Latest News Archive

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

Dr Sebolao honoured with prestigious HERS-SA Award

22 October 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud to announce that Dr Rosaline Sebolao, our Teaching and Learning Manager in the Faculty of The Humanities, has been recognised with an award from Higher Education Resource Services South Africa (HERS-SA). At the ceremony, Dr Sebolao was one of the top five finalists for her exceptional contributions to higher education, particularly in academic administration.

The HERS-SA Award celebrates outstanding women in academic administration, acknowledging their crucial role in supporting and transforming the higher education landscape. According to Dr Sebolao, “The significance of this award lies in its developmental and transformative impact.” She explains that it highlights the essential contributions made by women in academic administration and encourages gender transformation within universities. This recognition empowers women to take on leadership roles, shifting the focus beyond traditional academic achievements.

Award recipients are selected based on a minimum of five years of demonstrated leadership in academic administration. Dr Sebolao’s innovative leadership practices, her contributions to institutional performance, her peer mentoring, and community engagement were all key criteria in her selection. Her mentoring efforts, particularly through school visits and support for underprivileged students, have made a lasting impact on the community and her peers.

Reflecting on the honour of receiving the award, Dr Sebolao describes it as “humbling and exciting”. She felt especially inspired as a mentor, noting that this recognition has the potential to encourage young women and men to strive for excellence in their academic and administrative pursuits.

Achievements leading to the award

In her role as Teaching and Learning Manager, Dr Sebolao has made significant contributions to both students and academics at the UFS. She has initiated several impactful projects, including the establishment of student indabas and entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at addressing graduate unemployment. Her commitment to improving communication led to the launch of a faculty newsletter, enhancing engagement among academics.

Among her most notable achievements is the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project, which culminated in the UFS’ inaugural SoTL seminar in July 2024. She also spearheaded the Humanities Excellence Awards, encouraging faculty to pursue greater academic and research recognition. Her dedication to engaged scholarship extended beyond the university, resulting in community collaborations such as the establishment of a school library in Ikgomotseng, promoting literacy and education among local learners.

Dr Sebolao’s academic journey began after transitioning from the business sector to academia in 2013. Her experience in roles such as Peer Mentorship Coordinator and Teaching and Learning Coordinator at the Central University of Technology, and later as Manager of Special Projects in Teaching and Learning, helped shape her leadership style. She joined the UFS during the challenging COVID-19 period, a time that also marked some of her greatest achievements.

One of the key challenges that Dr Sebolao faced was overcoming the isolated nature of work within the faculty. By fostering a collaborative culture, she succeeded in promoting teamwork and innovation across departments. This approach not only improved institutional collaboration, but also strengthened her professional impact.

Dr Sebolao’s relationship with HERS-SA has been instrumental in her development as a leader in higher education. Since participating in the HERS-SA Academy in 2018, she has connected with influential women in the sector and solidified her commitment to mentoring others. Winning this award affirms the importance of mentoring and paves the way for future leaders in higher education.

Looking to the future, Dr Sebolao aspires to continue championing gender transformation in leadership. She aims to empower more women, particularly black women, to take on leadership roles within academia. Her focus is on fostering community development through collaborative projects that promote sustainable living, aligning with her broader vision for teaching and learning at the UFS.

Dr Sebolao encourages young women to believe in their abilities and seek mentorship for guidance and support. She emphasises that perseverance, coupled with a strong support network, is essential to achieving leadership success in higher education.

Outside of her professional life, Dr Sebolao draws motivation from her family and community work. Guided by Ecclesiastes 9:10, which emphasises dedication in all endeavours, and inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” she remains committed to leading with passion and integrity.

The UFS community is incredibly proud of Dr Sebolao’s achievement and her continuous contributions to academic excellence and gender transformation in higher education. This award is a testament to her tireless efforts and dedication to empowering others.

News Archive

New world-class Chemistry facilities at UFS

2011-11-22

A world-class research centre was introduced on Friday 18 November 2011 when the new Chemistry building on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) was officially opened.
The upgrading of the building, which has taken place over a period of five years, is the UFS’s largest single financial investment in a long time. The building itself has been renovated at a cost of R60 million and, together with the new equipment acquired, the total investment exceeds R110 million. The university has provided the major part of this, with valuable contributions from Sasol and the South African Research Foundation (NRF), which each contributed more than R20 million for different facets and projects.
The senior management of Sasol, NECSA (The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation), PETLabs Pharmaceuticals, and visitors from Sweden attended the opening.

Prof. Andreas Roodt, Head of the Department of Chemistry, states the department’s specialist research areas includes X-ray crystallography, electrochemistry, synthesis of new molecules, the development of new methods to determine rare elements, water purification, as well as the measurement of energy and temperatures responsible for phase changes in molecules, the development of agents to detect cancer and other defects in the body, and many more.

“We have top expertise in various fields, with some of the best equipment and currently competing with the best laboratories in the world. We have collaborative agreements with more than twenty national and international chemistry research groups of note.

“Currently we are providing inputs about technical aspects of the acid mine water in Johannesburg and vicinity, as well as the fracking in the Karoo in order to release shale gas.”

New equipment installed during the upgrading action comprises:

X-ray diffractometers (R5 million) for crystal research. Crystals with unknown compounds are researched on an X-ray diffractometer, which determines the distances in angstroms (1 angstrom is a ten-billionth of a metre) and corners between atoms, as well as the arrangement of the atoms in the crystal, and the precise composition of the molecules in the crystal.
Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) for thermographic analyses (R4 million). Heat transfer and the accompanying changes, as in volcanoes, and catalytic reactions for new motor petrol are researched. Temperature changes, coupled with the phase switchover of fluid crystals (liquid crystals -watches, TV screens) of solid matter to fluids, are measured.
Nuclear-magnetic resonance (NMR: Bruker 600 MHz; R12 million, one of the most advanced systems in Africa). A NMR apparatus is closely linked with the apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging, which is commonly used in hospitals. NMR is also used to determine the structure of unknown compounds, as well as the purity of the sample. Important structural characteristics of molecules can also be identified, which is extremely important if this molecule is to be used as medication, as well as to predict any possible side effects of it.
High-performance Computing Centre (HPC, R5 million). The UFS’ HPC consists of approximately 900 computer cores (equal to 900 ordinary personal computers) encapsulated in one compact system handling calculations at a billion-datapoint level It is used to calculate the geometry and spatial arrangements, energy and characteristics of molecules. The bigger the molecule that is worked with, the more powerful the computers must be doing the calculations. Computing chemistry is particularly useful to calculate molecular characteristics in the absence of X-ray crystallographic or other structural information. Some reactions are so quick that the intermediary products cannot be characterised and computing chemistry is of invaluable value in that case.
Catalytic and high-pressure equipment (R6 million; some of the most advanced equipment in the world). The pressures reached (in comparison with those in car tyres) are in gases (100 times bigger) and in fluids (1 500 times) in order to study very special reactions. The research is undertaken, some of which are in collaboration with Sasol, to develop new petrol and petrol additives and add value to local chemicals.
Reaction speed equipment (Kinetics: R5 million; some of the most advanced equipment in the world). The tempo and reactions can be studied in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared area at millisecond level; if combined with the NMR, up to a microsecond level (one millionth of a second.

Typical reactions are, for example, the human respiratory system, the absorption of agents in the brain, decomposition of nanomaterials and protein, acid and basis polymerisation reactions (shaping of water-bottle plastic) and many more.

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