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18 March 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs
Famelab
Abdullahi Jamiu, who is working on his master's degree in Microbiology, was adjudicated as the FameLab winner at the Central Regional Heat and will represent the region at the national semi-finals.

Abdullahi Jamiu, who is working on his master's degree in Microbiology in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS), was recently announced as the FameLab winner at the Central Regional Heat and will represent the region at the national semi-finals.

Abdullahi, who plans on pursuing a doctoral degree after his master’s, says he wants to establish himself as an academic in microbiology.

Making science simple
He says he decided to participate in the FameLab competition because he is very passionate about communicating science. “Science communication affords me the opportunity to not only take my research outside of the lab space, but also to communicate it to the lay audience. Moreover, science is often perceived by the general public as difficult and unfathomable. As such, science communication programmes promote the simplification and better understanding of scientific knowledge in the community,” he says.

FameLab is coordinated by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, the British Council, and Jive Media Africa.

According to Abdullahi, the experience was mind-blowing. “It gave me the opportunity to compress my 200-page master's thesis into a three-minute talk in a way I had never thought was possible. Having to present virtually and adjust to the ‘new normal’ was quite challenging,” he adds.

“The overall experience was enlightening and engaging, and at the same time entertaining,” says Abdullahi.

Impressing the judges with his charisma, engagement with the audience, and use of props, Abdullahi’s presentation focused on how the exploration and exploitation of a ‘combination therapy’ approach to drug discovery could help to effectively combat fungal infections, which are the common comorbidities in immune-compromised individuals, including those living with HIV, cancer, and COVID-19.

Revealing an enigma
His fascination with microbiology started at a young age. “How very tiny, microscopic creatures, invisible to the unaided eye, are able to infect and sometimes kill both healthy and immune-compromised individuals, was an enigma to me as a little boy. My desire to unravel this mystery triggered my interest in microbiology, and the more I learn, the more enthusiastic I become to broaden my horizon in this challenging yet exciting field of study,” he says.

Abdullahi would like to one day make a difference by conducting relevant research aimed at contributing to finding lasting solutions to the lingering menace posed by pathogenic microbes. “Moreover, I am very passionate about facilitating the transfer of scientific knowledge to the next generation,” Abdullahi concludes.

News Archive

UFS to host alumni from across the globe during Reunion Weekend 2015 – 28 to 29 August 2015
2015-07-10

The University of the Free State (UFS) will host alumni from across the globe on the Bloemfontein Campus during its Reunion Weekend 2015 from 28 - 29 August 2015.

Semi-structured social events will bring together classmates from similar eras. On Friday evening (28 August 2015), those who graduated from the university during the 60s and 70s will gather at the Centenary Complex, while those who graduated in the 80s and 90s will convene at the new Economic and Management Sciences foyer.

On Saturday evening, there will be a reception hosted by the senior leadership for alumni who have graduated since 2000 at the Economic and Management Sciences foyer.

Each gathering will have a short programme led by at least one member of those graduating classes, followed by an informal reception. All alumni are invited to attend the weekend’s activities. Click here for the programme of events or visit the alumni website for more information.

Celebrations will include a concert with Freshly Ground and the Muses as guest artists. Tickets will be sold through Computicket.

Proceeds will be donated to the No Student Hungry Bursary programme.

The Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Award

In celebrating the achievements of alumni over the years, nominations have been invited for the Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognises outstanding alumni who have demonstrated excellence through their academic or human achievements in their chosen areas of expertise and influence. Click here for the nomination form.

The Chancellor will present the alumni awards at a ceremony to be held during the Chancellor’s luncheon at the Centenary Complex on 29 August 2015 at 12:00.

Please note that the nomination deadline has been changed to 24 July 2015.

For further information, contact the UFS Alumni Office at +27(0)51 4019343 / email: alumni@ufs.ac.za

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