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13 June 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied
The Humanities Awards 2024
From left: Prof Danré Strydom, Prof Kobus Marais, Dr Alta Grobbelaar and Dr Alison Stander were among the award recipients.

On the evening of 4 June 2024, the prestigious Blue Gem Restaurant hosted an event that was a highlight on the academic calendar of the University of the Free State (UFS), with the keynote speaker Prof Mogomme Masoga, Dean of the Faculty of The Humanities. The Faculty of The Humanities Awards are designed to honour and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the faculty members in the fields of teaching and learning, curriculum development, research, and the arts. These awards are not merely accolades, but symbols of our commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and innovation within our academic community.

The Faculty of The Humanities Awards are integral to recognising the relentless dedication and exceptional contributions of our academics. These awards aim to honour those who consistently go above and beyond in their professional duties, significantly impacting both their students and society at large. The awards embody the UFS’ Vision 130, emphasising a student-centred and research-led approach. By celebrating these achievements, we aim to inspire continued excellence and drive forward our mission of engaged scholarship and transformative education.

Promising an evening of inspiration and recognition, the event commenced with a keynote address by Prof Mogomme Masoga, who undoubtedly set the tone with his insights on the critical role of humanities in today's academic and social landscapes.

The event began with a warm welcome reception where guests were greeted with refreshments and had the opportunity to network. Prof Mogomme Masoga delivered the opening remarks, after which the attendees enjoyed a fine dining experience at the Blue Gem Restaurant. The highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony, during which awards were presented to distinguished faculty members. The event concluded with the closing remarks and an additional opportunity for networking, allowing attendees to celebrate and discuss the future of humanities at the UFS.

Award Categories and Criteria

1. Teaching methods and assessment: Dr Alta Grobbelaar

This award recognised innovative and effective teaching strategies and assessment methods that enhanced student learning. Dr Alta Grobbelaar was acknowledged for her exemplary approaches that created engaging and inclusive learning environments.

2. Digitalised teaching and assessment: Dr Alison Stander

With the rapid advancement of technology, this award highlighted excellence in the integration of digital tools and platforms in education. Dr Alison Stander has set a benchmark in digital teaching, utilising cutting-edge technologies to enhance the learning experience.

3. Curriculum development, transformation, and renewal: Prof Neo Lekgotla Laga Ramoupi

Recognising efforts in modernising and transforming curricula to meet contemporary needs, this award honoured Prof Neo Lekgotla Laga Ramoupi's work in developing programmes that were inclusive, relevant, and forward-thinking.

4. Early career research: Dr Nonki Motahane

This award celebrated promising research achievements by early-career academics. Dr Nonki Motahane has demonstrated remarkable potential and productivity in her research endeavours, contributing valuable knowledge to her field.

5. Research with international impact: Prof Kobus Marais and Prof Danré Strydom

Given to researchers whose work has garnered international recognition and significantly impacted their disciplines, this award honoured Prof Kobus Marais and Prof Danré Strydom for their ground-breaking research that transcended borders and enhanced global knowledge.

Dr Sebolao expressed her gratitude to all achievers, "Your commitment to Vision 130 and your exemplary scholarship are a testament to the transformative power of the Humanities. Congratulations on your remarkable achievements and thank you for making a positive impact on our students and society."

The Faculty of The Humanities Awards were a testament to the exceptional talent and dedication within our university. By celebrating these achievements, we not only honoured individual accomplishments, but also reinforced our collective commitment to academic excellence and societal impact. This event marked a significant milestone in our journey towards realising the UFS Vision 130 and shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

News Archive

Chemistry research group receives international recognition
2016-10-28

Description: Chemistry research group Tags: Chemistry research group

Dr Carla Pretorius mounts microcrystals with
Dumisani Kama while Pennie Mokolokolo
observe the technique.
Photo: Supplied


Crystals and crystallography form an integrated part of our daily lives, from bones and teeth, to medicines and viruses, new catalysts, jewellery, colour pigments, chocolates, analysing rocks on the moon and Mars, electronics, batteries, metal blades in airplane turbines, panels for solar energy and many more.

In spite of this, not many people know much about X-ray crystallography, although it is probably one of the greatest innovations of the 20th century, spanning the sciences. That is why this discipline is actively researched by a number of tertiary institutions around the globe as well as the Inorganic Chemistry Group of the Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Research by the Inorganic Chemistry Group includes:
•    clever design of model medicines to better detect cancer and study heart, bone and brain defects;
•    production of new compounds for making new and better automobile fuels and decrease carbon dioxide in the atmosphere;
•    generation and purification of new South African mineral resources for metals widely used in turbines which use wind energy.

A group of UFS students have received acknowledgement for their research at six international venues in the past few months.

Posters in Cameroon
Twelve postgraduate students, together with Prof André Roodt, Head of the Inorganic Chemistry division at the UFS, delivered three oral presentations, nine posters, one plenary and one keynote lecture abroad.

Four UFS students - Nina Morogoa, Pheello Nkoe, Alebel Bilay, and Mohammed Elmakki - who delivered posters at the First Pan African Conference on Crystallography in Dschang, Cameroon, received prizes for their presentations.

School and conference in Croatia
Students Orbett Alexander and Dumisani Kama were selected to attend the intense and demanding Third European Crystallographic School in Bôl, Croatia. Both Kama, Alexander and Prof Roodt gave oral presentations at the 24th Croatian-Slovenian Crystallographic Meeting at Brac Island, Croatia.

Kama, together with Dr Ferdi Groenewald, Dr Carla Pretorius and Pennie Mokolokolo, also attended the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. The ESRF is a centre of excellence for fundamental and innovation-driven research. The storage ring at this laser facility can generate X-rays 100 billion times brighter than typical medical and laboratory X-ray sources.

Research in Switzerland
Kama and Mokolokolo also spent one month on research visits at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Both Kama and Alexander were invited to present their research orally to the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry in Zurich, headed by Prof Roger Alberto.

In Basel, Switzerland, Dr Ferdi Groenewald, Dr Renier Koen, and Dr Truidie Venter all presented their research at the 30th European Crystallographic Meeting.

Prof Roodt said: “It is incredibly important that our postgraduate students get the chance to interact, discuss, and be taught by the best in the world and realise that hard work on basic and applied chemistry processes leads to broader recognition. The delegates to these international venues came from more than 60 countries and took note of our students work. With these young researchers, our future at the UFS and at Inorganic Chemistry is in good hands”.

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