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Department of Chemistry strengthens international ties through International Chemical Symposium

30 June 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath

organic chemistry_web read more — Dr Charlene Marais, Prof Vladimir Azov and Prof Ulrich Hennecke

The Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) held a successful online International Symposium on Organic Chemistry on 15 June 2021. The symposium brought together scientists from several South African and foreign universities and created a virtual platform for a long-awaited discussion stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. About 20 participants from universities in South Africa, Belgium, and Germany presented their lectures during the symposium. In addition, this symposium was directed at the postgraduate students in the Department of Chemistry at the UFS, allowing them to present their results to an international audience and to foster their engagement in scientific research.

For more than a year, the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the common personal communication avenues for the researchers: face-to-face (F2F) conferences, symposia, and workshops. To bridge this gap, Prof Vladimir Azov and Dr Charlene Marais from the Department of Chemistry organised the online meeting for the researchers from the UFS and several other local and foreign universities, all working in the field of organic chemistry.

Online material from the International Symposium on Organic Chemistry is available at here

Collaborative project between the UFS and VUB towards the development of gel-based drug release systems

The symposium also served as a long-awaited inception meeting for the collaborative project between the Organic Chemistry group at the UFS and the Organic Chemistry (ORGC) group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). This project is jointly funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and FWO (Research Foundation – Flanders); it is aimed at the development of new peptide-based materials with properties controllable by precisely tuned interactions of unnatural amino acids included in the peptide sequence. Such peptides can, for example, be used as smart materials for precisely controllable drug release. The South African team members, directed by Prof Vladimir Azov, will specialise in the development of the new amino acid building blocks, whereas the VUB team, headed by Prof Ulrich Hennecke, will focus on peptide preparation and studies on their properties.

This kick-off meeting was initially planned as a F2F event in June 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 travelling restrictions and finally migrated to a virtual space. This provided an opportunity to present the project proposals and to discuss the initial results in a much broader circle than would have been possible within the common F2F meeting framework.

News Archive

UFS Camerata ends concert season on a high note

2017-11-02

The final concert at Endler Hall at Stellenbosch University, presented by the
Endler Concert Series, was attended by the UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor,
Prof Francis Petersen and Mrs Cheslyn Petersen. Here, on stage, is Prof Petersen
with the Camerata.
Photo: Supplied

The OSM Camerata (OSMC) of the Odeion School of Music at the University of the Free State ended the 2017 concert season on a high note with two gala concerts presented in the Western Cape as part of the ensemble’s fifth birthday celebrations. The first concert took place at the well-known Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow on 20 October 2017. A Stellenbosch University audience also had the privilege of listening to the Camerata at Endler Hall the following day.

A substantial part of the concert programme recited during the concerts was dedicated to prolific South African composer, Prof Hendrik Hofmeyr, in honour of his 60th birthday on 20 November 2017. The ensemble recited Super Flumina Babylonis, Notturno Elegiaco & Spokewals/Phantom Waltz - all works commissioned from Prof Hofmeyr for the OSMC.

The Odeion School of Music awarded the Order of the OSM to Prof Hofmeyr during the concert in gratitude for his tremendous contribution as a South African composer.

The final concert at Endler Hall, presented by the Endler Concert Series, was attended by the UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, and Mrs Cheslyn Petersen.

According to Marius Coetzee from the Odeion School of Music, the OSMC was strategically founded in 2012 as the OSM’s flagship chamber orchestra with its main objective being to create a catalyst for excellence. From a pedagogical perspective, the OSMC serves as an incubator to nurture fully rounded musicians who are thoroughly prepared for the demands of their trade as orchestral musicians, soloists and conductors.

Responding to the demand for excellence, on 1 September 2017 it was announced that the OSMC received first prize for the 2017 Ictus International Music Competition (US) as the winner of the category for Conservatory and University Orchestras.

Louis van der Watt, head of strings at the University of Stellenbosch Conservatory and vice conductor of the university’s symphony orchestra, remarked that the OSMC presented an excellent concert. Audience members concurred, saying the OSM Camerata was setting new standards for orchestral playing in South Africa.

Review from Louis van der Watt, University of Stellenbosch (available in Afrikaans)

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