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Prof Maxim Finkelstein selected as Ewha Global Fellow

26 February 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Supplied

Prof Finkelstein_web read more edit — Prof Maxim Finkelstein, A1-rated researcher from the University of the Free State, has been selected as the 2024 - 2026 Ewha Global Fellow by Ewha Womans University.

An esteemed researcher from the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof Maxim Finkelstein, has been named a 2024 - 2026 Ewha Global Fellow (EGF) by Ewha Womans University in South Korea.

Prof Finkelstein, an A1-rated researcher from the Department of Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Science, received this honour in recognition of his outstanding collaboration with Prof Ji Hwan Cha from Ewha’s Department of Statistics. Prof Cha nominated him as a leading expert in his field, highlighting their long-standing partnership and significant contributions to mathematical sciences.

According to Hyang-Sook Lee, President of the Ewha Womans University, the EGF programme “encourages distinguished scholars from all over the world to actively collaborate in research and education with Ewha faculty members.”

The genesis of a unique collaboration

Prof Finkelstein has collaborated extensively with researchers across Europe and the United States but his partnership with Prof Cha is particularly notable. “I started working at the UFS as a Professor in 1998 when he had just obtained his PhD,” recalls Prof Finkelstein.

At the time, Prof Finkelstein was already an established researcher, while Prof Cha was in the early stages. “His letter to me about one of my articles was sent to me by regular mail to my previous working address in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and did not reach me. We eventually connected around 2006, and our collaboration gradually took shape,” he explains.

Over the years, their partnership evolved into a balanced and mutually enriching research relationship. Their joint efforts have resulted in over 120 published papers and two books, setting new standards in the Mathematical Theory of Reliability and its applications. This collaboration has significantly influenced both their careers and contributed to Prof Finkelstein’s recognition with South Africa’s highest research accolades, including an NRF A1 rating in "Mathematical Sciences" in 2021, following his A2 rating in 2015.

A breakthrough in stochastic modelling

One of the major achievements of Prof Finkelstein's collaboration with Ewha has been their pioneering work in stochastic modelling. Their research led to the development of the Generalised Polya Process, a novel model for understanding natural and industrial point events - such as failures in electricity generation, lightning strikes, and hurricanes. By incorporating the ‘history’ of previous events, this model offers a more precise stochastic description of real-world phenomena.

The results of their research have been widely published and have paved the way for further exploration into more complex stochastic processes. Some of their key findings were summarised in the 2018 Springer book Point Processes for Reliability Analysis.

Looking ahead: Future collaboration and continued innovation

Despite being in the later years of his career, Prof Finkelstein remains deeply engaged in research and committed to his partnership with Ewha. Due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, his visits to Ewha were limited, but plans are now in place for future visits. During these visits, he will deliver lectures to students and collaborate with faculty members.

For Prof Finkelstein, continuing his nearly two-decade-long collaboration with Prof Cha remains a vital and exciting part of his academic journey.

News Archive

Help to rural women to become entrepreneurs

2006-10-24

Some of the guests who attended the ceremony were, from the left: Mr Donray Malabie (Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust), Ms Jemina Mokgosi (one of the ladies from Tabane Village who is participating in the Women in Agriculture project), Dr Limakatso Moorosi (Head: Veterinary Services, Free State Department of Agriculture), Prof Johan Greyling (Head: UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences) and Ms Khoboso Lehloenya (coordinator of the project from UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences). Photo: Leonie Bolleurs\

Alexander Forbes and UFS help rural women to become entrepreneurs

Today, the Alexander Forbes Community Trust and the University of the Free State (UFS) joined forces to create an enabling environment for rural women to become players in the private sector.

Three years ago the UFS set up a unique small-scale household egg production project called Women in Agriculture in Thaba ‘Nchu as a pilot project. The project was officially launched today by Mr Donray Malabie, Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust.

The aim of the Women in Agriculture Project is to create jobs, provide food security and to help develop rural women into entrepreneurs. A total of 25 women based in Tabane Village in Thaba ‘Nchu are the beneficiaries of the project.

“This is the first project in the Free State the Alexander Forbes Community Trust is involved with. The project would help rural women acquire the skills they need to run their own egg-production business from their homes,” said Mr Malabie.

“The ongoing debate on the shortage of skills ignores the fact that people with little or no education at all also need training. This project is special to the Trust as it provides for the creation of sustainable jobs, food security and the transfer of much needed skills all at once, particularly at this level,” he said.

Every woman in the group started with two small mobile cages that housed 12 hens each. The units are low in cost, and made of commercially available welded mesh and a metal frame. Now, each woman has four cages with 48 hens. The group manages to collectively produce 750 eggs daily.

The eggs are currently sold to local businesses, including spaza shops and the women are using the income generated to look after their families and to further develop their business.

The Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS identified the project and did the initial research into the feasibility of setting up such a project.

“A demonstration and training unit has been established at the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre and the women attended a short practical training course. Subsidies are provided for feeding, together with all the material and the lay hens necessary for the start of the business,” said Ms Khoboso Lehloenya, coordinator of the project from the Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS.

“The advantage in using lay hens is that they are resistant to diseases and the women will not need electric heating systems for the egg production,” said Ms Lehloenya.

According to Ms Lehloenya, the women are already benefiting from their egg production businesses. “Some of them have used the profit to buy school uniforms and tracksuits for their children and others are now able to make a monthly contribution to their household expenses,” said Ms Lehloenya.
“In South Africa, possibly due to cultural reasons and circumstances, most black people prefer to eat older and tougher chickens, compared to younger soft commercially available broiler chickens. This preference creates a further advantage for the women. At the end of their production cycle, old hens can be sold for a higher price than point-of-lay or young hens. This brings in further money to pay for more hens,” said Ms Lehloenya.

The Alexander Forbes Trust contributed R191 000 towards the project aimed at expanding it to benefit 15 more women.

“We are in the process of recruiting an additional 15 women in Thaba ‘Nchu who will be trained by the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre in order to replicate the model and extend its reach”, said Ms Lehloenya.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za
20 October 2006

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