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UFS research scholars celebrated at the annual research awards

05 October 2023 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Stephen Collet

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted its annual Research Awards function at the Wynand Mouton Theatre on the Bloemfontein campus. Present at this event on 26 September 2023 were Prof Francis Petersen, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UFS, Prof Crain Soudien, a globally renowned academic and the President of the Cornerstone Institute, and members of the UFS academic community, among others.

The awards ceremony

Prof Petersen stated, ‘’The purpose of the event is to recognise scholars at the University of the Free State who are conducting outstanding research in their respective fields of expertise.’’ Certificates were presented to researchers in various categories, including National Research Foundation (NRF) Rated Scholars from categories P to A. Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the UFS, highlighted that there are precisely 217 NRF-rated scholars within the institution. However, some of these scholars had not been acknowledged internally. Hence, the ceremony aimed to celebrate these scholars.

Furthermore, UFS staff members were acknowledged for their research at both national and international levels. Prof Abdon Atangana, named as one of five recipients of the inaugural UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), was among these individuals. Future professors of the institution who are part of the Professoriate Programme were also recognised for their outstanding performance in transforming the programme.

The highly anticipated category of the evening was the UFS Book Prize for distinguished scholarship. Prof Reddy explained, ‘’the purpose of the award is to recognise outstanding publications produced by any permanent member of the UFS staff, which are research-based and published in a book. Prof Soudien, who was the guest speaker for the evening and one of the reviewers of the books nominated in this category, indicated that he found the books ‘’illuminating and in many ways challenging of positions I hold and positions that I think that we all ought to be reflecting on in terms of where our world is going’’.

From the four nominees vying for this award, Prof Helene Strauss was announced as the winner of the 2022 UFS Book Prize for her book entitled, ‘Wayward Feeling: Audio-Visual Culture and Aesthetic Activism in Post-Rainbow South Africa’. Strauss expressed her appreciation, saying, ‘’It is a great honour to be awarded the UFS Book Prize given the high calibre of this year's nominees. It is a lovely morale boost at this time of the year when our motivation can start to flag under the weight of the workload. It inspires me to continue to try to live up to the many examples of outstanding research produced on this campus.’’ The prize includes a certificate of honour as well as a monetary award.

The significance of the awards ceremony

While the award ceremony aims to recognise and celebrate research outputs by the UFS staff, Prof Petersen emphasises that it is also an acknowledgement of the researchers’ impact. Through their contributions, they elevate the research profile of the institution, thereby bringing the vision of becoming a research-led university, as outlined in Vision 130, closer to reality.

News Archive

UV betreur afsterwe van baanbreker

2006-06-21

Die hoofbestuur van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) het met hartseer verneem van die afsterwe van dr. Barnie Human.

Dr. Human het ‘n B Com- en honneursgraad aan die UV verwerf. Sy bande met die UV strek oor amper veertig jaar. Hy was vanaf 1967-1995 lid van die UV-Raad en was vir meer as dertig jaar betrokke by fondswerwingsprojekte vir die Ontwikkelingstrustfonds van die UV. In 1977 is hy verkies tot nasionale voorsitter van die UOVS Oudstudente Reünie, voorloper van die latere Kovsie-Alumni Bond. Hy is in 1981 deur sy alma mater vereer met ‘n eredoktorsgraad in ekonomie.

Dr. Human, wat deurlopend baie aktief betrokke by die aktiwiteite van die Kovsie- Alumni Bond, het in 1985 die Bond se hoofbestuurstoekenning ontvang vir uitsonderlike diens gelewer aan die UV. Hy is ook in 1993 aangewys as ere-trustee van die Ontwikkelingstrustfonds.

In Oktober 2004 het die UV hom vereer met ‘n Eeufeesmedalje vir sy bydrae tot die ontwikkeling van die UV se fondsinsamelingsaksies, veral ten opsigte van die vestiging van fisiese fasiliteite op die Hoofkampus in Bloemfontein. Sy geldelike bydrae het die UV in staat gestel om die Callie Human-sentrum te bou. Die sentrum is ter nagedagtenis van sy seun, Callie wat in 1967 in ‘n motorfietsongeluk oorlede is, opgerig.

“Dr. Human was ‘n ware steunpilaar vir die UV. Ons is dankbaar dat ons hom in 2004 daarvoor kon vereer met ‘n Eeufeesmedalje voor sy afsterwe,” sê prof. Frederick Fourie, Rektor en Visekanselier van die UV.

“Ons simpatiseer ook met mev. Swannie Human en die egpaar se dogter, mev. Christina Strydom. Dr. Human laat nie net ‘n leemte in die Bloemfonteinse sakewêreld nie, maar ook in die harte van die mense aan die UV wat hom geken het en saam met hom gewerk het,” sê prof. Fourie.

Mediaverklaring
Uitgereik deur: Lacea Loader
Mediaverteenwoordiger
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Sel: 083 645 2454
E-pos: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
21 Junie 2006

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