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24 August 2018 Photo Igno van Niekerk
Chemistry changing the world to create a better future
These practical applications of Chemistry are part of the relevant and practically applicable research Prof André Roodt (far left) and his research group are involved in. With him are Dr Ebrahiem Botha, Post-doctoral fellow; Pheelo Nkoe, PhD student; Shaun Redgard, MSc student; and Dr Orbett Alexander, Post-doctoral fellow
Some people have a gift for explaining the most complex concepts in a way anyone could understand. Combine this gift with passion, energy, and enthusiasm, and you are close to describing a meeting with Prof André Roodt. 

Prof Roodt not only teaches Chemistry, he lives it. He has published more than 320 papers, lectured internationally more than 100 times, and has guided 35 PhD and 48 MSc students to complete their degrees. These figures are likely to conjure up visions of a dusty academic working on pie-in-the-sky theories. 

Adding value

Within minutes you are made aware of the fact that Chemistry is not only a subject confined to classrooms and labs. It is a means of changing the world through research to create a better future. In academic terms, Prof Roodt and his team are involved in ‘Homegeneous Catalysis’, ‘Radiopharmacy: Theranostics’, ‘Metal Benefication’, and ‘Conversion of carbon dioxide and water’. And just when you start to remember how terrifying high-school Chemistry was, Prof Roodt explains the practical nature of what they are doing.

Few of us are aware of the exact processes that produce fuel for our cars, although we probably know that these processes have side effects which are usually detrimental to the environment; but what if the by-products of these processes can be turned into speciality chemicals which could add value in different ways?

Ever wondered how medication know where to go in your body? Well – just imagine highly specialised (clever) pharmaceutical agents giving off their own ‘light’, knowing exactly where to go, showing you where they are going, and knowing what to do in order to provide information and interact with specific cells in your body to assist in healing cells and fighting disease. Exciting.

Passionate people

But, as they say in the ads, that is not all; imagine better ways to generate power, using the natural processes in plants to increase natural oxygen where needed, and to be able to change oxygen levels in the environment.

These practical applications of Chemistry are part of the relevant and practically applicable research Prof Roodt and his research group are involved in.

When you leave Prof Roodt’s office, you realise that this is what the UFS is all about: Global impact. World-class research. Passionate people. And seizing the opportunity to create the future.

News Archive

UFS keeps the power on
2015-06-24

 

At a recent Emergency Power Indaba held on the Bloemfontein Campus, support structures at the university met to discuss the Business Continuity Intervention Plan to manage load shedding on the three campuses of the UFS.

Currently, 35 generators serving 55 of the buildings have already been installed as a back-up power supply on the three campuses of the university. According to Anton Calitz, Electrical Engineer at the UFS, the running cost to produce a kWh of electricity with a diesel generator amounts to approximately three times the cost at which the UFS buys electricity from Centlec.

Planned additional generators will attract in excess of R4 million in operating costs per year. For 2015, the UFS senior leadership approved R11 million, spread over the three campuses. Remaining requirements will be spread out over the next three years. University Estates is also looking at renewable energy sources.

On the Bloemfontein Campus, 26 generators serving forty-one buildings are in operation. On South Campus, two generators were installed at the new Education Building and at the ICT Server Room. Lecture halls, the Arena, the Administration Building, and the library will be added later in 2015. Eight generators serving 12 buildings are in operation on the Qwaqwa Campus. In 2015, the Humanities Building, Lecture Halls and the heat pump room will also be equipped with generators.

Most buildings will be supplied only with partial emergency power. In rare cases, entire buildings will be supplied because the cost of connecting is lower than re-wiring for partial demand. According to Nico Janse van Rensburg, Senior Director at University Estates, emergency power will be limited to lighting and power points only. No allowances will be made for air-conditioning.

“Most area lighting will also be connected to emergency power,” he said.

Where spare capacity is available on existing emergency power generators, requests received for additional connections will be added, where possible, within the guidelines. The following spaces will receive preference:
- Lecture halls with the lights, data projectors, and computers running
- Laboratories for practical academic work and sensitive research projects
- Academic research equipment that is sensitive to interruptions
- Buildings hosting regular events

According to Janse van Rensburg, all further needs will be investigated. Staff can forward all emergency power supply needs to Anton Calitz at calitzja@ufs.ac.za

Staff and students can also manage load shedding in the following ways:

1. Carry a small torch with you at all times, in case you are on a stairwell or other dark area when the lights go out. You can also use the flashlight app on your phone. Download it before any load shedding occurs. This can come in handy if the lights go out suddenly, and you cannot find a flashlight. Load-shedding after dark imposes even more pressure on our Campus Security staff. We can assist them with our vigilance and preparedness by carrying portable lights with us at all times and by assisting colleagues.
2. Candles pose a serious safety risk. Rather use battery- or solar-powered lights during load shedding.
3. Ensure that your vehicle always has fuel in the tank, because petrol stations cannot pump fuel during power outages.
4. Ensure that you have enough cash, because ATMs cannot operate without electricity.
5. The UFS Sasol Library has study venues available which students can use during load shedding.
6. When arranging events which are highly dependent on power supply, especially at night, organisers should consult the load-shedding schedule before determining dates and preferably also make back-up arrangements. If generators are a necessity, the financial impact should be taken into consideration.

The senior leadership also approved a list of buildings to be equipped with emergency power supplies.

More about load shedding at the UFS:
Getting out of the dark
More information, guidelines and contact information

 

 

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