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01 April 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied
Back: Dr Nico Keyser (editor), Dr Ivan van der Merwe. Front: Minette Weideman (Portfolio Manager at Levevis Investment and Consulting Services), Melanie Ferreira (Business Development Manager at Allan Gray), Dr Cecile Duvenhage (editor) and Lizelle Jansen van Rensburg (Lecturer). Dr Jesse de Beer (Lecturer at University of Namibia) was absent.
Two lecturers from the Department of Economics and Finance at the University of the Free State (UFS) teamed up with alumni – who were once students in their department – to write a book on personal finance. This book is the latest hands-on application of the theory in practice.

“From the book it is evident how our alumni – who once were learners – became educators and contributed to teaching and learning,” says Dr Cecile Duvenhage, Lecturer in the Department of Economics and Finance, about the book Personal Finance. The desire to write this book stems from previous studies done by Dr Duvenhage and Dr Nico Keyser, Senior Lecturer, on the financial literacy levels among young adults. 

One such study was published in the Journal of Psychology in Africa (29(4):460-465). According to the study, young adults lack the basic understanding of financial aspects. Theory can be learned by heart, but the understanding and execution of well-informed financial decisions need to be addressed. Thus, the book was written in such a way that it is easy to understand, and with the aim of changing financial behaviour and attitude in a positive manner. The book provides useful websites and appendices for additional information and reading, and is aimed at the man on the street, researchers, and practitioners. 

Acording to the authors, during the writing of the book in 2020, new challenges arose, including the dramatic impact of COVID-19 on the financial market, and these aspects were included during the final stages and editing of this book. 

“Why personal finance? ‘Money makes the world go round’, the saying goes. Good financial decision making has a positive influence on overall well-being, allowing people to maximise their opportunities and lead more fulfilling lives. Personal finance teaches individuals financial skills so that they can manage their money better. The subject, Personal finance, is an interdisciplinary subject and encompasses many areas and core topics such as decision making, cash-flow management, savings, credit, debt, housing, and planning for the future.” 

Personal Finance (first edition) was published by Van Schaik Publishers and has been available from leading bookshops since the end of December 2020.  All chapters were critically reviewed by three (3) university lecturers and a qualified editorial panel.

News Archive

UFS boasts with most advanced chemical research apparatus in Africa
2005-11-23

Celebrating the inauguration of the NMR were from the left Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS),  Dr Detlef Müller (Development Scientist and Manager:  Africa and Asia of Bruker in Germany, the supplier of the NMR), Prof Jannie Swarts (head of the head of the Division Physical Chemistry at the UFS) and Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean:  Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS). Photo: Lacea Loader

UFS boasts with most advanced chemical research apparatus in Africa 

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Department of Chemistry now boasts with some of the most advanced chemical research apparatus in Africa after the latest addition, a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer, was inaugurated today by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie.  The NMR is used to analyse molecular structures. 

Last month the Department of Chemistry celebrated the installation of the most advanced single crystal X-ray diffractometer in Africa.  The diffractometer provides an indispensable technique to investigate among others the solid state of compounds for medicinal application.

“Three years ago the UFS executive management realised that, if we want to build a university of excellence, we should invest in research.  We started to think strategically about chemistry and decided to bring the apparatus at the Department of Chemistry on a more competitive standard.  Strategic partnerships were therefore secured with companies like Sasol,” said Prof Fourie during the inauguration ceremony.

“The installation of the NMR symbolises the ability of the UFS to turn academic areas around.  I hope that this is the beginning of a decade of excellence for chemistry at the UFS,” said Prof Fourie.

”The catalogue value of the Bruker 600 MHz NMR is approximately R11 million.  With such an advanced apparatus we are now able to train much more post-graduate students,“ said Prof Jannie Swarts, head of the Division Physical Chemistry at the UFS.

”The NMR is the flagship apparatus of the UFS Department of Chemistry that enables chemists to look at compounds more easily at a molecular level.  Research in chemistry is critically dependent on NMR, which is a technique that can determine the composition of reactants and products in complicated chemical reactions, with direct application is most focus areas in chemistry,“ said Prof Swarts.

”Parts of the spectrometer consists of non-commercial items that were specifically designed for the UFS Department of Chemistry to allow the study of unique interactions in e.g. rhodium and platinum compounds,” said Prof Swarts.

According to Prof Swarts the NMR enables chemists to conduct investigations on the following:

To evaluate for example the complex behaviour of DNA in proteins as well as the analysis of illegal drugs sometimes used by athletes. 
It provides an indispensable technique to investigate compounds for medicinal application for example in breast, prostate and related bone cancer identification and therapy, which are currently synthesised in the Department of Chemistry.  
It can also be applied to the area of homogeneous catalysis where new and improved compounds for industrial application are synthesized and characterised, whereby Sasol and even the international petrochemical industry could benefit. This analytical capacity is highly rated, especially in the current climate of increased oil prices.
The NMR can detect and identify small concentrations of impurities in feed streams in the petrochemical industry, e.g. at Sasol and also the international petrochemical industry.  These minute amounts of impurities can result in metal catalyst deactivation or decomposition and can cause million of rands worth in product losses.
It is indispensable for studying the complexity of samples that is non-crystalline. These materials represent the vast majority of chemical compounds such as solvents, gasoline, cooking oil, cleaning agents and colorants as examples. 

According to Prof Swarts the general medical technique of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) in use at larger hospitals, is based on NMR technology.

”The NMR apparatus enabled the Department of Chemistry to characterise complex molecules that were synthesised for the multi-national company, FARMOFS-PAREXEL, and to negotiate research agreements with overseas universities,” said Prof Swarts. 

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:  (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
22 November 2005
 

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