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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.
UFS students identified
2008-02-29
Statement by Mr Anton Fisher, Director: Strategic Communication at the University of the Free State (UFS)
Classes resumed today (Thursday, 28 February 2008) on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein and everything is calm on campus following yesterday’s protest march in reaction to an extremely offensive and racist video.
The UFS has identified four students in connection with a video that shows black employees of the UFS having to undergo a mock integration ceremony.
They are: Roelof Malherbe (current student), Schalk van der Merwe (current student), Danie Grobler (former student), and Johnny Roberts (former student).
In another development, the UFS has officially reported the matter to the Director of Public Prosecution and supplied a copy of the video. An investigating officer has been appointed and the incident is now being investigated.
Earlier today a lawyer acting for the employees took statements from them concerning the matter.
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
28 February 2008