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Prof Louise Cilliers wins the 2024 UJ Translation Prize

25 September 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied

Prof Louise Cilliers, one of our esteemed research fellows and former head of the Department of Classical Studies, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 UJ Translation Prize. Prof Cilliers received this accolade for her exceptional Afrikaans translation of the renowned Greek poet Konstantinos Kavafis' poetry collection, Van Alexandrië na Ithaka, published by Naledi.

Konstantinos Kavafis (1863-1933) is considered one of the most important literary figures in modern Greek poetry, known for his reflective and often philosophical poems that explore themes of history, identity, and human experience. In Van Alexandrië na Ithaka, Prof Cilliers brings the essence of Kavafis’ work to Afrikaans readers, carefully preserving the poet’s rich symbolism, historical depth, and emotional nuances.

Prof Cilliers has had a distinguished academic career, having served as head of the Department of Classical Studies. Her expertise in classical languages and literature, coupled with her passion for translation, made her an instrumental figure in making classical texts more accessible to a broader audience. This award is not only a testament to her scholarly achievements, but also to her dedication to the cultural and literary enrichment of the Afrikaans language.

The UJ Prize for Translation honours outstanding translations of literary works into any of South Africa’s official languages. Prof Cilliers' recognition continues the department's proud tradition of excellence in classical scholarship and language studies.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof Cilliers for this remarkable achievement and are excited to celebrate her continued contributions to the field of classical studies and translation.

About the UJ Translation Prize

The University of Johannesburg Translation Prize celebrates the best translations of literary works into any of South Africa’s official languages. It aims to promote high standards of literary translation and showcase the importance of bringing international literary voices into the local context through translation.

News Archive

Heart-valve studies receive international recognition

2017-07-11

Prof Francis Smit, Head of the Department of
Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UFS, and Manager of the
Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre, with
Kyle Davis, Mechanical Engineer at the centre.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

Three heart-valve studies which have been developed at the Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre at the School of Medicine at the University of the Free State (UFS) were recently presented in Monte Carlo at the conference of the prestigious global Heart Valve Society (HVS).

These studies are all headed by Prof Francis Smit, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UFS, and Manager of the Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre.
Prof Smit says the HVS is a combination of the former heart-valve societies of Europe and the US. “Studies on heart-valve disease, heart-valve-related products and operations, as well as the design and development of new valves were presented. There are both clinical and development divisions.

He says the study in which the hemodynamics of their redesigned mechanical poppet valve was compared to a commercial bi-leaflet mechanical heart valve, was named as the best poster presentation in the experimental valve development and numerical flow dynamics division. The study, which was presented by Kyle Davis, mechanical engineer at the centre, competed against some of the best heart-valve research units in the world.

The redesigned valve, based on the 1960s Cape Town poppet valve, has the potential to provide a low-cost solution for mechanical heart-valve replacement. It is possible to produce the titanium ring with 3-D printers and is, together with the silicon poppet valve, extremely inexpensive compared to current mechanical valve-manufacturing processes.
The advantages of this valve over current mechanical valves is that, due to the effective and laminar flow characteristics, as well as the simple locking mechanisms, there is a reduced chance of valve thrombosis, and the need for anti-clotting drugs is therefore limited.

It was also confirmed that the new valve more than meets the published FDA (Federal Drug Agency) requirements, which determine the minimum standards of valves for human use in the US.

The redesigned valve also has a very low platelet activation impact, which is responsible for platelet thrombosis and leads to valve thrombosis or strokes. This valve is another heart-valve project by the centre, which is also in the process of evaluating a tri-leaflet polyurethane valve developed by them.

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