Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

3MT competition showcases excellent research and communication skills

29 October 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Thandi Mazibuko, with her presentation: LED there be light, was the overall institutional winner in the PhD category and the runner-up in the national competition of this year’s 3MT competition.

The Centre for Graduate Support (CGS) recently (11 October 2024) hosted the annual institutional Three-Minute Thesis Competition (3MT), which was followed by the national competition (25 October). This year, the nationals took place on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. According to Tshepiso Mokoena, responsible for Research Capacity Development in CGS, the participating master’s and PhD students gave well-prepared presentations. The competition aims to equip postgraduate students with valuable communication and presentation skills.

She says that postgraduate students are encouraged to do research that will benefit the community. “To do this, students should be able to communicate and present their research to a non-specialist audience. The 3MT competition trains and equips them with skills that they will use in their community and workplace,” she noted.

Overall PhD winner

The overall winner in the PhD category of the UFS competition was Thandi Mazibuko with her presentation: LED there be light. Thandi was also announced as the first runner-up at the national competition.

Growing up in Qwaqwa, Thandi’s passion for mathematics and the natural sciences led her to pursue a BSc Physics degree at the UFS in 2013, followed by an honours at the UFS. She then completed her MSc at the University of the Western Cape and worked as a science engagement intern at iThemba LABS in Cape Town, which inspired her to start a YouTube channel with more than 4 800 subscribers, called Thandisayensi. On this channel she uploads Physical Sciences videos for learners in grades 10-12.

Thandi states that she loves learning and being in learning environments; in 2022, she registered for a PhD in Solid State Physics under the supervision of Prof Hendrik Swart and Prof David Motaung.

Her research focuses on synthesising a phosphor material capable of emitting red, green, and blue light, which, when combined, creates the perception of white light. Thandi compared the research process to cooking, explaining how the preparation of phosphors resembles food preparation. She believes that relatable language, analogies, and storytelling are important tools in science communication.

Thandi says that this competition was a valuable platform to improve her science communication skills. “It is an interesting challenge to explain your work in 180 seconds to an audience with different backgrounds,” she said, adding that she is excited to represent the UFS at the national competition.

The other winners

Each department hosts its own 3MT competition, and the winners and runners-up in both the master’s and PhD categories then represent their faculty in the institutional competition.

The master’s category winners from other faculties were:

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: Evodia Mohoanyane with Does SI/tutoring work and what about it works? Evodia was also the overall winner in the institutional competition in the master’s category.
The Humanities: Yonwaba Matshobotiyana with Of Speaking and Visibility: Black Women Poets' Voices in South Africa
Health Sciences: Viwe Fokazi with Establishing a novel 3D doxorubicin-resistant triple-negative breast cancer spheroid model

In the PhD category, the winners were:

Economic and Management Sciences: Chrizaan Grobbelaar with The use of gamification to enhance retirement preparedness of millennials
The Humanities: Sheree Pretorius with The Psychometric Properties of the Prison Adjustment Questionnaire (PAQ) among South African Male Incarcerated Offenders

With Thandi, first runner-up of the institutional competition, Chrizaan, participated in the national 3MT competition. Universities such as the Nelson Mandela University, UNISA, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of the Western Cape, University of Johannesburg, and the Central University of Technology were also present.

News Archive

UFS Centenary 2004 / 2005 October (centenary) fest Activities

2004-10-08

Friday, 08 October 2004
17:00 – 24:00
Callie Human Centre, UFS
Macufe Rock Concert
With: Rooibaardt, Karen Zoid, The Narrow, F****polisiekar, Stuurbaard Bakkebaard (from the Netherlands), DJ Bob, Ready D, Neva Me.
Cost : R50-00
Bookings : Pacofs (051-447 7772)

Sunday, 10 October 2004
16:00 – 18:00
Callie Human Centre, UFS
Macufe Three Tenors Concert
With: Phillip Kotze, Chris Coetzer and Du Preez Stolz, as well as Angela Kerrison. Free State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Chris Dowdeswell.
Cost :R60-00 (adults), R40-00 (children, scholars, students and pensioners)
Bookings : Pacofs (051-447 7772)

Tuesday, 12 October 2004
11:00 – 15:00
Centenary Complex, UFS
Inauguration of Centenary Complex
Open day with a variety of musical recitals in different rooms
Cost : Free
Enquiries : Elize Rall (051-401 3382)

15:00 – 17:00
Parking area next to the Centenary Complex, UFS
Kovsie Mosaic Day
Collage of the Century, Dance to the beat, Cultural Cartoon,
Who’s line is it anyway?
Cost : Free
Enquiries : Louis Botha (051-401 2819) or
AC Geldenhuys (084 585 3338)

Wednesday, 13 October 2004
19:00
Centenary Complex, UFS
Première of documentary film : The Life and Legacy of King Moshoeshoe
Note : By invitation only
Enquiries : Elize Rall (051-401 3382)

Thursday, 14 October 2004
18:45 – 21:00
Red Square (in front of Main Building), UFS
Centenary Honorary Doctorate Degree Graduation Ceremony
Conferred on: Me. Antjie Krog, Prof. Jakes Gerwel, Mr. Karel Schoeman, Dr. Frederick van Zyl Slabbert, Prof. Saleem Badat, Dr. Khotso Mokhele, Prof. Robert Bringle, Prof. Leo Quayle, Prof. Jack de Wet, Prof. Kerneels Nel (posthumously), Prof. Boelie Wessels and Prof. Jaap Steyn .
Cost : Free. Please RSVP if you would like to attend.
Enquiries : Elize Rall (051-401 3382)

Friday, 15 October 2004
18:30
Centenary Complex, UFS
Alumni Dinner and Centenary Award Ceremony
Approximately 140 centenary medals will be awarded in acknowledgement of exceptional contributions to the development of the University. The award ceremony is followed by the Alumni dinner in the Callie Human Centre.
Cost : R100-00/person
Enquiries : Elize Rall (051-401 3382)

15:00 (to 12:00, Saturday, 16 October 2004),
UFS campus
Reunion : Momentum Adventure and Expedition Association
Including : Setting up of the Kovsie Momentum base camp, champagne breakfast and abseiling.
Cost : R50-00/person for breakfast
Enquiries : Gerrit van der Merwe (072 4317 153) or
Niel Fraser (082 772 5642)
Website : www.uovs.ac.za/associations/momentum_hrcc.

19:00 (to 11:00 Sunday, 17 October 2004)
Reunion : Cantare Revue Group
Including : Formal dinner, budget show, bring and braai, church service.
Cost : R100-00/person for the dinner
Enquiries : Louis Botha (051-401 2819)

19:00 (to 24:00 Saturday, 16 October 2004
Reunion : House NJ van der Merwe
Including : Senior Student’s Association and concerts
Cost : R5-00/person
Enquiries : Tutu Ntlathi (051-401 4122 / 072 865 2227)

Saturday, 16 October 2004
09:00 – 10:00
Committee Room 120, Faculty of Theology
Founding of Theology Alumni Association
Enquiries: Henna Nel (051-401 2669)

10:00 – 12:00
Parking area, CR Swart Building, UFS
Alumni Campus Tour
Including : Visits to the new physical developments on campus
Cost : Free
Enquiries : Jeanette Jansen (051-401 3594)

10:00 – 12:00
Sonnedou gazellie (next to NJ van der Merwe Residence), UFS
Reunion : Ladies’ Tea
Visit our new gazellie and find out what Sonnedou is up to these days.
Cost : R25-00/person
Enquiries : Anne-Marie Delport (072 109 0507)

12:00 – 16:00
JBM Hertzog Residence (garden in front of Senior Student’s Association), UFS
Reunion : Braai
Cost : Approximately R20-00/person
Enquiries : Hattingh Bornman (084 240 5226)

12:00 Vergeet-my-nie Residence, UFS
Reunion : Braai
Bring and braai. We supply the facilities. Bring old photographs and stories. Enjoy Aunt Juls’ last visit.
Cost : Free
Enquiries : Mari Jordaan (051-444 2832/072 392 4444)

12:00 HF Verwoerd Residence Senior Student’s Association, UFS
Reunion : Spit roast
Cost : R60-00/person
Enquiries : Jan-Chris Landman (051-401 3613 / 082 664 6062)

18:30 Floreat Hall, Bloemfontein Civic Centre (Braam Fisher Building)
Irawa 60 Reunion
For all former editors, former and current main editorial staff and coworkers
Cost : R100-00/person
Enquiries : Sanri van Wyk (072 333 1011)
Elzette Boucher (072 180 6265)

19:00 – 24:00 Red Square (in front of Main Building), UFS
Informal Alumni Reunion
Spit roast and stories in a marquee
Cost : R60-00/person
Enquiries : Elize Rall (051-401 3382)

Sunday, 17 October 2004
10:00 – 11:00
Kovsie Church
Church Service

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept