Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
09 December 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied
Prof Johann Beukes
Prof Johann Beukes, a research fellow in the University of the Free State’s Department of Philosophy and Classics, received the prize for Best Afrikaans Research Paper in the Humanities from the SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.

A research article titled Intervroulike seksualiteit in die latere Middeleeue: ʼn Ideëhistoriese oorsig by Professor Johann Beukes, a research fellow in the University of the Free State (UFS) Department of Philosophy and Classics, has received the 2022 ATKV South African Academy for Science and Arts (SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns) award for Best Afrikaans Research Paper in the Humanities. 

Prof Beukes says the achievement is not only about winning, but also about the restrained attitude all philosophers should have. “Given the company I find myself in, I’m very modest about it. There are highly competent Humanities scholars in South Africa who often publish peer-reviewed articles in Afrikaans.” He also received the prize in 2020 for his article Die Arabiese trajek in die Karolingiese periode van Middeleeuse filosofie. 

He considers local accredited journals like Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe as “conforming to the highest criteria for internationally recognised research, and I am proud to be associated with the several local journals I publish in, whether in English or Afrikaans.”

‘Competition is good, but philosophers works best together’

Although he is happy to have received the prize for a second time, Prof Beukes says all philosophy should start and end with a good demeanour and a restrained attitude. “I don’t think any serious scholar would present a manuscript for peer review, thinking about a prize somewhere in the future: if that happens, good, if not, that’s quite alright.” 

Prizes like this one are an important barometer, since they are based on peer evaluations and editor recommendations. “They do provide a sort of benchmark for what a particular research community considers to be solid, original research,” Prof Beukes says. Although the criteria for peer reviewing is tough, he never felt he was in competition with other scholars. In fact, he experienced the opposite: “I have always felt part of the local philosophical community, where if one of us does well, the others are happy for them.”

He thinks competition might work well in other disciplines, but not in philosophy. “Philosophers typically stand on each other’s shoulders: that’s how we work, and how we do our best work… On the other hand, that is how proper science works: very rarely is it the brilliant insight of a lone ranger that makes scientific progress possible, but rather the cumulative and restructuring work of many.”

Article aims to contribute to work on interfemale sexuality 

Prof Beukes’ research specialty is Medieval Philosophy and Foucault Studies, which is based on the ideas of French philosopher and historian Michel Foucault: to consistently address questions of how sexually became a “seismograph for our subjectivity” in Western cultures. “In other words, how did it come about that a person’s whole being-in-the-world was typically reduced to their attitudes and preferences towards sex and sexual behaviour?” 

Given that Foucault’s work influences much of his academic work, Prof Beukes based his article on Foucault’s posthumously expanded four-volume The History of Sexuality, which briefly touches on certain aspects of medieval sexuality. “This article attempted to address the ways sexual relations between women, as such, were thought and spoken of during the central and later Middle Ages.” 

His article also contributes to the small but growing body of research work done on the topic of interfemale sexuality in the Middle Ages.

News Archive

Physics researchers at the UFS receive awards from the NSTF
2009-05-28

 
 Dr Martin Ntwaeaborwa and Prof. Hendrik Swart from the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State.
Yesterday evening two researchers from the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State (UFS) received prestigious awards from the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) during its eleventh gala-award ceremony. The event was held at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.

Prof. Hendrik Swart, Head of the Department of Physics, was the recipient of the award for research capacity development over the last five to ten years. He received the award for his significant contribution towards the development of students in niche areas of nanophysics. The award, sponsored by Eskom, includes a prize of R100 000 which will be used for research purposes.

Prof. Swart is actively involved in the research of phosphor material, concentrating on the effectiveness of nanophosphor.

Dr Martin Ntwaeaborwa, senior lecturer in the Department of Physics was the recipient of the T.W. Kambule National Research Foundation (NRF) award in Category J as distinguished young black male researcher over the last two to five years. He received the award for his contribution to the understanding and harnessing of light emitting nanomaterials for application in light emitting devices. The awarded includes R100 000 prize money towards Dr Ntwaeaborwa’s research.

Dr Ntwaeaborwa is an expert in luminescent nanomaterials.

A first-year student of Dr Ntwaeaborwa, Thabo Ngobeni also received a Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP) bursary at the gala event.

The NSTF awards give recognition to the outstanding contributions of individuals and groups to science, engineering and technology. This includes all practicing scientists, engineers and technologists across the system of innovation, including, for example, teachers and students in mathematics, science and technology. The NSTF represents government, science councils, professional bodies, higher education, business and civil society.

Altogether 13 individuals and corporate organisations or institutions were presented with the NSTF Awards trophy by the Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Naledi Pandor.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za  
27 May 2009

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept