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10 November 2023 | Story Ouma Ngoepe | Photo SUPPLIED
Liezl Geldenhuys (ZZ2), Mellisa Pringle (Lasec), Ouma Ngoepe (CMBG), Prof Maryna de Wit (SFSD), Dr Mariana Erasmus (CMBG), Bernadine Taljaard (ZZ2), Khezwo Nematshema (SFSD), Shahiëda Cloete (SFSD), Jan Andries Viktor (SFSD), Vuyelwa Nkoi (SFSD).
Liezl Geldenhuys (ZZ2), Mellisa Pringle (Lasec), Ouma Ngoepe (CMBG), Prof Maryna de Wit (SFSD), Dr Mariana Erasmus (CMBG), Bernadine Taljaard (ZZ2), Khezwo Nematshema (SFSD), Shahiëda Cloete (SFSD), Jan Andries Viktor (SFSD), Vuyelwa Nkoi (SFSD).

The Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry (CMBG) at the University of the Free State (UFS) was part of another successful Tritech National Science and Technology Fair 2023 – an exciting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) research competition.

The UFS has partnered with Tritech and other sponsors since 2021 to bridge the gap between high school and tertiary education. Tritech, which started in 2008 and is open to all Grade 7-12 learners, aims to equip them for tertiary education by introducing them to scientific research and incorporating modern technology in research. This is an annual competition that starts at the regional level and goes all the way to the national level, with the national competition held at the Merensky High School, in Tzaneen, Limpopo from 20-21 October 2023.

Schools from across the country take part in the fair, but learners compete in groups rather than schools. 

Every year the Tritech Nationals are divided into four main activities over the weekend: 
  1. On the Friday afternoon the learners present their STEM projects in which they have identified a problem in a community, do research to find a solution, do experiments to test if the solution will solve the problem, then test the solution in the community, and lastly, present their findings to a group of judges and learners in similar fields. Fields include Life Sciences, Engineering and Design, Maths, Science and Technology, Environmental and Social Sciences, Health Sciences and Agricultural Sciences.
  2. Friday evening is usually a fun activity for the learners.
  3. On Saturday morning the learners are exposed to work-related activities that give them insight into professions they could pursue in the science field. This activity is sponsored and presented by the UFS. 
  4. The last activity of the weekend is the prize-giving on Saturday afternoon where the learners get rewarded for the quality of their projects and honour, celebrate, and encourage excellence. 

“Every year the CMBG includes different departments from the UFS in alignment with the theme for the event, to ignite a lasting passion for innovation toward promising careers in the STEM fields. In 2022 the theme for Tritech was “Crime Scene Investigators” and the CMBG team created a very realistic crime scene and laboratory setup to teach the learners about Forensic Science. The learners scored our CSI activity as the best for the weekend and we knew that for the 2023 Nationals, we had our work cut out to do even better,” says Dr Erasmus. 

Learning about food health and safety

This year, Prof Maryna de Wit and her students from the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development (SFSD) joined the CMBG team, to introduce learners to food health and safety, food preservation, food systems and development, as well as sensory analyses. 

Island, shipwrecks, and wilderness survival

Dr Mariana Erasmus, Deputy Director of the Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry (CMBG), spearheads the Tritech team from the UFS. CMBG, as part of its community outreach programme, is not only a sponsor of the event but is also the organiser of the main activity together with another UFS department. 

Dr Erasmus says the theme for Tritech 2023 was “Survival MasterChef”, where for the two activity events, the Tritech learners were “stranded” on an island. This exercise was a great way to promote leadership qualities, encourage creativity and confidence, promote teamwork and active communication, and increase critical thinking in learners, while they got to know more about food health and safety practices.

“It was all island, shipwrecks, and wilderness survival at this year’s event where learners had to survive after being ‘stranded’ on an island. To escape, the learners had to build a boat and while they waited to be rescued, they needed to adapt to island life to survive by preparing healthy meals, as well as preparing meals and drinks to treat dehydration and scurvy,” says Dr Erasmus. 

“During the prize-giving, some of the learners received shadowing opportunities at the UFS and other sponsors to advance their education. Bronze, silver, and gold medals, together with participation certificates, were awarded to other deserving learners.” 

News Archive

Spring graduation and diploma ceremonies
2010-09-17

The University of the Free State (UFS) has conferred 566 grade, 41 doctoral degrees and 274 diplomas at the spring graduation and diploma ceremonies. 

The two honorary doctoral degrees were conferred on Prof. Kalie Strydom and Dr Monty Jones. The event took place in die Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus. 

The UFS Management and personnel congratulates all our graduates on this achievement!

New UFS Chancellor confers his first degrees

The new Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), Dr Khotso Mokhele, conferred the first degrees since he has taken up the position as Chancellor. The UFS awarded 266 degrees and 20 doctorates to students from the Faculties of the Humanities, Health Sciences, Education, Law and Theology during its Spring graduation ceremony on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein today. Pictured at the ceremony, from the left, are: Dr Mokhele and Prof. Jonathan Jansen (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

 
UFS awards doctoral degree to 93-year-old graduate

This week Dr Anna de Jager received her doctoral degree in Religious Studies: Biblical and Religious Studies, during the Spring graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS) that took place in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein. Dr De Jager was the star of the day because she was the oldest person (93) who received her qualification during this graduation ceremony. The theme of her thesis is: Die belewing van geloofsekerheid by die Gereformeerde Afrikaanssprekende adolessente leerder.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

 
UFS honours an acclaimed educational researcher

The University of the Free State (UFS) conferred an Honorary Doctorate to Prof. Andries Hermanus (Kalie) Strydom during the Spring graduation ceremony held at the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus today. Prof. Strydom is an alumnus and former academic of the UFS. His academic career can best be described as a lifetime of dedication to accountable research aimed at the advancement of higher education in South Africa. He is an acclaimed researcher in the field of higher education – nationally and internationally. His work over the last 30 years has not only been about supporting transformation in the education sector and specifically higher education, but also about capacity building of staff and supporting equity expectations without compromising quality.
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

 
UFS confers another honorary doctorate

The University of the Free State (UFS) conferred another Honorary Doctorate today, this time on Dr Monty Jones (pictured), a Sierra Leonean who spent the last 32 years of his career in Africa working in international agricultural research for development institutions. Dr Jones is the Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and co-winner of the prestigious 2004 World Food Prize. The UFS also awarded 300 degrees and 21 doctorates to students from the Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences and Natural and Agricultural Sciences; and 274 diplomas were conferred on students from all the faculties during the Spring graduation and diploma ceremonies on the Main Campus.
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

 
UFS reaches another milestone in Sign Language

The University of the Free State (UFS) has become the first university in South Africa to award a Ph.D. in South African Sign Language. This honour was bestowed upon Dr Philemon Akach (pictured), Head of the Department of South African Sign Language at the UFS, during the Spring graduation and diploma ceremonies on the Main Campus. The UFS is also the first university in the country to have a fully-fledged and dedicated Department of South African Sign Language and it was the first university on the continent to offer Sign Language as an academic course in 1999.
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

 
Proud day for UFS parent as daughter obtains first degree

On Thursday, 16 September 2010, Ms Rebecca Mohatlane from the University of the Free State (UFS) Student Academic Services had a day every mother dreams about when her daughter obtained her first degree. Puleng Mohatlane obtained a Baccalaureus Administrationis degree from the UFS’s Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences during this year’s September graduation ceremony. Puleng is currently continuing her studies at the UFS, working towards obtaining an honours degree.
Photo: Christiaan van der Merwe

 
Second generation student at Chemistry obtains doctorate degree

The Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) bore witness to a special event on Thursday, 16 September 2010 when another Conradie of the department received her doctoral degree. Marianne Conradie, daughter of Prof. Jeanet Conradie of the department, obtained her doctoral degree during the UFS’s 2010 Spring graduation ceremony. Adding to the already tight family connections, Prof. Conradie also acted as the promoter for Marianne’s thesis titled Rhodium and Iron complexes and transition states: A computational spectroscopic and electrochemical study.
Photo: Susan Conradie

 
Eastern Cape MEC obtains diploma at UFS

A member of the Eastern Cape’s Executive Committee (MEC), Mr Sicelo Gqobana, was one of the 800 graduates obtaining degrees or diplomas during the September 2010 graduation ceremonies at the University of the Free State (UFS). Currently serving as the Eastern Cape MEC for Local Government and Traditional affairs in the province, where he has been involved in politics since the 1990s. Mr Gqobana is also a former Chief Whip in the Provincial Legislature. Mr Gqobana, originally a teacher, obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Governance and Political Transformation from the UFS on Thursday, 16 September 2010.
Photo: Christiaan van der Merwe.

 

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