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David Abbey
David Abbey is also serving on the UFS Council’s Finance, Audit, Risk and IT Governance Committee.

David Abbey, a senior banker and transactor in the Acquisition and Leveraged Finance Division at Rand Merchant Bank in Johannesburg, was appointed to the UFS Council.

An undergraduate student of Rhodes University, David is also a proud product of the UFS, having completed his Accounting honours degree at this university. For the past few years, he has also guest lectured on investment banking and financial instruments to Accounting honours students as part of the PwC Financial Instruments Programme.

Large-scale impact

Therefore, his appointment to the Council is particularly special to him.

“Being a member of the Council gives me the platform to have a more large-scale impact on the institution, academic community, the economy, and society. I’m thrilled to be serving alongside an astute body of incredible individuals from whom I will undoubtedly learn,” he says.

Realising his full potential

David is serving on the Council’s Finance, Audit, Risk and IT Governance Committee and his experience in, and knowledge of finance, technology, and audit skills will stand him in good stead. When he’s not developing and structuring innovative, multidisciplinary, and integrated financial solutions for his corporate clients, he loves to be active. He is a regular gym-goer and plays and watches all kinds of sport. Travel, the arts, and motoring are some of his other passions. 

On a personal level, there is still much he wants to achieve. “I want to continue to work hard, using my God-given talents to realise my full potential and to make a humble mark in society and in people’s lives.”

News Archive

Year-long programme to celebrate the story of life and survival
2009-02-13

 
At the launch of the UFS's year-long programme to celebrate the story of life and survival were, from the left: Prof. Schalk Louw, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Prof. Jo van As, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Prof. Maitland Seaman, Centre for Environmental Management, and Prof. Matie Hoffman, Department of Physics. All four are associated with the UFS.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

A year-long programme to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his scientifically important book “The Origin of Species” was launched yesterday (the birth date of Darwin) by the University of the Free State (UFS) on its Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The UFS is the only university in the country that is presenting such an extensive programme on life and survival. Yesterday’s launch programme entailed a portrayal of the life of Darwin and a presentation on what nature tells us about cosmic history. It was the start of a year-long lecture programme in which various departments at the UFS will take part.

“The lecture programme, called “The story of life and survival”, forms a cycle of the progress of man and does not only focus on Darwin. The programme aims to portray the influence of Darwin’s theory of evolution on a wide range of disciplines. We see this as a good opportunity to promote science in its broadest context,” says Prof. Jo Van As, head of the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the UFS.

The lecture programme will include topics such as the geological evolution of our planet, extinction, Darwinian agriculture, the road to civilisation, the proliferation of technology and communication, human demography and the human impact on the environment. It will be concluded in February 2010 with a lecture on the future of evolution.

The programme is spearheaded by the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the UFS, in conjunction with the National Museum and the Central University of Technology.

“Today evolution is no longer considered to be a theory and is widely accepted by most serious scientists as the process responsible for the diversity of life on our planet,” says Prof. Van As.

Complete programme:

26 February 2009: The geological evolution of our planet
13 March 2009: Origin of life, prokaryotes and eukaryotes
24 March 2009: Extinction
16 April 2009: Evolution and biodiversity of plants
30 April 2009: Evolution and biodiversity of animals
14 May 2009: The mechanisms of evolution: Heredity and Natural Selection
28 May 2009: Origin of humankind
4 June 2009: Darwinian agriculture
30 July 2009: Road to civilisation
6 August 2009: Human demography
20 August 2009: Proliferation of technology and communication
10 September 2009: Human impact: On the environment
8 October 2009: Human impact: Resistance, ectoparasites, HIV/Aids, antibiotics
22 October 2009: How to care for the world
12 February 2009: The future of evolution

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
13 February 2009

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