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Team UFS walks away as winner at national animal sciences competition

14 September 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

DSC_0031 copy — Ofhani Mavhungu, Carina le Roux, Dr Foch de Witt , and Andries van der Merwe.

The Department of Animal Science at the University of the Free State (UFS) walked away with numerous awards at the 52nd congress of the South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS).

Dr Foch de Witt, Senior Lecturer in the department, explains that the SASAS congress is an annual event where scientists, academics, students, and various industry role players come together to share the latest research findings regarding different aspects of animal science and production.

Acknowledging greatness

The SASAS Gold Medal was awarded to Prof Michiel Scholtz, affiliated professor in the department. “He was presented with this award for his honourable lifelong service to animal science. His scientific contributions and achievements have been recognised as exceptionally meritorious by both national and international animal scientists,” says Prof Frikkie Neser, Head of the Department of Animal Science.

Andries van der Merwe, a postgraduate student, received the SASAS Student Postgraduate Merit Award. According to Prof Neser, this is an annual national merit award to postgraduate students for exceptional academic achievement in Animal Science during undergraduate studies at any South African university.

Dr Sinobongo Mdyogolo, a PhD student of Prof Neser, was presented with the SASAS Bronze Medal in respect of her PhD achievements in the research and technology transfer categories. This is the highest honour a student can get after completion of their PhD degree.

During the SASAS congress, a total of 22 oral and poster contributions were delivered by staff and students from the Department of Animal Science.

A great networking opportunity

Another highlight for the department was when three of its students – Carina le Roux, Ofhani Mavhungu, and Andries van der Merwe – participated in and won the SASAS national student quiz. Team UFS was one of 13 student teams from various tertiary institutions participating in the competition. The external panel of judges complemented the team on how they integrated theoretical principles in a practical and applied manner.

According to Dr De Witt, UFS Animal Science graduates compare very favourably with other students from tertiary institutions in South Africa. “Many of our students seek employment in the animal feed industry and they excel in their professional career development. It is clear that the curriculum updates of the past few years were successful in ensuring that students are able to integrate theoretical and practical concepts in an applied manner – a skill that is sought after in the industry,” he says.

He also believes that an event such as the SASAS congress is an ideal network opportunity where students can get exposure to congress presentations, while having the opportunity to meet potential employers and/or sponsors.

“The SASAS congress creates a platform for students to measure themselves in terms of scientific development and career preparedness by interacting directly with other students from different tertiary institutions as well as industry members. Exposure to events such as this furthermore prepares them for their professional registration with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP),” adds Dr De Witt.

Dr Sinobongo Mdyogolo received the SASAS Bronze Medal in respect of her PhD achievements in the research and technology transfer categories at this year’s SASAS congress.

Prof Michiel Scholtz was presented with this award for his honourable lifelong service to animal science.

News Archive

Council votes on appointment of senior staff

2004-11-18

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) today voted on the filling of three senior vacancies, including one post at Dean level and two at the level of Vice-Dean.

The Council voted as follows:


Dr Natie Luyt will be offered the post of Dean: Student Affairs	Prof Engela Pretorius will be offered the post of Vice-Dean: Faculty of Humanities	Dr Choice Makhetha will be offered the post of Vice-Dean: Student Affairs

“There are special challenges for the UFS in the short and medium term regarding transformation of our residences, and a certain combination of management qualities and skills is desirable. As a result of the diversity of the UFS’s student community it is therefore important to us to follow a team approach to deal with the challenges. With the combination of Drs Luyt and Makhetha, I believe we will be able to manage student affairs effectively and skillfully,” says Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

“It is wonderful that we are able to celebrate the outcome of this process that has brought forward such excellent candidates who reflect our country’s diversity. It shows that we can achieve the goals of quality and diversity at the same time,” says Prof Fourie.

Prof Pretorius obtained all her qualifications (BA, BA (Hons) (cum laude), MA (cum laude) and D Phil) from the UFS, except for the Certificate in Gender Policy Management (cum laude) which she obtained in 2000 from WITS. She joined the Department of Sociology at UFS in 1980 and has headed the Department since 2001. She acted as Vice-Dean: Faculty of Humanities since July 2004. She has some thirty publications to her credit, published both nationally and internationally and has delivered 20 national and international papers. She is a member of the South African Sociological Association and is a member of the Council of the association and of the Editorial Board of Society in Transition, the society’s journal. She is also a member of the South African Academy for Science and Art and the Federation of African Women Educationalists in South Africa (FAWESA). Project involvement includes the Australian Women’s Executive Development Programme and the project Executive Development of Senior Women in South African Higher Education Institutions. She is also an NRF panelist.

Dr Luyt obtained his qualifications (BA, BA (Hons) (cum laude), MA (cum laude) and D Phil) at the UFS and started his career at the same institution in 1980 as lecturer in Political Science. He was promoted to senior lecturer in 1983 and appointed as Director: Student Affairs in 1997. He has been acting as Dean: Student Affairs since 2003. Dr Luyt completed several work-related training courses, among others a course in ethnic and multiculturality at the Swiss Institute for Federalism and a course in conflict management at the South Tyrolean Economic and Social Institute.

Dr Makheta also obtained all her qualifications (BA, BA (Hons), MA in Political Science and Ph D in Political Science) at the UFS and started working as a student assistant in Political Science at the same institution in 1999. She was promoted to junior assistant in 2000, coordinator and facilitator of Political Science in 2001, assistant/acting Director: Student Affairs in 2001 and acting Director: Student Affairs in 2003. Dr Makhetha is currently a Senior Political Analyst at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The UFS Council also approved the promotion of nine professors to the rank of senior professor. They are Proff Louise Cilliers (Department English and Classical Languages), Dap Louw (Department of Psychology), Philip Nel (Department Afro-Asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice), Dirk van den Berg (Department of History of Art and Visual Culture Studies) Dingie van Rensburg (Director: Centre for Health Systems Research and Develoment), Andries Raath (Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law), James du Preez (Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology), Johan Grobbelaar (Department of Plant Sciences) and Louis Scott (Department of Plant Sciences).

This is the first group ever of senior professors at the UFS. The post level was created to provide better career and earnings opportunities for high quality academics and to increase the attractiveness of an academic career to young people.

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

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