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24 October 2022 | Story Andrè Damons | Photo Monsoon Photography
Prof Paul Oberholster
Prof Paul Oberholster was one of 29 scholars and scientists that were inaugurated as new ASSAf members in earlier this month (19 October 2022).

Prof Paul Oberholster, Director of the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), is the newest academic from the university to be inaugurated as a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). 

Prof Oberholster was one of 29 scholars and scientists who were inaugurated as new ASSAf members earlier this month (19 October 2022). At the same time, 10 new members of the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) were inaugurated.

As the official Academy of South Africa, ASSAf honours the country’s most outstanding scholars by electing them to membership of the Academy. ASSAf members are drawn from the full spectrum of disciplines. New members are elected each year by the full membership of the Academy in recognition of scholarly achievement. Members are the core asset of the Academy and give of their time and expertise voluntarily in the service of society. The 29 new ASSAf Members bring the total membership of ASSAf to 659.

Science must be in the service

“I feel very honoured to have been selected as a member of the official national academy of science which represents South Africa in the international community of science academies. I am a strong believer that science must be in the service of society. In all my research, I have shown an interest and determination to bring practitioners, students, and scholars together to pursue and foster the betterment of the human condition through its intimate relation to the natural world. The latter is in strong relationship with the vision and mission of the Academy,” says Prof Oberholster about being included in the academy of science.

This honour comes almost a year after Prof Oberholster won the NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award for his contribution to water resource management in SA over the past five years, with special reference to the field of biological passive wastewater treatment.

According to him, the ASSAf membership means providing evidence-based scientific advice on water resource issues of public interest to government and other stakeholders. He was nominated by Prof Eugene Cloete, the previous Vice-Rector Research and Innovation at Stellenbosch University for his research focus related to water resource management.

Research has direct impact on the most important resources

Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice Rector: Research and Internationalisation, says the UFS staff and students are proud of the national recognition that Prof Oberholster received for his lifetime achievements in research on water resource management. His research has direct impact on the managing, protection and rehabilitation of one of the country’s most important resources.  

“The demands on our water supplies will increase in the future as a result of climate change globally. We believe his research will become even more important and relevant in the next decade. We are looking forward to his future achievements and will work with him to provide him with the appropriate UFS support.  Congratulations,” says Prof Witthuhn.

News Archive

Council approves appointment of two deans
2008-06-14

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) approved the extension of the contract of Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences for a further five years during its recent meeting. The appointment of Prof. Francois Tolmie as acting Dean of the Faculty of Theology was also approved.

Prof. Tolmie will be acting as Dean as from 1 July 2008 and will be appointed as dean on 1 January 2009 for a term of five years. He is appointed in the place of Prof. Hermie van Zyl who will be retiring at the end of June 2008.

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences has reached many highlights under Prof. Van Schalkwyk’s leadership. It has grown to an influential faculty, known for its world-class academic quality and research and the successful preparation of students for their careers in the sciences.

Before his appointment as dean, Prof. Van Schalkwyk was chairperson of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the UFS. He serves on the executive committee of the UFS’s Executive Management and is chairperson of the Deans Committee. Over and above his work at the UFS, he is involved in various provincial and national organisations.

He was among others appointed by the Minister of Agriculture in 2007 as member of the National Agricultural Marketing Council and in 2008 he was appointed vice-chairperson of the Land Bank Council. He is also a consultant to the World Bank and other South African organisations, a specialist in agricultural and related court cases and popular speaker at agricultural societies in South Africa and Namibia, to name a few.

Prof. Tolmie was a Senior Professor in the Department New Testament at the UFS. He is member of various national and international organisations and academic committees, among others editor of Acta Theologica, the faculty’s accredited journal.

During his term as Dean, Prof. Tolmie aims to establish meaningful liaison with international universities, increase the faculty’s average research output and increase the current number of academics from the faculty who are graded by the National Research Foundation (NRF).

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
13 June 2008

 Prof. Francois Tolmie
 
 Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk

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