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20 May 2022 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied
Tinovimba Semu
Tinovimba Semu.

Tinovimba Semu is the proud recipient of the Dean’s Medal for best results with respect to an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS), which was awarded during the recent April graduation ceremonies. Semu achieved a distinction in her Bachelor of Commerce degree with specialisation in Economics. Currently completing a BCom Honours degree specialising in Economics, Semu indicated that she did not understand the value of education, nor did she push herself to study until she arrived at university.

“Education is not just about getting the highest marks so that you can get a job. To me, education is about gaining knowledge, challenging yourself, and applying that knowledge to improve a process in the world, no matter how small that improvement may seem,” says Semu.  

Semu’s parents, both Math and Science educators, are her fiercest protectors and cheerleaders who have instilled the value of education in her and allowed her the freedom to choose her education and career path.  “I am not only under pressure to succeed in my academics, but with work as well, and I know that I have my parent’s support in everything that I do.” 

“I now know the value of working hard and working smart.  I know the value of goal setting and have learnt to set goals for myself and to work towards achieving those goals,” says Semu. 

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UFS academics to submit proposal on innovative research for smallholder agriculture
2009-08-04

 
Here are, from the left: Dr Bennie Grové, Department of Agricultural Economics; Prof. Schalk Louw, Department of Zoology and Entomology; Prof. Bland; Prof. Swart; and Prof. André Pelser, Department of Sociology.
Photo: Arthur Johnson


Prof. Wijnand Swart, Director of the Strategic Research Cluster (Technologies for sustainable crop industries in semi-arid regions) at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted Prof. William (Bill) Bland, Chairperson of the Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. Prof. Bland’s visit to the UFS was linked to an initiative by Prof. Swart to forge closer links with this university by signing a Memorandum of Understanding in the near future.

Opportunities for collaborative research were discussed with various academics at the UFS, including Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector: Academic Operations, and Prof. Aldo Stroebel, Director: Internationalisation. A definite outcome of these talks is that six researchers from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with Prof. Bland and scientists from the Universities of Makerere and Umutara in Uganda and Rwanda respectively, will submit a joint proposal for a research programme, supported by the National Science Foundation of the USA and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The objective of this programme, referred to as the BREAD programme (Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development), is to support innovative scientific research designed to address constraints to smallholder agriculture in the developing world. Prof. Bland also delivered a lecture in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences entitled, Holon Agroecology: A Conceptual Framework for a New Agricultural Expertise. The lecture was followed by a multi-disciplinary panel discussion.
 

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