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13 August 2018
Proteas next goal for Khanyisa
Khanyisa Chawane is going places with her netball career. She finds inspiration from God and the people she surrounds herself with.
Netballer Khanyisa Chawane singles out friends, teammates and her Kovsie coach as the ones who have had the biggest hand in promoting her career.

“Coach Burta de Kock has had an impact on me as a player and person. She took me in, groomed me and taught me the ins and outs of becoming the player I am today,” Chawane says.

They picked me up when I was down

“Maryka Holtzhausen (Free State teammate) has played quite a role in my career as a teammate and mentor. Tiisetso Mashele is a very good friend who has always been there to lend a helping hand during the tough times and remind me where my strength comes from. Then there’s Khomotso Mamburu and Sikholiwe Mdletshe who’ve become more than teammates. They understand me and always manage to pick me up when I’m down and there’s never a dull moment when they are around.”

At the age of 22 Chawane is making huge strides on the netball court.

Crowned player of the tournament

Hardly a month after she was named Player of the Tournament of the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League, her performances at the National Championship mid-July earned her the Player of the Tournament once more. She is the first player to receive these accolades at both these tournaments in the same year. 

“The people I surround myself with keep me motivated in every aspect of my life. The grace of God upon my life is what inspires me to keep going. 

“I would love to represent the Proteas at the Quad Series and Diamond Challenge later this year and also to win the Varsity Netball Series,” Chawane says about future goals.  

 

Video production: Barend Nagel

News Archive

Prof Finkelstein current and only A-rated researcher in Probability and Statistics in SA
2014-10-28



Prof Maxim Finkelstein
Photo: Johan Roux
Prof Maxim Finkelstein from the Department of Mathematical Statistics at the University of the Free State (UFS) received an A-rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF). This makes him the only A-rated researcher in ‘Probability and Statistics’ regarding Mathematical Sciences in the country.

According to the NRF-rating process, a person with an A-rating is a world leader in his field. 

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, said: "I am absolutely delighted for Professor Finkelstein and for the fact that this is one of the clearest signs that the UFS has significantly increased its standards of research across the institution as a whole."

Prof Finkelstein says this rating means a great deal to him, since it is a reflection of his dedication and perseverance.

“Of course, the rating is not a goal in itself,” Prof Finkelstein says. “The goal is the high quality research and the rating is just an objective indication of this. Along with the satisfaction, this rating brings the responsibility for maintaining this high status in the future.”

Prof Finkelstein conducts his general research in the field of ‘Probability and Statistics’, but his specific area of focus is ‘Stochastic Modelling’. Prof Finkelstein solely lectures postgraduate students and also mentors a few master’s and PhD students. This affords him the time to mainly concentrate on his research.

“Finally, I wish to emphasise the fact that high-quality research became the prime goal at the UFS,” says Prof Finkelstein. He underscores the efforts of the Vice-Chancellor and the Vice-Rector: Research in creating excellent possibilities for researchers. This has already resulted in remarkable improvements in the UFS’s research outputs – and consequently an increase in the number of rated researchers at the university.

A total of 119 UFS researchers currently have evaluation and rating status from the NRF, says Nico Benson, Deputy Director: Research Development. Currently (October 2014) 29 researchers are still waiting for response from the NRF regarding applications submitted. A total of 16 ratings are already known. On the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS, five researchers are rated.

Prof Finkelstein's A-rating will become effective from 1 January 2015. Ratings are valid for a period of six years and researchers are invited to apply for re-evaluation in the fifth year.


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