Language that they do not understand and noticeboards that are only in Afrikaans are among the things that make students on the campus of Stellenbosch University feel excluded and unwelcome.

This is the finding of a group of third-year students in visual arts after spending six weeks interviewing a diverse group of students on campus on diversity and what can be done to make them feel welcome.

The project, which was undertaken under the leadership of Dr Elmarie Costandius of the Department of Visual Arts, formed part of a much larger diversity programme through which the University is trying to make the student corps more diverse and to make students from everywhere feel welcome on the campus.

Twenty-five students in Visual Communication Design were divided into five groups. They undertook five projects through which they could enter into conversations with other students on the campus. One of the projects consisted of a temporary toilet on the Rooiplein on which questions on diversity were asked and answered as graffiti. Among the statements and questions were things like "Making your your private thoughts public" and "Do you feel at home?"

A second project consisted of pieces of wire over which icicle plants (vygies) were growing – with notices containing the words "We belong" and "Together we grow" being put up alongside.  Another project comprised an open book with a three-dimensional sculpture cut from the pages, which was exhibited in the library. Mirrors were also installed in the study cubicles so that the student in front could like at the student behind him/her, and the student at the back could look at the student in front.

"In all the projects, an effort was made to get students to talk to each other and get to know each other across different boundaries," explains Costandius.

The conversations in which the art students sounded out other students on their views of diversity were documented carefully. This, along with visual material, formed part of the examination projects of the students. The research results will also be published in a book.

"It is clear from the research that many students feel alienated if they hear only Afrikaans on the campus and in lecture halls. Most of the notices also are only in Afrikaans and this is seriously alienating for students who speak other languages. For examples, if students cannot figure out from the notice boards where their examination venues are, it can lead to panic and fear," says Costandius.

According to Costandius it also became clear that students who did not have friends or did not participate in social activities more easily felt isolated than student with friends or who were members of student and social organisations.

The students prepared submissions of five minutes each for the Rector, Prof Russel Botman. He was so impressed by the project that he requested that the toilet be returned to the Rooiplein for the Council meeting, when the Stellenbosch University Institutional Intent and Strategy: 2013-2018 was launched.

"It was also clear that students want to feel that their opinions are important," says Costandius. "As soon as they feel that are being involved, they feel important and also more welcome."

• Fourth-year students will be tackling a project with a view to Women's Day (9 August), in which sensitivities regarding the discourse on men and women will be addressed. Among others, the students will undertake a survey of the many statues on and around the campus and investigate the gender of the images. Are there only statues of men, for example, or are women also represented in the artworks?
• Photo caption: This temporary toilet on the Rooiplein served as a place where students could make their private thoughts public by writing graffiti.

The Management of Stellenbosch University wishes its Muslim staff, students, alumni and partners a blessed Ramadan.

"I would like to wish all members of the Muslim faith a happy and peaceful month of fasting that starts next week. May you experience the joy and warmth of togetherness with family and friends," Prof Julian Smith, acting Rector of Stellenbosch University said on Friday. "Ramadan Mubarak."

Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and for Muslims world-wide the holiest month (ninth month) of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. This year Ramadan starts on 9 July in Cape Town and will end around 7 August, depending on the new moon at the beginning of the tenth month. During this period Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, and the fast is broken after the evening prayer. It is a time of spiritual reflection and renewal, as well as generosity and kindness. Traditional foods and delicacies are shared with neighbours, friends and the poor.  

​​​​From old age homes and retirement villages in Cape Town all the way to New South Wales in Australia, grandmothers have taken up their knitting needles to clothe the tiny premature babies in the neo-natal ward of the Tygerberg Children's Hospital.

Recently, the ward was abuzz with excitement when a shipment of brightly coloured beanies, booties and jerseys – knitted by Australian grandmother, Maureen Barnes -  were handed out to mothers and their babies in the hospital's  kangaroo care ward.

The hospital cares for 120 premature babies at any given time and is proud of its high survival rate, which is close to that of developed countries. Its tiny patients weigh between about 500 grams and 1500 grams and are carefully nurtured by the doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital. 

Mothers, who often stay with their tiny babies in the kangaroo care ward, are usually excited and deeply grateful for such donations.    "Sometimes they're the only clothes that the mothers have to go home with, so they're really appreciated," says the head of the Tygerberg neonatal unit, Prof Gert Kirsten.

The inspiration for the gifts from Australia came from a chance meeting between  Barnes' daughter-in-law, Megan, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1999. Megan, who was pregnant at the time, was working as a customs officer at Sydney Airport in 1999 when she met the emiritus Archbishop.  She was so impressed by Tutu's kind words to her that she has kept in contact with him ever since and is a great supporter of Tygerberg Children's Hospital, of which Tutu is the patron.

Megan says her mother-in-law had spent much of her time in 2012 knitting outfits for the hospital's premature babies.

Kirsten also thanked the many local grandmothers for their generosity towards the hospital and the babies. Between 60 and 70 grandmothers from old age homes and retirement villages in Cape Town regularly knit outfits for premature babies and other children who are treated at the hospital.

"It means a lot to the mothers, and for many grandmothers, it gives them a greater purpose in life," said Kirsten.

The kangaroo care ward is often a haven for mothers whose babies are born prematurely or so small that they need special care.  They are given accommodation in the ward and three meals a day. By carrying their tiny babies between their breasts, the mothers bond with the babies through skin-to-skin contact and help with their needs. Kirsten sees it a win-win situation for the hospital and the mothers.

"The mothers are a great help to us as they look after their babies while they're in the ward. At the same time, they're learning all the time. They learn how to handle their premature babies by bathing them, feeding them and taking them in and out of the incubators if needed. By the time they leave the hospital, the mothers are so confident. It's wonderful to see."

​

CAPTIONS FOR PHOTOGRAPHS

1. Nurse Ncebakazi Gwele with 10-day-old baby, Mnconywa, in her new outfit.
2. Zizipho France of Kraaifontein, whose twin boys were born at just over 700 grams each in November last year, have now more than doubled their weight in the kangaroo care ward. Here Iminathi and Imibongo are wearing their bright new beanies from Australia.

​​​​​The iShack Project is not about using technology to address the needs of the poor. It is about building social capital so that community members can take charge and come up with solutions to their problems.

This in a nutshell was the message of Prof Mark Swilling from the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University (SU) at a recent community of practice meeting organised by SU's Division for Community Interaction.

The aim of these meetings is to share ideas and experiences, increase awareness of activities within the university, provide support, facilitate collaboration across disciplines, strengthen SU's community interaction as a whole and facilitate the creation of new knowledge.

Much has been said about the iShack Project and its contribution to the incremental upgrading of informal housing in Enkanini, an illegal and informal settlement in Kayamandi, a suburb of Stellenbosch. The focus has largely fallen on the technical aspect of this project and the simple yet significant improvements it makes in the living conditions of residents, but Prof Swilling placed extra emphasis on the social impact of the project.

According to him, transdisciplinary research focuses on co-producing knowledge WITH society and not FOR society. He also referred to residents as co-researchers.

"It is easy to think of technical solutions. That is not the challenge in development. The challenge is building on-going capacity of the community to challenge the state to realise its responsibility," he said

According to Prof Swilling, residents should realise that it is possible to collaborate, to work together and to figure out the next step.

"The aim is to make community members say: "We believe it is viable to invest in our community". The problem statement we came up with is a question asked by the community members themselves: How do we improve our lives today?"

He expanded on this by asking what incremental upgrading means to someone living in Enkanini.

"It means WAIT. Wait until the grids arrive and bring water, sanitation, electricity. Research has shown that this can take up to eight years," he said. He added that many people are unwilling to spend money before "development" comes, but they end up waiting for years.

The "i" in iShack stands for "improved", and it entails cost-effective and sustainable modifications to the basic corrugated iron shack. One such modification is a solar panel system that provides enough energy to power a TV, cell phone charger, three indoor lights and one security light.

This in situ upgrading does not eliminate the need for permanent housing, but will hopefully encourage residents to become organised around incremental upgrading.

"This is a difficult concept in a country where the state promises to provide the necessary infrastructure. If there were no promise, people would have to act," Prof Swilling added.

The researchers hope that the community will become a set of active citizens that co-produce knowledge and solutions.

"The research is connected to the social will of the powerless and not the political will of the powerful," Prof Swilling said.

​Photograph: Prof Mark Swilling talks to members of Stellenbosch University's staff who visited Enkanini recently.

​On Tuesday evening (14 May), prospective students from Cape Town's Southern Suburbs got a taste of what to expect should they choose Stellenbosch University (SU) as their academic home next year. About 700 prospective students and their parents attended the Rector's Information Evening on Tuesday held at Islamia College in Rondebosch East, where staff members from various SU faculties and support services were on hand to answer questions about fields of study, entrance requirements, student fees and housing, bursaries and loans.

Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, told parents: "I know that every parent wants what is best for his or her child and it's only natural that you will constantly be thinking, 'Am I doing the right thing?'. I'm here to reassure you, Stellenbosch University is the best choice, for your child and for the 'return' that you will be getting on your investment."

To the prospective students at Tuesday's event, Prof Botman said: "You might be wondering whether Stellenbosch is the place for you. I want to tell you, 'Yes it is!' At Stellenbosch you will get a top education to lay the foundation for a successful career one day and you will get a unique student experience that is simply not available anywhere else." He  assured them that when it comes time to apply for jobs once they've received their degrees, they can do so with confidence. "We provide a degree that can speak for you in your absence, a degree that speaks of quality."

Prof Botman also took the opportunity to highlight some of the University’s successes. "We are number one in Africa on the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities. This ranking is based on an evaluation of universities' web presence. We're also on three other major global rankings - the QS World University Ranking, The Times Higher Education World University Ranking, and the Leiden Ranking. According to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Stellenbosch also has the highest weighted research output per fulltime-equivalent academic staff member of all universities in South Africa."

Prospective students and their parents were told that SU’s undergraduate success rate of 84% is among the highest in South Africa. Nationally only 50% of all students make it to their second year, but SU's first-year throughput rate has for the past six years been on average 87%. “How do we manage this?” Prof Botman asked. "We do this by providing strong academic support. We set the pace among universities with our First-year Academy – it’s a virtual academy, not in a building somewhere – it is in every faculty and department and students are supported by academic staff, tutors, mentors and support staff.”

Prof Botman stressed that the Southern Suburbs area is important to Stellenbosch. "In 2011, 637 former learners of the schools here tonight were studying at Maties. By this year, that number had grown to 680. We feel honoured that the community has placed its trust in Stellenbosch. I believe after tonight we will grow that number even higher for 2014."

He also told them about SU's recent decision to offer all classes also in English. "This will make the University more accessible and allow students greater choice. Being exposed to a broad spectrum of people and ideas prepares you to become a critical global citizen, a thought leader of the 21st century," he said.

Lance van Rooy, the 2012 SU-JIP Matriculant of the Year winner who is currently studying Law at Su, also got the opportunity to tell of his experiences as a Matie. Van Rooy, one of five siblings raised by a single mother under difficult financial circumstances, says the bursaries he received have opened a whole new world for him. "I'm a proud Matie and I feel priviliged. I'm having a blast at my residence (Dagbreek) and the support system has been amazing. I can assure you, Stellenbosch University always goes the extra mile.

"Stellenbosch is a world-class institution, it was my first choice and I hope it will be yours too," he concluded.

• Interested in becoming a Matie? For more information contact the Centre for Prospective Students on tel: +27 21 808 9111, e-mail: info@sun.ac.za or visit the website: http://www.maties.com/under-graduate-prospectus.html.

​​​​This week, Stellenbosch University(SU) joined hands with the greater Stellenbosch community to reach out to the thousands of residents affected by Friday’s fire in Kayamandi. Financial support for the victims was received from alumni as far away as the USA.

The fire spread through Kayamandi in the early hours of 15 March and at least 4000 people lost everything as their homes burnt to the ground.

According to Naweed Mullajie, an administrative officer at MCS, they could fill the Avanza they used at least four times with donated goods.

Collection points were also created at the Danie Craven stadium where supporters, on their way to the Varsity Cup game between FNB Maties and FNB Pukke on Monday, could drop off donations. A total of 15 boxes were taken from there to the fire station.

Student volunteers gathered at the fire station during the week to sort through the donations. A vehicle left the Neelsie parking lot on the hour to transport these students to the fire station and back.

Among the students who were helping there on Tuesday morning, were Erik Thompson and Lars Blomquvist, international students from Norway, as well as Nina Keller, an international student from Germany. She is involved in an outreach project in Kayamandi and more than half of the group of children she is involved with, was affected by the fire. This led to her decision to help out at the fire station. BA students Rebecca Matsie and Kelly Rosekranz also wanted to contribute while Kelsey Smith of the Elizabeth Galloway Fashion Design school and Andrew Maile, an alumnus of SU who lives in Cape Town, found out via Facebook that help was needed. Maile pointed out that a big delivery of Pieke 2012 T-shirts had been received.

Mullajie said the reaction from the University community was very good and that MCS also received a number of calls from people outside Stellenbosch who wanted to help.

Hestea de Wet, resident director of AIFS (American Institute for Foreign Study) at SU’s Post-graduate and International Office reported that approximately R32 000 had been collected in the USA for the fire victims by Tuesday afternoon. More than 1000 American students have visited SU in the past 10 years for a six- or 12-month study period.

“The news of the fire in Kayamandi spread quickly among alumni in the USA. Approximately 90% of all my students work in Kayamandi as part of a project offered by the PGIO and that’s why they have a special bond with the community. Andy Clark, an alumnus of 2008 who studied at Saint Michael’s college in Vermont, quickly created a fund where alumni in the USA could contribute,” De Wet said.

Die CEO of AIFS also contributed $2000 and by Tuesday afternoon the fund stood on R32000. The address is: http://www.gofundme.com/KayamndiFire

People who still want to donate goods can either drop it at MCS or directly at the Disaster Management office at the Stellenbosch fire station. Apart from clothes and food, the victims need basic household goods such as pots and pans, cutlery and bedding.

In the Photo:

Rebecca Matsie, Kelly Rosekranz, Nina Keller, Erik Thompson, Lars Blomquvist, Anne Crosbie, Andrew Maile and Kelsey Smith worked hard on Tuesday to sort through all the donations that were brought to the Stellenbosch Fire Station. Photo: Pia Nänny
On Friday, Maties Community Service (MCS) appealed to staff and students to donate, among other things, food, clothes, bedding, stationery and toiletries and these donations were transported to the Stellenbosch fire station on Tuesday.

​HIV and AIDS education and prevention training through educational theatre among mainly previously disadvantaged communities in the greater Boland area.

In line with its philosophy for its community interaction initiatives to be stronger, continuous and more creative, the Africa Centre developed a fresh approach to HIV and AIDS related education programmes through its educational theatre productions. The aim is to challenge people to examine their attitudes towards all aspects of HIV and AIDS. The Centre believes in giving hope to people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS and in encouraging behaviour change through acquired knowledge. Filled with humour and popular music while providing the essential facts about the disease – especially as research done on farms in the Boland found that HIV-related knowledge levels were alarmingly low – these theatre models have proven to be powerful intervention vehicles. They create general awareness, increase knowledge about HIV and AIDS, promote HIV testing, address safer and responsible sexual and moral behaviour aimed at preventing infection and tackle discrimination and stigma.

Feedback after performances shows that audiences are better informed, more motivated to change their behaviour in regards to safer sex measures such as condomizing, being faithful, and treating people with compassion and respect where HIV and AIDS is concerned. The Africa Centre's educational theatre interventions have been enthusiastically received on farms, and by schools, churches and businesses alike. In two years (October 2010-October 2012) the result of 150 interventions have reached over 33,068 people and has tested over 9,000 people, exceeding its targets by 158%. The Africa Centre is a collaborating centre of UNAIDS, partners with the Presidency of South Africa, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Western Cape Department of Health, the Futures Group, the Health Policy Initiative (USAID), the Signature Trust, Broadway Cares, the Belgian Embassy, Ecumenical Foundation of Strategic Development, @Heart and the New Apostolic Church Cape.

​

Jeffrey Bradetich, an American professor and performer of double bass has been invited to attend the   Stellenbosch  International Chamber Music Festival at the Konservatorium  (5-14 July).  He answers a few questions.

Have you attended the Festival before?

I attended for the first time in 2012, but I have heard a lot about the festival since its inception through colleagues and friends who have participated.

What has impressed you about the Festival and is there anything that one should despair of?

Nothing to despair! Except it is too far to visit Stellenbosch University's Department of Music more than once a year. I am very impressed with the incredibly high standard of the Department and the performances. It is a real treat to collaborate with such fine musicians. I am also extremely impressed with the environment of the Cape Town region. Wow!

Why do you think this Festival is important?

It is vital to bring in so many international stars to share and collaborate with South Africans. It raises all of our appreciation for the challenges that face all of us, regardless of nationality, race or musical training. The festival is also making great headway as an educational resource for the students of this country, drawing them together to learn and to share.

What about this Festival attracts you?

Collaborating with outstanding colleagues and working with South African students on all levels.

Will you be teaching a  master class?

Not this year in the public venue, but I will privately with the bass students.

You are an internationally acclaimed double bassist. What is the most important piece of advice you want to share with young people studying this instrument? 

It is a great time to be a bass player. As the quality of instruction improves, the level and quantity of players increases. With that comes better top level performers that generate more interest and opportunities for the instrument and future players. More composers are writing for us today than ever before and we continue to explore the beautiful sounds and expressions of our instrument. So my advice is: go for it - embrace the challenges and enjoy the experience.

I encourage your readers to experience music in all of its forms; to support live music; and to embrace the uplifting power of the music. 

Alumni of Stellenbosch University (SU) are invited to attend two networking events to be held in Namibia – in Swakopmund on Tuesday 9 July and in Windhoek on Thursday 11 July.

At the event on Tuesday, Prof Tobie de Coning, Chief Director: Strategic Initiatives and Human Resources, will address alumni on the University's Vision 2013, while Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, will also be addressing alumni on the new vision in Windhoek on Thursday.

Both events are held from 18: 30 to 21: 00 – in Swakopmund at the Swakopmund Hotel and in Windhoek in the Windhoek Country Club.

The SU Alumni Relations Office invites all SU alumni to take part in the discussions on how the University plans to stay relevant in the 21^st century. The events will also serve as a valuable networking opportunity for alumni to interact with one another.

Mr Fahim Docrat, SU Alumni Relations Manager, says: "Our alumni are found all over the world and Namibia is no exception. We are expecting attendees from all sectors and based on their professional profiles they have certainly done us proud. With this event we are thanking our alumni for making Stellenbosch University their academic home. We are also looking to increase our presence in Namibia and these event forms part of an institution wide strategy to partner with our alumni even better."

He added that SU is experiencing exciting times and that the University has invested heavily in its commitment to maintaining its standing as a centre of academic excellence."

• Liaise with Fahim Docrat at tel +27 21 808 2948, cell +27 76227 6724, fahim@sun.ac.za for more information or visit the alumni website at alumni.sun.ac.za

​The Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF) is in full swing at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Music Department.

On Friday night (5 July), the 10^th SICMF kicked off with a concert and book launch. On Saturday night (6 July), the SU Conservatoire inaugurated its new C7X Yahama grand piano as part of the festival.

More than 300 South African music students are currently in Stellenbosch for coaching and master classes by a faculty of 19 overseas and eight local musicians, who also perform in the SICMF's series of ten evening concerts in the Endler Hall.

The festival was started in 2004 by Prof Nina Schumann and her husband, Dr Luis Magalhães – both concert pianists and piano lectures at SU. Since then the festival has grown to become the largest of its kind in Africa.

A coffee table book that sketches the development of the festival since its inception was launched on Friday at the SICMF's opening event at the Conservatoire. The book, titled Celebrating 10 Years, contains photographs of the past ten festivals, as well as essays by musicians, sponsors and staff who were involved in the festival over the years.

Adriaan Fuchs, who worked at the festival from 2004 to 2007, is editor of the book.

At the launch, Schumann and Magalhães told the audience of the early years, after which the current faculty members also shared their memories of past festivals.

The SICMF's opening concert began with the South African premiere of Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera's Concerto for Strings, Op. 33. Then Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony no. 1 in D major was played, followed by a cheerful rendition of Peter Heidrich's Happy Birthday Variations.

Ten chocolate cakes with candles were brought onto the stage.

New piano for Fismer Hall

On Saturday night, the Conservatoire's new C7X Yahama grand piano was inaugurated. This piano was purchased specifically for the Conservatoire's smaller concert hall, the Fismer Hall.

Magalhães was instrumental in the negotiations for the piano, and as a result of the Music Department's good relationship with Yahama in Japan he negotiated a partial sponsorship to purchase the piano.

"The Fismer Hall's current Steinway grand piano is acoustically too big for the space and should be serviced. Students use the piano almost daily to practice for their performance examinations and concerts, and we therefore needed a strong piano that can handle all the hard work – the C7X Yamaha was the best choice," says Magalhães.

This piano is a new Yamaha model and is the first in this series to be sold in South Africa. It is smaller than the Steinway and therefore more suitable for the Fismer's small stage.

"The C7X is extremely well-built and is mechanically resilient enough for daily use, but it also has great sound quality that is world-class. Because of our good relationship with Yahama we were able to acquire this exceptional piano at a fraction of the cost. We also have the music store Musikhaus W. Heuer to thank, as well as Prof Johan Hattingh (Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)," Magalhães says.

Yamaha already has an established relationship with SU's Department of Music, especially after the Conservatoire purchased a total of 20 new pianos from them in 2011 for the practice rooms.

According to Magalhães the Music Department plans to acquire a Yahama grand piano, the C7X's "big brother", in the near future for the Endler Hall.

"The Endler Hall presents concerts by world-class musicians and we want to establish it as the best concert hall in Africa. In order to do this, we must be able to give pianists a choice of piano models, as elsewhere in the prestigious concert halls of the world. We cannot only offer world-class musicians our current two Bösendorfer grand pianos," adds Magalhães.

On Saturday, the Italian-American pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi, distinguished professor of piano at the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music and a member of the SICMF faculty, was the first to perform on the new Yamaha in a concert.

Prof Winfried Lüdemann, Chairman of the Music Department and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, said at the inauguration that the Conservatoire is fortunate to have this new piano.

"It shows the importance of our partnership with Yamaha, which is of great benefit to our students and to music in Stellenbosch and our region," said Lüdemann.

• The SIKMF runs until Sunday, 14 July. The full programme is available at www.sicmf.co.za and tickets are available from Webtickets (www.webtickets.co.za). Call 021 808 2343 for more information.

​Two leading international scientists in the field of nanostructure materials and polymer sciences at Stellenbosch University have received the highest possible accolades from the South African Chemical Institute.

Prof Bert Klumperman, who specialises in living radical polymerisation and advanced macromolecular architectures, was awarded the Gold Medal of the South African Chemical Institute (SACI) for his "exceptional contributions" to the field. SACI's Gold Medal is regarded as the highest recognition for research excellence and research contributions afforded by the South African chemical fraternity.

Prof Klumperman, who holds the NRF/DST South African Research Chair on Advanced Macromolecular Architectures, has a research group of about 20 post-graduate students and post-doctoral researchers who largely focus on polymers for biomedical applications.

Prof Len Barbour was awarded the SASOL Chemistry Innovator of the Year Medal for "outstandingly innovative scientific contributions in the field of chemistry and chemical technology". Prof Barbour's research field is functional nanostructured materials, where he studies the response of new materials – specifically crystals – to external factors such as heat, light or pressure.

Both Prof Klumperman and Prof Barbour are part of the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Sciences at SU. This is also the only department in the country that offers a postgraduate qualification in polymer sciences.

From SU's Department of Biochemistry, Prof Erick Strauss was awarded SACI's Raikes Medal. The award is made to a young scientist whose research in the field of chemistry shows outstanding promise. Prof Strauss's research group is interested in developing new inhibitors of bacterial enzymes with the ultimate goal of discovering new antibiotics.

Continuing the drum roll, two postgraduate students from SU were recognised by SACI for their achievements. Ms Helene Wahl was one of four students in the country to receive the Sasol Postgraduate Medal for research that is "innovative, independent and enterprising". Ms Nicola Steyn received the James Moir Medal for the best BSc Honours student in chemistry at Stellenbosch University.

The winners were announced after SACI's council meeting this month. The awards will be handed over at one of SACI's events later this year.  Established in 1912, SACI works towards the advancement of science and practice of chemistry in South Africa.

Technical enquiries

Prof Bert Klumperman

Tel: 021 808-3988 (only until 26 July 2013)

E-mail: bklump@sun.ac.za

Prof Len Barbour

Tel: 021 808-3335

E-mail: ljb@sun.ac.za

Prof Erick Strauss

Tel: 021 808-5866

E-mail: estrauss@sun.ac.za

Released by Wiida Fourie-Basson, media: Faculty of Science, science@sun.ac.za, 021 808 2684 or 071 099 5721

​​​South Africa through the African Doctoral Academy at Stellenbosch University has been invited by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development's Global Science Forum to prepare a submission to be presented to the Global Science Forum meeting in Japan during October.

This follows an extremely successful OECD Global Science Forum workshop International Research Collaboration in the Areas of Climate Change and Biodiversity which was co-hosted at SU by ADA in May.

The October Forum will focus on capacity development in context to the African Diaspora – specifically the brain drain and brain exchange implications and research collaboration and global migration.

"The Japanese Government recently re-emphasised their focus to strengthen and enhance human capacity development on the African continent through the University of Tokyo," says Prof Frans Swanepoel, Deputy Director of ADA. "An example of this is the well-established and influential Education for Sustainable Development (ESDA) initiative to develop a postgraduate-level education programme for professionals to be engaged in sustainable development in Africa, in partnership with a number of African Universities."

According to Swanepoel up to 40% of African academics and scholars are currently in Diaspora (they. live and work outside the African).

"These people can play a significant role in assisting with the development of Africa's next generation academics (capacity building), by returning to the continent, or be engaged on a part-time basis."

 Some critics argue that the rich countries are 'robbing' Africa from its brains (i.e. intellectual capacity that are drawn abroad and stay there), whereas the rich countries argue that they provide an opportunity for brain exchange and international exposure. This has direct implications for future planning of international research collaboration and global intellectual migration. This effect of internationalisation (among others) easily overlooks the human aspect of migration and exchange, which is, as illustrated, uneven globally (many leave and do not return).

According to Swanepoel it is not only important for ADA,  but also for Stellenbosch University to be involved in the OECD.

"The mission of the OECD is to promote policies that will promote the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Being involved with the OECD provided the University with an opportunity to influence and direct these policies, specifically focusing on human resource and human capacity development – this is also the mission of the ADA."

In addition the OECD has an internationally-renowned programme on research and knowledge management, which is directly aligned with the work of the Centre for Research on Evaluation Science and Technology (CREST).

For the May workshop ADA partnered with University of Tokyo, the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation. The workshop was attended by 50 delegates from the African continent, including Dr Monty Jones, FARA and World Food Prize Laureate, Ghana; and Prof Hamid El-Zoheiry, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, Egypt. Participants from northern countries, included Prof Alice Pell, Cornell University, Dr DeAndra Beck, National Science Foundation (NSF), and Dr Cameron Bess, USAID from the USA; Prof Kazuhiko Takeuchi, University of Tokyo; and Prof Heinz Gutscher, Swiss Academy of Sciences, Switzerland.

"The May workshop investigated international research collaboration between developed and developing countries. A follow-up activity supported by the OECD will further strengthen and enhance collaboration between these two universities, which will help to position Stellenbosch University to play a central role in the Japanese and in particular the University of Tokyo's capacity development initiatives on the African continent," says Swanepoel.

The University of Tokyo is ranked number one in Asia and 27^th in the world, by recently-released Times Higher Education World University Rankings.  

This year marks the 10th Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF).

For this event (5-14 July), more than 300 participants and 27 national and international artists will be welcomed at the Music Department for concerts, workshops and lectures.            

"This festival attracts participants younger than 28 years from all over the world, who come together to make music – they will be playing in two orchestras, as well as in smaller chamber music groups," explains Prof Nina Schumann, Artistic Director of the Festival. Schumann is an internationally renowned pianist who teaches at the Stellenbosch University Konservatorium.

"Participants will be taught by some of the world's leading musicians and are also given the opportunity to perform on stage. The Chamber Music Festival offers the participants incredible exposure – every year we invite groups from diverse communities and institutions to participate. Some of the musicians are reached through outreach groups, while others are linked to national as well as international universities."

Among those on this year's programme are the KwaZulu-Natal Youth Orchestra, and groups from the University of Cape Town, the SUNY Purchase College of Music (America), Basel (Switzerland) and Salzburg (Austria).

"The festival is important not only for the quality of concerts that are presented, but also for the incredibly high level of tuition that the students receive," says Schumann.

The festival was held for the first time in July 2004. Now, to celebrate its tenth year of existence, a commemorative book that maps the history of the festival through reviews and photos, among others, will be released and a number of 10 x 10 bursaries will be awarded. The bursaries entail that ten students are offered the opportunity to spend ten days with one of the international professional musicians who are attending the festival.

"We are also privileged to have Desmond Tutu act as narrator in one of the concerts."

As many as 10 000 people come to Stellenbosch every year to enjoy the musical feast. Special access tickets offer festivalgoers access to all the concerts, master classes and lectures.

"There have been many highlights," says Schumann. "But I definitely will never forget the logistical problems in 2010, when our concerts coincided with the Fifa Soccer World Cup tournament. Tutu's visit definitely will be one of the highlights for many years to come. And this year's opening evening will also be special, because that is when the book is being released." 

Gerrit "Mot" van der Merwe is the recipient of the HORTGRO ^Science Award as the best final year student in Horticultural Science at Stellenbosch University. He received the award at the recent HORTGRO ^Science Technical Symposium, where the latest research news in the horticultural industry was shared. Van der Merwe was also one of the presenters during a morning session on the role that mechanisation can play in ensuring efficient farming practices.

Van der Merwe, who hails from a fruit farm in the Koue Bokkeveld near Ceres, is furthering his studies and working towards his MScAgric in Horticultural Science. He is investigating whether the use of platforms and harvest systems under South African conditions can make farming practices more efficient, and how they are helping to create better working conditions for workers.

His project is funded by HORTGRO ^Science  and is done under guidance of staff members Willie Kotze and Dr Wiehann Steyn in orchards in the Witzenberg Valley, the Koue Bokkeveld, Worcester and Grabouw. Prof. Karen Theron of the SU Department of Horticultural Science and Dr Jan Lombard of the SU Department of Agricultural Economy are his study leaders.

"The platforms and harvest systems have not yet been tested in an ideal orchard which sports a uniformity of yield and tree size, and therefore we do not yet know what the full potential is," van der Merwe cautioned. However, his preliminary data indicates that conventional harvesting teams in South Africa can achieve the same productivity levels as with mechanised harvesting in South Tyrol.

Platforms worked best for small jobs that normally require workers to frequently move their ladders. The summer pruning of nectarines saw the biggest jump in productivity, with an increase of up to 300%. The harvesting of plums trained to a fruiting wall was in one study done 40% faster with a single level platform.

Van der Merwe says the use of the conveyor type harvesting systems in less than ideal orchards generally limits the movement and potential of pickers, with a much slower picking action noted compared to conventional picking. It is difficult for workers to adapt to different conditions within an orchard, such as the uneven spacing of fruit on a tree. Productivity is hampered when fruit is picked two at a time and placed on the conveyor belt. Therefore the use of equipment that allows workers to fully use their skills should rather be considered.

According to van der Merwe, many orchards are not yet suitable for the full-scale use of platforms or harvesting systems. Effort needs to be put in before certain tasks in an orchard can be mechanised.

The use of harvesting system generally did not decrease injuries to fruit. A decrease in stem injuries in pears was the only notable exception. Van der Merwe believes that further innovation in the design of especially bin filling systems is needed, as this seems to be where most of the bruising occurs on more sensitive cultivars. 

In her presentation, the chair of the SU Department of Horticultural Science, Prof. Karen Theron, noted that the Darwin mechanical thinner can do the job up to 50% faster in plum and nectarine orchards than when thinning is done by hand. The findings are based on studies conducted by MScAgric student Gielie de Villiers.

Mechanical thinning had no negative effect on fruit appearance or tree health. "It is however not as selective as hand thinning," Prof. Theron added.

Prof. Theron advised that orchards should be well prepared and free of overhead obstacles to ensure the optimal and hassle-free use of thinning machinery. The correct tractor speed and rotor speed per cultivar can prevent overthinning and yield reduction.

Other SU researchers who also presented their findings at the HORTGRO ^Science  Technical Symposium included Prof Nick Vink, chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics, and Dr Cheryl Lennox of the Department of Plant Pathology. Prof Vink focused on the history and impact of increased wages in the fruit industry, while Dr Lennox highlighted ways in which infections and rotting of appls and pears being stored for extended periods can be minimised.

Photo:
Gerrit van der Merwe received the HORTGRO ^Science Award from Grant Smuts, chair of HORTGRO ^Science, and Prof Karen Theron, chair of the Department of Horticultural Science at Stellenbosch University. Photo: Engela Duvenage​

​Three researchers  ̶  an engineer, an entomologist, and an expert in the field of bio-energy  ̶ at Stellenbosch University (SU) are among the finalists in the prestigious 2012/13 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) and BHP Billiton Awards held annually to celebrate outstanding contributions to Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) in South Africa.

The winners will be announced on Thursday, June 27 at a gala event at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park where Mr Derek Hanekom, Minister of Science and Technology, and official Patron of the NSTF Awards, will be presenting the awards.

According to the organizers of the award ceremony, it is an exceptional honour to be a finalist, given the quality of the nominees and the fact that they all have made outstanding contributions to SETI, thereby qualifying to be a winner.

Prof Hanno Reuter of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and his team have been nominated in the category for a team or an individual's outstanding contribution to SETI through research leading to innovation in corporate institutions; small, medium or micro enterprises; and non-governmental, community-based or non-profit organizations.

Reuter and his team came up with a new cooling and water distribution system for improved power generation (fossil, nuclear and solar). They developed technology that increases efficiency at power plants and reduces life cycle and operational costs.

Also among the finalists, is Dr John Terblanche, senior lecturer in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, who received a nomination for a TW Kambule Award in the category for emerging researchers for his outstanding work on insect responses to climate change.

Through his research, Terblanche provides valuable information to policy makers and managers to better predict and control changes in insects that transmit diseases to people and destroy crops. His work also contributes to improving the lives of millions of people across Africa.

Prof Emile van Zyl of the Department of Microbiology has been nominated in the category for outstanding contribution by a researcher to SETI in the development of research capacity over the last five to 10 years.

Van Zyl is recognised internationally for his work in Yeast Biotechnology. In 2007, he was awarded the National Department of Science and Technology's Senior Chair of Energy Research (Biofuels). In addition, more than 70 masters and doctoral students obtained their degrees under his direct supervision and co-supervision. Van Zyl also played a strategic role in setting up a bio-energy policy and framework for Africa in collaboration with NEPAD and the African Union.

• Prof Dan Stein, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cape Town has been nominated in the category for outstanding contribution by an individual to SETI over a lifetime. He is also the Director of the Unit for Anxiety Disorders at the SU.

Visit www.nstfawards.org.za for more information.

​At an event dedicated to former president Nelson Mandela Stellenbosch University and SuperSport United Football Club launched a partnership to grow football in the Stellenbosch region.

"This partnership is designed to change lives through soccer," Stellenbosch University Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Russel Botman said at the launch on Wednesday (10 July 2013).

"I would like to dedicate today to Madiba, who demonstrated that sport can unite people."

The event was attended by, amongst others, representatives of Stellenbosch University, SuperSport United (management and players), the Centre for Human Performance Sciences at Stellenbosch University, Maties Sport, the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and young football players attending a holiday programme at Stellenbosch University.

The new partnership allows the University to extend its existing football footprint and deploy its sporting expertise to develop football at community level.

"The strengthening of football at Stellenbosch University is in line with our vision of deploying sport as a strategic asset in a wider context – it also helps the University to become more involved in communities. 

"The Stellenbosch University Football Programme aims to elevate the skills, expertise and prestige of the Maties First Football team and simultaneously to invest in the development of football skills at grassroots level in communities in and around Stellenbosch. In doing so, we want to see social progress," Prof Botman said.

"Maties has a proud sporting heritage and we are turning our attention to soccer in a focused way. Maties Sport will lead us in this initiative, together with InnovUS, the technology transfer company of Stellenbosch University. Congratulations to everyone who put together this initiative and in particular, I want to thank SuperSport United for partnering with us."

SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews said the partnership speaks volumes.

"Our team's nickname is Matsatsantsa, meaning 'Trendsetters'. We pride ourselves on taking the lead, and we are proud to be partnering with a fantastic brand such as Stellenbosch University.

"The Western Cape has been a great source of talent for football in South Africa and a leading region in the composition of our Youth Academy, the most successful football academy in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) over the past decade.

"This partnership gives us a permanent foothold in this thriving football region. It allows us to phase young footballers into our academy over time. And it combines world-class football and sports-science facilities with top education. That's a value chain we are delighted to be part of and that will, no doubt, produce players that the PSL and South Africa will be proud of."

According to Ms Anita Nel, Senior Director for Innovation and Business Development at Stellenbosch University, one of the aims of the Stellenbosch University Football Programme is to groom the Maties First Football team into a first-class outfit. This will be achieved by means of top-notch administration, team restructuring, improved talent identification and recruitment, investment in coach education and full-time scientific support.

SuperSport United will visit Stellenbosch for part of their pre-season preparations. Training in Stellenbosch is fast becoming a winning recipe, given the town's excellent infrastructure, which includes training facilities, accommodation, sports science institutes and stadiums for friendly matches.

Stellenbosch University has a reputation for excellence in sport, which serves to attract sportsmen and women from diverse backgrounds. The University's sport-related units – the Department of Sport Science, the Centre for Human Performance Sciences and Maties Sport – collaborate to achieve sport-related objectives.

A digital game developed by a Stellenbosch University student has been licensed to InnoVartis Technology Systems, and will soon be available on the web, as well as the iOS, Android and BlackBerry 10 platforms. The licensing agreement was made possible by the efforts of InnovUS, the University's technology transfer office.

MRBRB is a digital version of Morabaraba, a traditional cow herder's game played in the rural areas of southern Africa. In the game, each player has 12 playing pieces (or 'cows') which must be arranged on a board to form groups of three (known as 'mills'). Once a player has formed a mill, they are able to take an opponent's cows.

Ex Matie student Tsitso Tlali grew up playing Morabaraba in the hills of Lesotho. He developed the game while studying towards his Applied Mathematics degree at Stellenbosch University and subsequently approached InnovUS for assistance with commercialising the game. 

"We immediately saw the potential in Tsitso's idea and offered to help 'incubate' his idea by providing office space, legal and business mentoring, as well as funding," says InnovUS business developer, Saberi Marais.

After a short incubation period, MRBRB was successfully licensed to InnoVartis, a technology company founded by technology entrepreneur Yongama Skweyiya, who is also a former InnovUS staff member. The licensing agreement was concluded in late April this year. 

"InnovUS was responsible for managing the licensing process and handling the negotiations with InnoVartis on behalf of Tsitso and the University," says Saberi. "The process was aided by the parties' common goal and understanding regarding the outstanding development of the technology and the commercial outcomes that we wanted to achieve."

MRBRB now falls under uBi Gaming, InnoVartis' gaming division which is dedicated to the development of digital forms of traditional African games. As part of the licensing agreement, Tsitso was offered a permanent position at uBi Gaming, where he now leads the development of all the games within this portfolio.

"InnovUS is extremely proud that another one of our entrepreneurs has achieved success at such a young age. As a University, we have world class entrepreneurs and researchers who produce intellectual property of the highest standard. By concluding research contracts and licensing agreements to protect this intellectual property, we are able to work closely with some of the brightest minds in South Africa. It is truly a privilege to work with our entrepreneurs and researchers," says Anita Nel, CEO of InnovUS.

MRBRB is currently at the public testing phase in a web app format and had registered over 500 plays by the end of April 2013, says Tsitso. The mobile version of the game is due out by the end of the year. "I was fortunate enough to be selected by web FWD to develop using their new HTML 5 technologies, which I am using to build the gross MRBRB platform for iOS, Android, BB10 and Mozilla Firefox OS," he adds.

The aim is to eventually commercialise MRBRB. "The team at InnoVartis has been marketing MRBRB to games publishers around the world. In April, they visited London to promote the game to high profile publishing platforms like Zynga," says Tsitso.

One thing is sure – MRBRB has come a long way from Tsitso Tlali's days as a third-year applied mathematics student at Stellenbosch. "InnovUS has been incredibly helpful to me. They provided the foundation I needed to get my idea off the ground and to eventually successfully license it to a leading South African technology company," he concludes.

"I cannot wait to become a Matie."

This was the comment from Mikhaila Coerecius from Oudtshoorn High School after a week filled with activities to introduce her and 29 other prospective students, provisionally accepted in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University, to campus life.

During the Arts and Social Sciences Winter Week (2-5 July) 30 top achievers from mostly the Western Cape, with some learners from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape attended information sessions presented by the Departments of History, Psychology, Law, Political Science, English, Modern Foreign Languages, Sociology and Education.

They also participated in a creative/lateral thinking workshop presented by the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Leadership Institute (Lloyd Blake) and had the opportunity to speak to Helene Prinsloo, editor at Naledi Publishing House.

The group was taken off campus for a day of excitement including an interactive visit to the Democratic Alliance's national office, a visit to Seventeen magazine's offices, as well as a visit to the Young Blood Arts and Cultural Development Centre where they were welcomed by Marie Vogts, an SU Alumna, and treated to lunch. The matrics were taken on a guided tour of the gallery and heard Iranian artist Neda Tavallaee speak about her works on exhibition.

"The Winter Week is aimed at helping learners understand that there is indeed a future for those studying in the Arts and Social Sciences fields," says Ms Lovelyn Nwadeyi, organiser of the Winter Week and CPS Advisor. "There are good career prospects for those graduating with a BA/BEd or LLB degree."

On the final day of their visit (Friday 5 July), all the learners were awarded recruitment bursaries at a special awards and closing ceremony at Den Bosch Learning and Teaching Centre. This was kept a surprise until the last moment. The learners were also offered a place in residence.  These bursaries are for the full duration (up to a maximum of four years), of their undergraduate studies.

The last word goes to a learner, Michaila Paulse: "This week was an unforgettable experience filled with laughter and many memories."

The learners who attended the Winter Week are: Lauren Hattingh, Lerissa Rooplalm Tshidi Green, Siphokazi Mbatani, tasneem padayachee, Prenola Naaidoo, Arlence Combrinck, Heidi Kroukamp, Keneatha Wanza, Micaela Paulse, Cody Cloete, Siyasanga Jonas, Lemeeze Davids, Nomxolisi Masango, Robyn Malan, Lorenzo van Wyk, Arno Schwarz, Ayesha Williams, Gretchen Jansen, Gabisile Shabangu, Izack Julies, Jenay Abrahams, Michaila Coerecius, Sikhulekile Duma, Lauren Jimmy and Leila Mansoor.

Photo: Justin Alberts

Ilse Feinauer of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch at Stellenbosch University has been promoted to full professor with effect from 1 July.

She is the first woman at Stellenbosch University to receive this title in Afrikaans Linguistics, although there are a number of female professors in the Afrikaans Literature section.

"I suspect it is because, in the past, women of my age were more interested in studying literature than linguistics, and students who were more linguistically orientated often preferred to work outside of academia," says Feinauer, who started teaching in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch in 1982 and was Chairperson of the Department from 2005 to 2008. "I have always had an intense interest in linguistics and, while my fellow students moved to literature, I remained with linguistics."

According to Feinauer, however, there are increasing numbers of women who are studying linguistics.

"It is as if the younger generation is less afraid of the scientific nature of linguistics," she says.

Feinauer did her master's degree under the late Prof Johan Combrink, looking at the linguistic behaviour of swearwords in Afrikaans ("Die taalkundige gedrag van vloekwoorde in Afrikaans").

"I am still notorious for that research," she laughs. "If the media want to know something about swearing, they phone me. Because I worked so closely with swearwords, the words lost their taboo value for me. As a result I often don't watch what I say. My dissertation for my PhD under Prof Fritz Ponelis was much more edifying and dealt with word order in Afrikaans."

Over the years, Feinauer has increasingly moved into the world of translation and has established herself firmly in the international realm of translation. Within the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch she is the co-ordinator of the postgraduate translation programmes.

"One of the greatest benefits of my work is that I can attend international conferences and make a contribution to the academic field of translation all over the world. It also is a privilege to be able to work with international postgraduate students, particularly as external examiner or supervisor."

Under her leadership the Postgraduate Diploma in Translation, which was introduced by Combrink in the 1980s, was extended to a master's degree in translation in 2000 and since 2002 and it has been possible to obtain a PhD in translation.  

When asked why translations are still necessary, Feinauer answered by way of a few counter-questions: "How many people would have been able to read the Bible or fairy tales if they were not translated? How many people would have been aware of the writing of authors such as Marlene van Niekerk or Ingrid Winterbach if it had not been translated? Just look at what one can achieve on behalf of South Africa, Afrikaans and South African and Afrikaans culture by way of literary translations of these writers' works. Translations open your world – in the literary and technical fields. I cannot imagine my life without translations. At Stellenbosch it is the translation programmes in particular that contribute to promoting Afrikaans in a multilingual environment, because in addition to Afrikaans, English and the official African languages, students can also choose French, German and Chinese as language options."

Feinauer believes that there still is a lot of space for students to be trained in Afrikaans linguistics and/or Afrikaans translation.

"Students are still studying to become Afrikaans teachers, they still need to be able to write in Afrikaans. There also are many opportunities for Afrikaans journalists and for people who want to work in entertainment or the arts, including in TV, the performing arts and radio. As far as translation is concerned, people can still make a living working as Afrikaans/English/Afrikaans translators. The fact that student numbers in our Department – both undergraduate and postgraduate – have remained stable for the past ten years shows me that there still is a big need for Afrikaans."

​Stellenbosch University's (SU) Department of Music dedicated Tuesday night's concert of the International Chamber Music Festival to Salmoné Jansen van Vuuren, who died tragically in a car crash in Bellville on Sunday night (7 July).

The concert, a performance of the moving Requiem. 60 D. Popper for three cellos and piano, was part of the 10th International Chamber Music Festival currently taking place at the SU.

Salmoné (19) matriculated at Bellville High School last year. According to a report in Die Burger, the accident happened at 23:00 in La Belle Road near the junction with the Old Paarl Road. Jansen van Vuuren and a friend, Liezel van der Berg, 20, were both killed in the accident.

Prof Winfried Lüdemann, department head, said they have learned of Ms Jansen van Vuuren's death with shock and sadness. "She was a student in the Department's Certificate Program and a very valued member of the SU Jazz Vocal Ensemble.

"The Department would like to express its condolences with the family and friends of the deceased."

A funeral service for Ms Jansen van Vuuren took place on Friday.