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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

Unforgettable moments at Spring Graduation
2016-09-12

Description: Spring Graduation 2016 Tags: Spring Graduation 2016

Graduates during the graduation ceremony.
Photo: Johan Roux

The conferment of a degree is an experience one is bound never to forget. Students from the University of the Free State (UFS) once again experienced these unforgettable moments.
 
The Spring Graduation ceremony enlightened the spirits of Kovsie graduates as they walked across the stage in the Callie Human Centre on 15 September 2016. With a new season comes new opportunities, and the 442 graduates made sure they grab this opportunity with both hands.

A total of 91 diplomas/certificates, 313 bachelors, and 38 honours degrees were conferred on graduates from six faculties of the UFS.

The guest speaker at both graduation ceremonies (09:00 and 14:30) was Dr Molapo Qhobela, Chief Executive Officer of the National Research Foundation (NRF). Dr Qhobela was appointed in this post in January 2016. He obtained a PhD in Plant Pathology from Kansas State University in the United States and a BSc in Botany and Zoology from the University of Zimbabwe.



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