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08 May 2024
Photo SUPPLIED
The Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Prof Paul Oberholster, has the pleasure of inviting you to the inaugural lecture of Prof Dirk Opperman.
Date: 21 May 2024
Time: 17:30
Venue: Equitas
Click here to RSVP before Wednesday, 15 May 2024. Alternatively, contact Christelle van Rooyen on +27 51 401 9190.
About Prof Dirk Opperman
Prof Dirk Opperman obtained his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of the Free State in 2008. This was followed by postdoctoral research on directed evolution with Prof Manfred T Reetz at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research (Germany). In 2010, he was appointed in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry. He subsequently established structural biology at the UFS, and his current research focus lies at the interface of evolutionary and structure-function relationships of biocatalysts, and their application in green chemistry. He is an NRF B-rated researcher with co-authored papers in Science, Nature Communications, and Angewandte Chemie.
His research has been funded by both local and international organisations, ranging from industries such as SASOL to the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF, UK). He has a long-standing collaboration with researchers at the Delft University of Technology (TUDelft, the Netherlands) and is currently part of a European Research Area Network Cofund (ERA-NET Cofund) partnership on Food Systems and Climate (FOSC) that develops biocatalysts for upcycling waste.
Mirror, mirror on the wall
2014-02-20
Kovsies’ most beautiful. In the front are the winners, Lizelle and Cameron. At the back, from the left are: Esteon Steyn, first runner-up; Tilda-Mari Lourens, first princess; Lebo Duiker, second runner-up and Marjomalé Kernekamp, second princess.
Photo: Sarel Greyling
Who, secretly, wouldn’t love to be a king or a queen? Two Kovsies were recently awarded exactly these titles. Lizelle Serfontein, a first-year medical student from Soetdoring residence, was chosen as Rag Queen 2014/15. Cameron Maree, a second-year BCom Accounting student and resident of House Karee, now owns the title of Mr Rag.
These two students have triumphed over nine other finalists in their respective competitions and will serve as charity ambassadors for the university. They share prizes to the value of R800 000 with their fellow finalists.