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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.
Temporary closure of Qwaqwa campus
2007-03-01
Issued by: Dr Ezekiël Moraka, Vice-Rector: Student Affairs
The management of the University of the Free State (UFS) has decided to temporarily close its Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State out of concern for the safety of staff and students.
The Qwaqwa Campus will close today, 1 March 2007, until Monday 12 March 2007. Students who live in residences on the campus will be allowed to return on Sunday 11 March 2007. Only registered students will be allowed back.
This decision has been taken in the light of the damage to university property (including the dining hall and kitchens) on Tuesday 27 February 2007 by a small group of students and the continuing risk of further damage to property or injury to persons.
A small group of students were protesting against the appointment of a catering company to provide meals to students. However, the management wishes to state that the appointment of the company took place by means of an open and inclusive tendering process which also involved the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the campus.
The UFS remains committed to the use of existing channels of communication with students in order to resolve any problems that may occur, but will not accept violence as a means of finding solutions.
Media release
Issued by: Anton Fisher
Director: Strategic Communication
Cell: 072 207 8334
1 March 2007