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08 May 2024
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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.
University management discuss the institution’s commitments towards Reitz colleagues
2014-03-17
Detailed report by Dr Choice Makhetha (pdf)
It has been six years since the Reitz incident happened at the University of the Free State (UFS).
Since this day the UFS has achieved great strides in restoring the dignity of the five colleagues and ensuring their financial security.
The commitment to empower these colleagues has always been a priority to the UFS and members of the senior management played an active role in helping them to establish Mamello Trading 864 CC, a cleaning company.
On Tuesday 18 March 2014, the senior management met with the five colleagues once again at the Bloemfontein Campus to reflect on what have been done to ensure that the UFS meets the obligations, as set out in the Deed of Settlement.
Future commitment towards our five colleagues were also discussed.
On Thursday 19 June 2014 Mamello Trading 864 CC will be formally launched to create an opportunity to introduce the business to the market and the public.
Prof André Keet, Director of the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice, also took the opportunity to speak about the newly established Human Rights Desk at the Institute.
Please see the attached document for a complete update on the case and agreements as noted in the Deed of Settlement.