Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
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.
UFS Council confirms decision to integrate student residences
2007-09-14
At its quarterly meeting held today (Friday, 14 September 2007) the Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) confirmed the decision taken at its previous meeting that the student residences of the UFS should be racially integrated.
The decision was taken with an overwhelming majority with only one vote against it and will be implemented in January 2008.
The Council tabled and noted the resolution of the Convocation of 11 September 2007 concerning the Council’s initial decision of 8 June 2007 and urged the management to continue to be sensitive, empathetic and inclusive in dealing with the concerns and views of all stakeholders.
The Council also gave all interested parties the assurance that any suggestions that could assist in the successful implementation of its decision would be considered and called once again on all stakeholders to make proposals to the management of the UFS so as to ensure a well-managed process of integration and managing diversity in residences.
In this regard it welcomed the suggestion made by the alumni of the UFS for the introduction of a Diversity Scorecard for residences which would include a multi-dimensional range of indicators and incentives for residences. This could include the diversity profile of a residence, the academic performance of the students in a residence, inter-residence activities and community service projects launched by students.
According to the Rector and Vice-chancellor of the UFS, Prof. Frederick Fourie, the Council hereby also restated the educational motive for the integration of residences, which meant that from an educational point of view, students who had the knowledge and skills to manage diversity would have a distinct advantage in the workplace and in life.
“Today’s decision is a major step forward for the Council and the UFS to achieve a broad consensus around the promotion of diversity at the UFS and in its residences, as the institution has always been committed to giving the best education to students in a diverse and non-racial environment. I would like to call on current students, prospective students, parents, alumni and other stakeholders to make this work in the best interests of the university and its students,” Prof. Fourie said.
He added that the UFS had established several task teams comprising staff and students to implement the Council’s decision of 8 June 2007 and that much work had already been done to identify critical areas and tasks ahead of implementation in January 2008.
Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
14 September 2007