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21 August 2019 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah
Keafon Jumbam
Keafon Jumbam is gearing herself for the institutional Three Minute Thesis competition.


Keafon Jumbam is a PhD candidate whose research on food and foxes has won her the first prize of R8 000 in the recent Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences’ Postgraduate Flash Fact Competition. Her brief in the competition was to summarise her research in three minutes, using only one static slide.

“The competition started at departmental level on both campuses. The idea was that the best student in each department is then selected to go for the faculty-level competition on the Bloemfontein Campus. Summarising the entire research into three minutes is no easy feat, but a great way to gauge how well one has mastered your work,” she said.

Far-reaching research

“Thought-provoking presentations on research, ranging from technology to track academic progress, traditional medicine as alternatives to expensive prescriptions, and suggesting insects as food alternatives to curb hunger in this era of severe droughts and food shortages. The competition was tough, but it highlighted the level of research competitiveness on the Qwaqwa Campus. I hope that more students will join in such opportunities to build themselves up and to showcase our research output as Qwaqwa students,” added Jumbam from the Department of Zoology and Entomology.

Institutional finals

Her next challenge is the institutional competition to be held on 23 August 2019, which could qualify her for the national competition.


News Archive

Meet our Council: Passionate, progressive, and positive – Councillor Itumeleng Pooe
2017-07-13

Description: Itumeleng Pooe Tags: Itumeleng Pooe.  University Council, ambitiously entrepreneurial, progressive university, passionate about life 

Itumeleng Pooe, member of the UFS Council.
Photo: Johan Roux

Passionate, progressive, and unfailingly positive are the words coming to mind when one meets Itumeleng Pooe.  

Itumeleng was appointed to the University Council by the Minister of Education last year.  She is an alumna of North-West University and served as council member and deputy chair of the NWU Council from 2007 until 2014.  She also serves on the board of the Cape Town Hotel School.

Sees UFS as a very progressive university in the higher-education landscape

She is currently employed by the South African Maritime Agency, working at developing integrated national marine tourism and leisure.  In her own words, she is “ambitiously entrepreneurial” and also sells wine privately, working towards distributing amazing and exquisite South African wine in Africa.  

Itumeleng views the UFS as a very progressive university and a rising giant in the higher-education landscape in South Africa.

“I take my role as council member very seriously. I hope to use my marketing and communication expertise to propel the university’s brand as one of the most special places to study in Africa.  Internationalisation is also imperative and I believe I have a lot to offer in this regard,” she says.

Believes that transformation should be at the core of the university’s business
She also feels that transformation should be at the core of the university’s business and that it should remain ongoing.

Itumeleng is a very proud mother to two young adults; Kamogelo is a UCT BCom (Accounting) graduate and Kago studies digital marketing at Vega in Cape Town.

“I am an ardent hiker, reader, perpetual traveller and lover of exotic destinations, and aspiring cook. Honestly? I am just passionate about life,” she says.

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