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16 September 2020 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Supplied
UFS Division of Student Affairs plans to extend their annual research colloquium to involve other universities, establishing the university as a pioneering institution of higher education and learning.

The annual University of the Free State (UFS) Division of Student Affairs Research (DSA) Colloquium aims to promote a culture of research embedded in data-driven and evidence- based practices in the field of Student Affairs. The purpose of the annual colloquium is to create a safe, enjoyable space for staff members to share their experiences, knowledge, research and practices.

The 2020 Student Affairs Research Colloquium was the first virtual Research Colloquium held by the university. As noted by DSA Researcher Ruben Langenhoven, this year’s theme Virtually Human: Connecting Meaningfully in a Digital World was inspired by the challenging times we live in, and thus commemorated the resilience and adaptability UFS Student Affairs practitioners, academic staff and students. 

As most of the projects and programmes in the DSA were negatively impacted, the Colloquium was threatened by a lack of “hard data” emanating from the 2020 academic year. The division consequently decided to reframe the colloquium by profiling distinct human voices that focused on qualitative experiences. As such, this Colloquium comprised of numerous sections where the emphasis was placed on shared experiences and shared understanding where UFS staff members and students discussed the challenges they faced in the last six months.

DSA staff engaged one another with staff and student-centered lived experiences, and professional staff development sessions that visited the impact of technology on their psychological well-being and how to improve their relationship with technology in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also forming part of the programme that will inform the future of the division going forward, reflected DSA success-story presentations of the past year. 

The colloquium proved as beneficial for the DSA and the entire institution in its pursuit of a research-based working approach within the Student Affairs discipline. 

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An astrophysics pioneer at Kovsies
2014-01-05

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.

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