Two computer science students who graduated on Monday morning at Stellenbosch University's (SU) first March 2016 graduation ceremony, demonstrate how SU is realising its strategic goals to be inclusive, innovative and forward-thinking.
Willem Venter, a visually-impaired student, received his master's degree in computer science, while Hanno Schreiber as part of his final-year honours project, developed software for the first electronic sign language dictionary.
The two were among 625 students from the Faculties of AgriSciences, Science, Engineering and Theology who received their well-earned degrees at the first of five March graduation ceremonies.
In his time at Maties, Willem sang in the SU choir and played goalball for Maties as well as at a provincial level.
Schreiber, in turn, teamed up with the dictionary expert, Dr Hanelle Fourie Blair, to give shape to the first theoretical model of an electronic sing language dictionary for foundation phase learners which she developed for her doctoral thesis in lexicography in 2014.
The multimedia electronic dictionary functions without the principle of a specific source language or target language. In other words, users can search the dictionary by means of a picture, a sign or a word – each search method will lead to exactly the same result. The picture search method also implies that the user does not have to be literate in sign or written language to be able to use the dictionary. Click here to read more about this project.
(Complete Afrikaans to follow soon)
Prof Wim de Villiers het Willem en Hanno gelukgewens en bygevoeg: "Om meer inklusief te word deur toegang tot die Universiteit te verbreed is een van die US se strategiese doelwitte. Gestremdheid is deel hiervan, en ook van ons ander doelwitte – wat is om meer innoverend te wees deur uitnemendheid, en om meer toekomsgerig te wees deur 'n groter impak op die samelewing te maak. Willem het vandag vir ons gewys dat gestremdheid nie 'n struikelblok vir akademiese uitnemendheid hoef te wees nie, en Hanno demonstreer hoe ons deur navorsing en innovasie die samelewing se behoeftes help aanspreek. Ons is baie trots op julle."
Ook onder die graduandi was Busi Mahlobo, Sakeus Kafula, Tshepo Morokong and Zander Venter, almal deel van die eerste groep studente in Suid-Afrika om die graad MSc in Volhoubare Landbou te behaal. In Desember 2015, het Tawanda Marandure die voortou geneem deur die eerste student te word om hierdie graad te behaal.
Die studente het almal in 2014 ingeskryf toe die MSc-program in Volhoubare Landbou van stapel gestuur is. Dit is ʼn inisiatief tussen die Fakulteit Agriwetenskappe aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, Wageningen Universiteit Navorsing in Nederland, en Conservation South Africa. Lees meer oor die program hier.
