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06 July 2018 Photo Supplied
Five PhDs for Chemistry group at June 2018 graduation
Pictured here are the Department of Chemistry graduates and their promoters/ co-promoters. From the left are: Dr Alebel Belay, Dr Dumisani Kama, Dr Orbett Alexander, Dr Pennie Mokolokolo and Dr Pule Molokoane; back: Prof Andreas Roodt, Dr Marietjie Schutte-Smith, Dr Alice Brink and Dr Johan Venter. Prof Roodt was either promoter or co-promoter to four of the graduates, while Prof Deon Visser (promoter; not present) and Dr Alice Brink (co-promoter) supervised Dr Orbett Alexander.

What is the common factor among metal extraction from mineral reserves, the treatment of cancer, and nanomaterials in cellular phones? The answer is Chemistry. 

For the first time since the Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) was founded some 114 years ago, a single research group in Chemistry delivered five PhD students.  This was achieved in the division of Inorganic Chemistry at the 2018 Winter graduation ceremony by the group under leadership of Prof Andreas Roodt and senior colleagues, Drs Johan Venter, Alice Brink and Marietjie Schutte-Smith. Prof Deon Visser, a former group member, was promoter for one of the students. 

The five graduandi are Drs Alebel Belay, Dumisani Kama, Pennie Mokolokolo, Pule Molokoane and Orbett Alexander. Their research involved the use of special chemical groups which are attached to metals such as platinum, rhodium, niobium, technetium and rhenium to create compounds with special pre-selected properties. 

The combination of these special groups with the metals allow many different potential applications – all adding value. These include metal extraction from South Africa’s rich mineral reserves, the treatment of diseases such as cancer, the diagnosis of heart and brain damages, nanomaterials which are used in cellular phones, catalysts to produce cleaner petrol, special light devices which by themselves ‘glow in the dark’, and more. 

Three of the students completed part of their research in Switzerland.

News Archive

SRC Arts and Culture speaks up
2015-03-17

"Stagedoor was an absolute success," says fourth-year medical student, Stefan van der Westhuizen and SRC member for arts and culture.  

 

"I've always been a diverse person and exposed myself to many things."

 

Raised in Vanderbijlpark near Johannesburg, Stefan has always had a passion for arts and culture.

 

"It's a platform where students express so much. Stagedoor is where you can see students express their commentary on what is happening on campus and feel like it’s almost a safe zone."

 

Stefan’s year on the SRC brought about a new format to rotations. Residences paired with each other, while the new 'outdoor' interactions made it possible for residence and off-campus students to interact with rotations.

 

"I was most proud of the rotations that took place even at the Agricultural Building. There was some great interaction," he said.

 

Stefan said the idea was to fix things.

 

“Not much had changed with Stagedoor when I got into office, even ticket sales were decreasing. I wanted to get students amped about it again."

 

A different element of Stagedoor 'outdoor' was to try to get spontaneity, and to try to get away from residences doing the same plays, but get them out of their comfort spot.

 

“When we heard the results, we lit up with excitement because we didn't have the usual winners,” Stefan said.

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