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26 February 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin
Clockwise from left; Dr Alta Grobbelaar; Dr Merlene Esau; Dr Albertus Barkhuizen; Dr Helen-Mary Cawood and Dr Wade Goodrick.
“It (doctoral degrees) signifies the culmination of several years of dedicated focus amid the ongoing demands of their day-to-day work as academics in a dynamic and diverse faculty,” said Prof Heidi Hudson, Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, about the conferment of doctoral degrees to five lecturing staff members in the faculty.

The newly capped doctors are Drs Alta Grobbelaar, Merlene Esau, Albertus Barkhuizen, Wade Goodrick, and Helen-Mary Cawood. “The Faculty of the Humanities strives to support its entire lecturing staff to obtain their doctoral degrees. I therefore take great pleasure in congratulating the five staff members in the faculty,” said Prof Hudson. Prof Hudson said what made their achievement even more special, was the fact that they obtained their degrees during unprecedented and challenging COVID-19 times.

The PhD degrees were conferred during a virtual ceremony on 24 February 2021. 

PhD studies look extensively at social issues 

It is important for PhD candidates in any discipline that their research theses should contribute new or additional information to their respective disciplines. Undertaking a PhD in the social sciences (humanities) can be loosely attributed to the curiosity of humankind – its connectedness, shared attributes, history, relations, or the deeper meaning of human existence. 

The five research theses presented by the candidates look at various social themes, ranging from Dr Albertus Barkhuizen’s thesis on French as a possible teachable foreign language in South Africa, to Dr Helen-Mary Cawood’s argument that the collective memories of modern English football fans have been curated by contemporary ‘museal cultures.’ Dr Barkhuizen is a lecturer in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, and Dr Cawood in the Department of Philosophy. 

In her thesis, Dr Merlene Esau makes a considerable contribution to the development of social-work practices by focusing on child-led households as a vulnerable group in South Africa. Dr Esau is a lecturer and head of the Department of Social Work. Dr Alta Grobbelaar from the Department of Political Studies and Governance looks in her thesis at the interrelationship between the media and terrorist groups in Africa, while Dr Wade Goodrick from the Department of Sociology focused his thesis on the risks associated with unconventional gas developments in South Africa.


News Archive

UFS acknowledge 53 for long service
2004-11-03

Long service awards for 35 years: Mrs. Christa du Plessis, Centre for Higher Education studies and Development, mnr. John Moorosi, Soil- and Crop- and Climate Sciences , prof. Frederick Fourie, rector, prof. Jopie Botha, Institute for Groundwater Studies, me. Susan Reineke, Plant Sciences, Dr. Sarie van Vuuren of Sociology and me. Aletta de Klerk, Kovsie Sport.

Fifty three personnel members received long service awards in the centenary year of the university for respectively 35 years of service and 25 years of service.

Prof. Frederick Fourie, Rector, said to the recipients of the long service awards: “In a year in which the writing of history of the UFS took a prominent place in the Centenary celebrations and in which one relived the past hundred years, the value we add to the university on a daily basis is clearly visible. Many personnel members contributed to make the UFS a valued institution and will proceed to do that in the spirit of 100+.”

He thanked and acknowledged personnel for the plus they add to each day’s work. “The students which enter the UFS each year, want to thank you for an university which on an innovative manner impacted their lives. “You helped to create the building blocks for their future,” he said.

Prof. J. F. Botha, Mr M.G. Botha, Ms A. De Klerk, Mr M.J. Doman, Prof. H.C. Janse van Rensburg and Ms S.M.C. Reinecke received awards for 35 years of service.

For 25 years of service at the university Prof. S.L. Barnard, Mr B. Botma, Dr H. J. Breytenbach, Dr M.W. Brussow, Mr N.L. Combrink, Ms A.J. Du Plessis, Ms C. Du Plessis, Prof. L. Goedhals, Mr M.E. Hlazo, Prof. B.B. Hoek, Dr S.J.E. Janse van Vuuren, Mr M. Kgasane, Ms A. Kgosi, Dr W.P. Konig, Dr P.A.L. Le Roux, Prof. N.J. Luwes, Dr N. Luyt, Ms S.E. November, Ms M. Mabaso, Ms M.K. Maruping, Prof. J.D. Marx, Mr J.P. Masedi, Mr G. Mokapane, Mr J. Mokapane, Ms M.L. Molosi, Ms M.M. Molwagale, Mr P.J. Moorosi, Ms C. Moroagae, Ms E. Moroale, Mr G.G. Mothokwane, Prof. M. Mulder, Prof. A.C. Otto, Ms H. Pelser, Ms E. Pelzer, Ms M.M. Pheko, Prof. E. Pretorius, Ms M.P. Richter, Ms E. Rouls, Prof. M.T. Seaman, Prof. R.B. Snowdowne, Prof. J.P. Strauss, Ms M.S. Tsolo, Prof. H.J. van der Linde, Dr S. van Vuuren, Prof. J.B. van Wyk, Dr J.M. van Zyl, Prof. T. Verschoor and Ms M.H.S. York received an long service award.

“Be assured of my appreciation for your loyalty and commitment to a university which is taking careful steps into a new century of its existence. If we do the right things right and with a sincere belief in our heavenly Father we will be able to build on the solid foundation laid by people like you,” he said.

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