Latest News Archive
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News Items
| 2021-07-29 |
Dr Russell Ally appointed as UFS Senior Director: Institutional Advancement |
| 2021-07-29 |
Dr Russell Ally appointed as UFS Senior Director: Institutional Advancement |
| 2021-07-27 |
Violent events will continue to take place if poverty is not eradicated as a matter of urgency |
| 2021-07-27 |
Violent events will continue to take place if poverty is not eradicated as a matter of urgency |
| 2021-07-27 |
Unique X-ray system gives Department of Physics a competitive advantage |
| 2021-07-27 |
Unique X-ray system gives Department of Physics a competitive advantage |
| 2021-07-26 |
Everything you need to know about the 2021 Student Affairs Week |
| 2021-07-26 |
Everything you need to know about the 2021 Student Affairs Week |
| 2021-07-26 |
ARU pioneering mountain range-expanding project |
| 2021-07-26 |
ARU pioneering mountain range-expanding project |
| 2021-07-22 |
Kovsie alumni competes on sport’s biggest stage |
| 2021-07-22 |
Kovsie alumni competes on sport’s biggest stage |
| 2021-07-21 |
The historic context of the current riots and violence |
| 2021-07-21 |
The historic context of the current riots and violence |
| 2021-07-21 |
Building an economy, building hope |
| 2021-07-21 |
Building an economy, building hope |
| 2021-07-22 |
2020 UFS Annual Report |
| 2021-07-22 |
2020 UFS Annual Report |
| 2021-07-21 |
Book discussion: Helen Zille’s new book on South Africa’s woke culture |
| 2021-07-21 |
Book discussion: Helen Zille’s new book on South Africa’s woke culture |
| 2021-07-20 |
Prof Ivan Turok participates in Le Monde video report on city inequalities |
| 2021-07-20 |
Prof Ivan Turok participates in Le Monde video report on city inequalities |
| 2021-07-20 |
UFS Institute for Groundwater Studies earns national accreditation |
| 2021-07-20 |
UFS Institute for Groundwater Studies earns national accreditation |
| 2021-07-19 |
2021 Mandela Day Fitness Challenge |
| 2021-07-19 |
2021 Mandela Day Fitness Challenge |
| 2021-07-19 |
Welcome to Aurora, a new era of sensitivity |
| 2021-07-19 |
Welcome to Aurora, a new era of sensitivity |
| 2021-07-19 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela appointed as UFS Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact |
| 2021-07-19 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela appointed as UFS Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact |
| 2021-07-16 |
The UFS Food gardening project: a sustainable solution to food insecurity |
| 2021-07-16 |
The UFS Food gardening project: a sustainable solution to food insecurity |
| 2021-07-16 |
Mandela Day, it is about giving back |
| 2021-07-16 |
Mandela Day, it is about giving back |
| 2021-07-16 |
Gift of the Givers nutrition packs ensuring that no student goes hungry during lockdown |
| 2021-07-16 |
Gift of the Givers nutrition packs ensuring that no student goes hungry during lockdown |
| 2021-07-16 |
UFS partners in programme that promotes internationalisation and virtual exchanges |
| 2021-07-16 |
UFS partners in programme that promotes internationalisation and virtual exchanges |
| 2021-07-15 |
Are you the next 3MT South Africa winner? |
| 2021-07-15 |
Are you the next 3MT South Africa winner? |
| 2021-07-13 |
Human Rights Violations in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini |
| 2021-07-13 |
Human Rights Violations in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini |
| 2021-07-13 |
South African Doping Control Laboratory gets major financial boost to upgrade world-class service |
| 2021-07-13 |
South African Doping Control Laboratory gets major financial boost to upgrade world-class service |
| 2021-07-09 |
School of Accountancy graduates achieve exceptional results in SAICA ITC professional exams |
| 2021-07-09 |
School of Accountancy graduates achieve exceptional results in SAICA ITC professional exams |
| 2021-07-09 |
Global citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goals |
| 2021-07-09 |
Global citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goals |
| 2021-07-09 |
Kovsie athletes elected to prominent administrative roles |
| 2021-07-09 |
Kovsie athletes elected to prominent administrative roles |
| 2021-07-08 |
Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld wants UFS Drama to shine again |
| 2021-07-08 |
Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld wants UFS Drama to shine again |
| 2021-07-06 |
The Nkandla drama: From tea parties to threats to constitutionalism |
| 2021-07-06 |
The Nkandla drama: From tea parties to threats to constitutionalism |
| 2021-07-06 |
Mutshidzi Mulondo among Mail & Guardian’s influential young South Africans |
| 2021-07-06 |
Mutshidzi Mulondo among Mail & Guardian’s influential young South Africans |
| 2021-07-05 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
| 2021-07-05 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
| 2021-07-05 |
Voices from the Free State podcast episode six – featuring Karla Pretorius |
| 2021-07-05 |
Voices from the Free State podcast episode six – featuring Karla Pretorius |
| 2021-07-01 |
Local government elections: Don’t expect any real change with new local government |
| 2021-07-01 |
Local government elections: Don’t expect any real change with new local government |
| 2021-07-01 |
Beacon of hope flares the 45th Youth Day anniversary celebration |
| 2021-07-01 |
Beacon of hope flares the 45th Youth Day anniversary celebration |
Department celebrates 50th anniversary
2009-03-25
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The first Departmental Head and the subsequent Departmental Chairpersons at the dinner on 14 March this year. From left: Proff Bernard Prior (1991-1998), Piet Lategan (1962-1990), Derek Litthauer (1998-2002) and James du Preez (2002-). These are all the Heads/Chairpersons of the Department since its founding in 1959, with the exception of Prof Hans Potgieter who acted as Head during 1959-1962.
Photo: Stephen Collett
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Department celebrates 50th anniversary
On 13 March the Department Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State (UFS) celebrated its 50th anniversary in a splendid fashion with a lecture entitled, The origin of life: Exactly how did life begin? as part of the Darwin commemorative lecture series, followed by a reunion of current and former staff members and postgraduate students of the department with a barbeque on the following day.
The proceedings were concluded on 14 March with a gala dinner in die Centenary Complex at the UFS attended by 153 staff members, post-graduate students (current and former) and other guests. During the dinner the guests were treated to a presentation of historical photos of the founding and development of the department. Currently the department is one of the largest departments in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in respect of the number of staff members and students as well as research outputs. This is the result of entrepreneurial actions to increase student numbers and research activities, as well as the merging with the smaller Department of Biochemistry in 1988 and more recently with the Department of Food Science in 2002. The department comprises 20 academics, 24 support staff and 65 postgraduate students. It also boasts 12 lecturers with ratings from the National Research Foundation (NRF), which include three academics with a B-rating, an indication of international recognition for their research. The department has the largest number of lecturers with an NRF-rating at the UFS.
“It was interesting to learn during the reunion of the variety of professions occupied by former students of the department, i.e. at other tertiary educational institutions, the CSSIR, SAPPI, Sasol and a multitude of other industries, as well as at research institutions in the USA and Australia,” said Prof. James du Preez, Head of the Department. |