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09 December 2020
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Story UFS entral academic advising team
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Photo Pixabay
It wasn’t easy, but we all got to this point because we stayed calm and made the effort to learn on even when it was difficult.
The University of the Free State (UFS) has remained committed to supporting you in every way possible, and as you prepare for the final assessments, remember to access the support tools you will need in order to successfully complete the 2020 academic year: https://www.ufs.ac.za/toolsforsuccess
Main exams are running from 30 November to 19 December 2020
All of the best, and break a pen in your upcoming final assessments. For those of you who will be graduating, we cannot wait to see you in that graduation attire; and those who still have some way to go, we cannot wait to serve you again in 2021 as we continue the pursuit of academic success!
Below are five main study tips that you can use for final assessment success:
1. Set a realistic study schedule
You might think that studying for eight hours straight for four days before the exam, will help you get through the work in time. See final edition of the #UFSLearnOn for more information.
2. Structure and organise your work
If your notes are organised, it is also easier for your brain to recall information, even when you become nervous during exams.
3. Practise with an old exam/semester test paper
Practice makes perfect, and although the final assessments might look different in how they are administered, it will still help to practise using old tests and exams.
4. Adapt your strategies to the content
What works for one module or even one learning outcome, might not be effective for another. You need to continually adapt your note-taking and study approaches. See #UFSLearnOn final edition for different study methods.
5. Healthy body, healthy mind
Your brain needs optimal care to perform at its best, and getting physically active (even if it is by jumping in one spot if space is limited) forces your body to release neurotransmitters responsible for positive emotions, which assist in retaining information in your memory …
Download the final edition of #UFSLearnOn that points you towards the resources you’ll need to ace your final assessments and end 2020 off on a high note!
An astrophysics pioneer at Kovsies
2014-01-05
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| Prof Pieter Meintjes |
Over the last decade Prof Pieter Meintjes’ strong background in astrophysics led to the development of a course of excellence at the University of the Free State.
Today we present an Astrophysics degree at our university, from first-year courses to PhDs.
Meintjes matriculated at the Sybrand van Niekerk High School in Sabie and completed a BSc in Physics and Mathematics at the North-West University in 1988. In 1990 and 1993 he respectively obtained his MSc and PhD in Physics from the same university.
Hereafter he spent a post-doctoral year at the Max Planck Institute for Space Science near München in Germany. In January 1997, Meintjes was appointed as a senior lecturer at our university’s Department of Physics. He was promoted to Professor in Physics in 2008.
Prof Meintjes is a member of the South African Institute for Physics (SAIP) and during 2002-2004 he was also co-chair of the astrophysics and space science group of SAIP. He serves on the executive committee of the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP) and is often a visiting lecturer at the University of Cape Town. He is a NRF-supported researcher and author and co-author of 70 publications in high-profile international journals and published conference issues.
During 2011-2013 he successfully delivered three PhD students along with one MSc student. His PhD students also delivered addresses at international conferences in Champery (Switzerland), Heidelberg (Germany), Paris (France), Barcelona (Spain) and Milan (Italy), Cape Town and the Kruger Game Reserve.
Over the last two years he has also been the author and co-author of six publications in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), as well as various publications in the Astrophysical Journal in support of the international planet search programme. A further 12 publications also came forth from Meintjes’ international conference contributions.
During the recent H.E.S.S. meeting in Namibia, Meintjes was appointed as the latest member of the highly-regarded international cooperation with H.E.S.S.
His membership of the H.E.S.S. group is due to his knowledge on gamma rays, which entails research on high-energy astrophysics.