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Microscope donation helps learners to access the wonders of natural science

02 December 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs

Read more — Prof Koos Albertyn handing over a donation of eleven microscopes to Anzell Spelding, a teacher at Luckhoff Combined School.

With a donation of microscopes, the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently contributed to better quality education for a group of 60 learners in the Life Sciences class at the Luckhoff Combined School.

Anzell Spelding, a teacher at the school – with a newly built science laboratory but little equipment – contacted the department a while ago to enquire whether they have any microscopes available to donate. As the department recently acquired a new set of microscopes for undergraduate teaching in the field of Microbiology, ten fully functional microscopes and two other microscopes (for parts) were donated to motivate the learners to choose science as a career.

“This donation puts scientific instruments in the hands of children at an early age, opening their eyes to the possibility of careers in science. Exposing learners to science at an early age can spark enthusiasm and a love of learning that might otherwise never appear,” said Koos Albertyn, Professor in the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.

“These microscopes will enable learners to look at specimens at a microscopic level and therefore access the wonders of natural science at the tiniest and most fascinating level,” he added.

News Archive

Information day about crop production

2005-10-27

The Department of Soil, Crop en Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) presented an information day about crop production at the Kenilworth experimental farm outside Bloemfontein.

Various research projects that are currently conducted at the farm were introduced and explained to guests. The day was attended by representatives from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Department of Agriculture, Omnia, Pannar, Senwes, Griekwaland Wes Koöp (GWK) and farmers from the commercial and developing agricultural sectors.

The experimental farm is mainly used for the training of graduate and post graduate students and for contract research. There are currently 2 Ph D's, 2 Master's studies and 1 research project for the Water Research Council (WRC) conducted at the farm.

The facility is equipped with a centre pivot irrigation system, lysimeter complex for the insitu studying of plant-soil water relations and an automatic weather station.

In his welcoming speech Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS said that in the past couple of years agricultural research in South Africa has deteriorated. He said that the Faculty wants to commit itself to uplift and advance research by means of the experimental farm. The Department of Soil, Crop en Climate Sciences aims to present regular sessions like this one at the experimental farm.

Photo: Stephen Collett

From left:
Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS), Ms Keletso Seetseng (Master's student in Agriculture at the UFS), Dr Ezekiel Moraka (Vice-Rector: Student Affairs at the UFS) and Dr Leon van Rensburg (from the UFS Department of Soil, Crop en Climate Sciences). Me Seetseng works on two Canola field experiments and manages 216 plots of these experiments.

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