recovery from unusual flight conditions, novel actuation and morphing of flight control surfaces using smart materials, collision prediction and avoidance for large aircraft in airport environments, flight control for formation flight of passenger aircraft, and automatic detection of unusual flight conditions. On some of these topics, the research teams decided to collaborate with other South African universities, including the University of Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, as well as with universities abroad, such as the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.

Stellenbosch students gain tremendous exposure to the activities and challenges of one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world through regular interaction with Airbus CoCs. As an example, Steven Kriel, a PhD candidate within the Department, completed a three-month internship with Airbus in Toulouse, France, where he implemented and successfully demonstrated his autonomous refuelling flight control system on the Airbus simulator.

Building on the successes of the past seven years, Airbus and the NAC have expanded the research programme at Stellenbosch University and have also extended the programme to other local universities. Furthermore, arrangements are in progress to send more postgraduate students for internships at Airbus in future.

Japie Engelbrecht, who occupies the NAC Research Chair in Aeronautical Dynamics and Control, manages the Airbus-NAC research partnership programme at Stellenbosch University. Prof Thomas Jones, Dr Corne van Daalen and Johann Treurnicht of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering also support the programme. 

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​Persons who wish to undertake invigilation duties during the SU examinations from 19 May to 26 June 2015 have the opportunity to apply till Friday 10 April 2015.

Minimum qualification is Matric, but preference will be given to graduated SU staff members and post graduate students. Undergraduate students unfortunately do not qualify. Lecturing staff should obtain permission from their Deans but are not required to apply for leave.

Remuneration is R64,00 per hour, plus an additional half hour per examination session for invigilators, and an additional two hours per examination session for convenors. Remuneration for all invigilation until 18 November 2015 will be paid on December 15, 2015 and for the period thereafter at the end of January 2016.

Application forms are available at the Information Desk, Admin A. Closing date for applications is Friday 10 April 2015 at 16:00. Contact Miriam Walters at 021 8089111 for further enquiries. Submission of an application form does not guarantee appointment.​

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What started as a "kitchen conversation", as coined by the facilitator, turned out to be a very informative Diversity Forum Session at the SSVO's Den Bosch last Thursday, the 3^rd of September 2015.The staff of the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD) has initiated courageous dialogues in an attempt to understand the current student context regarding issues of language and the role that the centre should play to ensure that diversity is promoted.

The Diversity Forum's mandate is to create a platform for all CSCD staff members to critically and openly engage in discussions regarding diversity subjects like social classes, sexual orientation, gender, language, religion, disabilities and many others that continue to affect, influence and involve us together with our clients. The current climate at our university, prompted by the video "Luister", necessitated a conversation about the role that should be played by CSCD on issues of transformation and diversity. Greg Ricks facilitated the conversation and used the metaphor of having to remove a splinter out of the foot of a child, to explain the current dynamics on campus. Students are voicing their opinions on the slow process of transformation at Stellenbosch University (SU) in a variety of ways – dialogue on social media, marching and protesting in the streets and engaging with a variety of role players. This can be experienced as painful by some individuals, but it is part of the process "to get the splinter out".   In his address to student leaders, Prof de Villiers (Rector of SU) called on everyone not to be alarmed by restlessness on campus "…because South Africa is still a society in transition and the legacy of the past lingers." He implored everyone to facilitate critical thinking by going beyond our borders, out of our comfort zones, exposing ourselves to other perspectives and "move beyond superficial stereotypes". The conversation we had at Den Bosch, as a CSCD community, marks the beginning of our attempt to expose ourselves to other perspectives and metaphorically remove the splinter, as uncomfortable as it may be.

Our vision is to focus on student wellness and create hope for all. We intend to have regular conversations as staff members, about matters that relate to us creating a welcoming environment at our centre and making sure that our services are accessible to all students of Stellenbosch University. This remains an ongoing conversation as it is vital that we understand our student clients. It became clear from the discussion that it is not easy to engage in conversations regarding diversity and transformation issues, as it is an emotive topic.  However, although we might not have all the answers, we need to heed the call of the video clip and start to really "luister" to one another. If our end goal is being a world class university that produces world class graduates, we must be willing to take on these challenges and not shy away from them.   The rector's remark "Diversity is an absolute requirement for excellence" is a statement the Diversity Forum proposes to operate by while continuing to create a safe space for staff members to discuss matters that influence and involve us. More of these healthy debates will be held during the course of the last term.

With the end of the year creeping closer, it is soon time for the Stellenbosch University Choir's annual Gala concerts on 27 and 30 September 2015 in the Endler in Stellenbosch.

One of the unique works the audience can look forward to, is the composition of a poem by the Somali refugee Warda Mohamed. Together with her parents, Warda – then only 14 – fled to America in an attempt to escape the civil war in their own country. The work, set to music by Jake Runestad, has four soloists and special percussion accompaniment.

Award-winning conductor André van der Merwe describes this year's repertoire as a musical journey. "Five of the works on our programme for this year, will be performed for the first time in South Africa, including Swiss composer Michael Ostzyga's Jupiter. The sub-title for the work is A Cosmic Journey. It is a work of kaleidoscopic quality that will literally take the audience on a journey!"

Another South African premiere is Bronze Triptych, by Dan Forrest. This duet between choir and piano will be performed with Elna van der Merwe and Zorada Temmingh.

Van der Merwe also says the programme will speak to various musical tastes. Apart from music by Lady Gaga and A Great Big World, there are Afrikaans works by Niel van der Watt and Peter Klatzow. This over and above the more 'traditional choir music' that audiences expect from a world champion choir. 

Tickets are available from Computicket at R145. Students can get tickets for R100 each at Computicket outlets when showing a valid student card.

Sunday 27 September's performance is at 16:00 and on Wednesday 30 September at 20:00.

To book the Stellenbosch University Choir for a performance, contact Jana Hattingh on 021 886 5036 or send an e-mail to adminfees@sun.ac.za

Imagine for a moment being able to view in real time how various photo-induced reactions take place. Sounds interesting? What about if these reactions occur on a timescale which is so short, that from your point of view, it seems as if it happens instantaneously? How would you be able to know exactly what occurred?

The answer is to use a "camera" capable of resolving really fast phenomena. The "camera" used for this type of work will be discussed a bit later. For now, let us focus rather on how the scientists in the field of Laser Physics are tackling the problem of capturing and understanding ultrafast processes.

At the Laser Research Institute in the laboratory of Prof Heinrich Schwoerer they investigate exactly these photo-induced reactions of atoms and molecules in matter with microscopic resolution in time and space. Simply put: making movies of atoms moving in matter.

In these 'molecular movies' they try to observe, understand and modify microscopic dynamics such as configuration changes, charge and energy transfer reactions in organic and organo-metallic molecules, and photo-induced macroscopic phase transitions in inorganic and organic crystals.

Some of the interesting projects that are currently being undertaken in Prof Schwoerer's Lab includes the investigation of substances capable of changing its colour upon the illumination of light [1], investigating how charges propagate in solar cells [2] and using femtosecond lasers to generate electron bunches for diffraction measurements [3].

So far we have only scratched the surface of the importance of making 'molecular movies' in these projects. Ttherefore we will dig a little deeper, starting off with the making of the molecular movie followed by a brief summary of two of the abovementioned projects.

Making a molecular movie

Making a molecular movie requires various scientific instruments with the most important one being a femtosecond laser with its very short light pulses. The reason for this is that if this short burst of laser light starts a reaction another burst can be used to monitor the influence of the first at any time later. A neat thing here is that the arrival time of the monitoring pulse (the second burst) at the sample is fully adjustable. In fact the arrival time can be set to values as short as or even shorter than the duration of the light pulse.

To understand this, recognise first that the speed of light is a constant and as a result the time it takes for light to travel over a specific distance is known if the distance is known. Therefore if one is required to change the arrival time of a burst of light, it is as simple as changing the distance the light has to travel in a controlled way. Being able to control the arrival time of the monitoring pulse is actually the main reason why making a molecular movie is possible. This is because through monitoring at different arrival times a snapshot at each time-point is created. Taking all of this into account, the molecular movie is subsequently generated from a collection of the monitoring snapshots at discrete time intervals. This is similar to how a conventional camera operates. The only difference here is that each snapshot is not a photograph but rather a measure of the amount of light that passes through the sample.

Figure above: A schematic of the optical setup used for taking Molecular Movies.

Investigating colour changing substances

The metal-complex dithizonatopheylmercury is a specific type of crystal which, when dissolved in the appropriate solvent and illuminated with blue-green light (450 to 500 nm wavelength), undergoes a stark colour change from orange to blue.

In scientific terms, this colour changing phenomenon is referred to as photochromism and is understood as a structural change which occurs within the molecule due to the light. To understand this process we must realise that light is a form of electromagnetic radiation which intrinsically contains energy. The energy when deposited into the molecule causes in this case a rotation to occur within the molecule. This newly rotated molecule therefore looks different than the original one and consequently also has a different colour.

By making a molecular movie of this orange to blue reaction the time it takes for the colour change to occur is easily determined. Here it was found that the reaction takes place in roughly one picosecond which is one millionth of one millionth of a second. In other words, seriously fast!

The propagation of charges in a solar cell

Using the electromagnetic radiation from the sun to generate electricity is a concept which is well understood. In short, light from the sun when viewed on the quantum scale consists of elementary particles known as photons. These photons interact with the solar cell and generate free charges (electrons) which, when connected in a closed electrical circuit, can do work.

Currently there are various types of solar cells on the market either based on high purity silicon semiconductors or on blends of organic and inorganic materials. While the silicon solar cells are still more efficient, the novel cells based on organic matter offer the potential to be much cheaper and provide the option to be incorporated into flexible materials such a plastic films or even fabrics. Nevertheless, the efficiency is still a very important parameter to consider as it ultimately affects the plausibility of large scale reproduction. In this regard, tracking how the charges propagate in a solar cell through a molecular movie is crucial, as it allows for viewing the various paths an electron can take in the solar cell. Knowing the paths and their probabilities gives one insight into the ultimate performance of a cell as not all paths are beneficial for generating electricity.

The projects discussed above form a subset of the research currently being conducted in the laboratory of Prof Schwoerer, where the aim ultimately is to broaden our understanding of light-matter interactions.

About the author: Dr Gurthwin W. Bosman is a laser physicist and researcher at the Laser Research Institute, Department of Physics, Stellenbosch University (SU). He works under Prof Heinrich Schwoerer, who holds the South African Research Chair (SARChi) in Photonics at SU.

Definitions

Photo-induced reactions: Any reaction initiated by light.

Femtosecond Lasers: A laser which emits short duration light pulses of order 100 femtoseconds.

Diffraction: The addition of waves after a given obstruction.

References

[1]        K.von Eschwege, G. Bosman, J. Conradie, H. Schwoerer, J.PhysChem A 118, 844-855 (2014).

[2]        E.J. Rohwer, et.al, ChemPhysChem 14, 132-139 (2013)

[3]        M. Eichberger, et.al, App. Phys. Lett., 102, 121106 (2013).

This article first appeared in Quest. Science for South Africa. Vol 11 (1) 2015:14-15

​The national rollout of the cervical cancer vaccine last year is a giant leap towards safeguarding future generations of women from this disease. But until the effects of this vaccine start showing results several decades from now (the girls being vaccinated are between nine to 12-year olds while cervix cancer usually only occur from the age of 40 onwards), many more South African women will die from the disease.

This is according to Prof Hannah Simonds, the head of the Division of Radiation Oncology of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University.

Simonds says there a variety of reasons why mortality rates will not immediately decrease. Firstly, despite the fact that the national screening programme offers three free Pap smears (at ages 30, 40 and 50) to scan for the precursors of cancer, not enough women utilise these services resulting in many cancer cases only being diagnosed in the later stages of the disease when it is harder to treat.

Secondly, around one in five South African women diagnosed with cervix cancer are also HIV positive.

Simonds explains that co-infection with HIV and the human Papillomavirus (HPV) – which is responsible for most cervix cancers – is a cruel combination. "HPV infection in women with HIV is at least five times more likely to develop into cancer, while cervix cancer in HIV-positive women indicates the progression from HIV to AIDS, and is a so-called AIDS-defining illness," she says.

Even antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not appear to reduce the incidence of cervix cancer in women with HIV and data from oncology departments in the country shows that the large-scale rollout of ART has had no impact on the number of cervical cancer cases presenting to the six national oncology units in South Africa.

According to Simonds, the management of cervical cancer in patients with HIV is also challenging. Despite the considerable portion of co-infected patients, all clinical trials on the treatment of cervix cancer (both local and international) exclude HIV-positive patients, leaving oncologists with untested treatment regimens for women with this comorbidity.

A suppressed immune system caused by HIV can lead to complications when high doses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy are required to treat cancer.  Interactions between antiretroviral- and chemotherapy can cause additional side-effects.

Simonds noted that a number of important interventions are necessary in order to provide high-quality care for co-infected women:

• Robust screening programmes must be made available to HIV-positive women to pick up the precursors to cancer and provide treatment before it develops. HIV clinics currently provide an initial pap smear with close follow up if any abnormalities are detected.
• Support of the national cancer registry and institution-based registries is essential to clearly define the trends of incidence and prevalence in the HIV-positive population in order for health services to plan an appropriate response to the problem.
• Locally-relevant research is required to improve the understanding of the interplay between these two diseases and come up with guidelines on the best management of these cases. This will involve collaboration between gynaecology oncology surgeons, clinical oncologists and infectious diseases colleagues to define the most appropriate interventions based on previous international standard regimens used in the HIV-negative population.

"Finally, the importance of the social determinants of health cannot be overstated," Simonds says. Poverty, health-seeking behaviour, public health education, domestic violence and social stigma are just a few factors which contribute to the sustained prevalence of this disease in South Africa. "Without resources to battle these issues we are unlikely to impact the numbers of patients presenting for care," says Simonds.

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The Department of Physics at Stellenbosch University will celebrate the International Year of Light with a series of events for students, learners and the public to learn more about this fascinating topic.

On Tuesday 22 September learners, students and the public are invited to explore and enjoy the “explorium” in the Merensy Building and visit the laser research laboratories with postgraduate students in physics as guides. This activity will take place from 13:00-18:30

Also on Monday 22 September dr Hermann Uys, who holds the new research chair in quantum, optical and atomic physics at Stellenbosch University, will deliver a public lecture on “Lights for Artists” in the Merensky Building, lecture hall Alpha (0067). This will be followed by demonstrations of surprising light phenomena, discussions and refreshments.

Learners and members of the public interested in attending the open day or the public lecture, can contact Prof. Erich Rohwer at egr@sun.ac.za

Female students who are interested in following a career in physics, are invited to attend the Women in Physics in South Africa discussion and luncheon on Thursday 24 September 2015 from 9:30 to 14:00. Ccontact Dr Christine Steenkamp if you are interested at cmsteen@sun.ac.za.

The events are supported by the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) as a Women in Physics in South Africa (WiPiSA) project.

Are you glad to hear Woordfees 2016 is busy to take form? And do you stay a loyal festival-goer thanks to the high quality of the programme content? Glad to hear the festival programme will be available on 16 November already? And do you stay in Stellenbosch during the festival – or do you drive in?

Woordfees 2016's theme is Stay (in Afrikaans, the word Bly can mean stay or glad). And whether it means you are pleased or expressing joy¹, or maybe refers to the festival that continues to be² – the theme stays glad (or does it?).

"The Woordfees – and we at the Woordfees – are glad to be here. And we want to stay," says Saartjie Botha, Woordfees director. "We also want the festival-goers to share this feeling with us. But stay can also refer to house, home, shelter – a very important issue in South Africa as well as globally."

The festival programme, promising to be even bigger next year, also includes some surprises. There is a new discourse series (think agriculture), and a couple of legends from the music world (a princess from Africa and the queen of iTunes), as well as interviews with some of our best authors of the latest books. On the theatre stage there will be brand new work as well as one of the most popular farces of all time, and one our country's most exiting artists as festival artist.

Regarding visual arts, the Woordfees has appointed Alex Hamilton as coordinator for this section of the programme. "We are very excited about the energy and creativity Alex brings to the programme. He was already involved with Woordfees 2015, and his ideas, such as the Pop-Ups he did every morning at 06:00 at the Plataan Café, was a huge success," says Botha.

Self an artist, Hamilton says he developed the whole programme around Stellenbosch and the different interpretations of the word. He will act as curator for one of the exhibitions and for the rest he is the convenor and responsible person. "I would like to have some talks regarding arts – how to buy art, how to look at a painting and many more."

Another appointment is that of Theo Kemp, also from the Breytenbach Centre, as programme coordinator. "During the first few years of the Woordfees, Kemp worked very hard to help shape the festival in the unique event it has become," Botha says of his appointment. "It is wonderful to have access to his institutional knowledge again."

"Woordfees is a special project with a unique character and it has always been dear to me. It is a big honour to be involved again and I hope the contributions I make, will add to the festival's strength and relevance."

* SU Woordfees 2016 will be held in Stellenbosch from 4-13 March 2016. The programme will be launched on 16 November 2015. Ticket sales open on 17 November at Computicket.

1. Hawkins, JM (ed). 1988. The Oxford Paperback Dictionary. 3^rd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2. Idem.