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12 June 2025 | Story University of the Free State | Photo Supplied
Dr Hossein Naghizadeh and Refilwe Lediga
Collaborative innovation in action: Researchers from the University of the Free State’s Green Concrete Lab have partnered with the University of Johannesburg to advance 3D printing technologies using sustainable concrete materials. Pictured (from left): Dr Hossein Naghizadeh, Senior Lecturer in Engineering Sciences at UFS, and Refilwe Lediga, Concrete Printing Research Expert in the Department of Civil Engineering Technology at UJ.

In an ambitious and interdisciplinary effort to address today’s Grand Challenges, researchers at the University of the Free State (UFS) are exploring how nature’s oldest life forms – stromatolites – can inspire cutting-edge innovations in industrial ecology and marine conservation.  Drawing from biomimicry, 3D printing, and microbial engineering, their work showcases the convergence of ecological insight with modern technology. 

“One such example is replicating the structures of stromatolites – some of the earliest evidence of life - using green cement and 3D printing, the latest technology in industrial ecology,” explains Dr Jacques Maritz, Head of the Unit of Engineering Sciences at UFS. 

 

Ancient structures, modern science  

Stromatolites are layered microbial formations created by ancient cyanobacteria and date back over 3.5 billion years. These living fossils, found in fossil records and rare modern environments like Shark Bay in Australia, grow through a combination of photosynthesis, sediment trapping, and calcium carbonate precipitation. Not only do they support biodiversity, but they also play a vital role in natural carbon sequestration. 

UFS researchers are harnessing the lessons from these ancient formations to address urgent environmental challenges. In particular, Dr Yolandi Schoeman, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Biogeochemistry, is leading efforts to cultivate hybrid stromatolites in controlled environments, using microbial consortia grown on 3D-printed scaffolds.  

“At UFS, we are reimagining stromatolite formation through both artificial structural replication and biological cultivation, bridging industrial ecology and microbial engineering to address modern environmental challenges,” says Dr Schoeman. 

 

Ecological engineering for reef restoration 

The rapid decline of marine biodiversity and the degradation of natural reef ecosystems have prompted ecological engineers to develop innovative solutions. At the UFS Green Concrete Lab, researchers are pioneering the design of artificial reefs using 3D-printed, low-carbon geopolymer concrete – a material formulated from industrial by-products such as fly ash and slag. 

Artificial reefs mimic natural reef complexity and serve as critical habitats for marine life, from fish and crustaceans to coral polyps and algae. Algae, in particular, are key to marine ecosystems due to their roles in nutrient cycling, oxygen production, and carbon capture. 

“Green concrete refers to concrete that utilises alternative binders and industrial by-products, significantly reducing the environmental footprint. At UFS, we are focusing on geopolymer concrete, which eliminates the high-energy processes associated with Portland cement, while offering greater chemical resistance - ideal for marine applications,” explains Dr Abdolhossein Naghizadeh from the Unit of Engineering Sciences. 

 

3D printing nature’s complexity 

One of the challenges in artificial reef development is replicating biologically inspired geometries that support diverse marine ecosystems. Traditional construction methods often fail in this regard, but additive manufacturing, or 3D concrete printing, is providing a solution.  

The UFS Green Concrete Lab, in collaboration with the University of Johannesburg, is developing reef modules with intricate geometries and natural surface textures. These features support coral and algae attachment, accelerate ecological colonisation, and enhance habitat functionality. Biochar-based compost filters are also being integrated to aid algae-driven wastewater treatment. 

A particularly novel avenue of research involves using 3D printing to recreate stromatolite structures. These serve as ancient blueprints for modern reef design, merging deep-time ecological understanding with advanced material science. 

 

Biologically engineered hybrid stromatolites  

In parallel to structural efforts, UFS is advancing biological approaches to stromatolite cultivation. From July 2025, researchers in the Unit of Engineering Sciences will initiate a large-scale experiment using microbial consortia in 60-litre tanks, scaling up to 1 m² hypersaline ponds. 3D-printed conical scaffolds, coated with materials such as PP-CaCO₃, hydroxyapatite, and silica gel, will accelerate microbial colonisation and lamination. 

The goal: to achieve stromatolite growth of 14-16 mm in just 28 days - over 150 times faster than in nature. These hybrid systems are expected to produce 7-8 mg/L/day of oxygen, sequester carbon at 3.2 g/m²/day, and remove up to 90% of nitrates and phosphates from water. The potential applications extend from terrestrial ecosystem restoration to extraterrestrial life-support systems. 

 

A multidisciplinary vision for sustainability 

This work exemplifies the strength of interdisciplinary research at UFS, combining civil engineering, mechatronics, marine ecology, chemistry, microbiology, and digital fabrication. The Ecological Engineering Sciences stream fosters a vibrant environment for postgraduate students to develop practical, impactful solutions.  

The Green Concrete Lab is central to these efforts, offering students and researchers access to advanced technologies and collaborative networks. Through their innovative work in 3D-printed green concrete and microbial systems, UFS researchers are addressing biodiversity loss, advancing sustainable construction, and contributing to the global climate agenda. 

“Whether it's rethinking materials, restoring ecosystems, or redefining what concrete can be, our research is laying the foundation for a better, more sustainable world beneath the waves,” concludes Dr Maritz. 

News Archive

When you are deaf, you have to work very hard to join in the conversation
2014-09-11

 

Dr Magteld Smith

A researcher at the University of the Free State is part of an overseas audiological breakthrough, after receiving a newly developed cochlear implant processor.

Dr Magteld Smith, researcher at the University of the Free State’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology, is the first South African to receive the Rondo cochlear implant processor from Med-El in Austria, manufacturers of cochlear implants and audiology-assisting appliances.

In the field of cochlear implants, the Rondo device is very advanced in the sense that the single-unit device is wireless and easily adapts to the sound of various environments (i.e. nature, conference halls, planes and phones). It also enables the receiver of a cochlear implant to hear more than one sound at a time – something that wasn’t previously possible.

Dr Smith tells about the meaning of the device in just a short time: “For the first time I can take a walk with my dog and hear both our footsteps on the gravel of the dirt road. I can hear my own footsteps, as well as the chirping of three different birds. All at the same time.”

Dr Smith, who is currently devoting her research to the medical-social model of the global organisation, International Classification of Functioning, Disabilities and Health, as well as research in all fields of deafness, relates the anxiety, frustration and depression which formed part of her daily existence. It also complicated and undermined her academic participation.

“Deafness is very traumatic. When you are deaf, you have to work so much harder to compete in a hearing world and to join in the conversation. Because of your deafness you become anxious about misunderstandings in the workplace.”

Dr Smith is working hard and constantly not to take a back seat in the academy due to her deafness. On completion of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship programme, she received a certificate signed by the American president, Barack Obama, and was named as one of the top three researchers among 400 researchers from 192 countries. Only two South Africans are selected every year by the American State and International Institute for Education. 
 
In June this year, she delivered a presentation of her work and research at the 13th International Conference on Cochlear Implants in Munich, Germany. In July this year, she delivered a presentation at the 5th International Conference for Global Hearing Health. In August she was awarded a scholarship from the Golden Key International Honour Society for outstanding scholastic proficiency and academic merit.

“As a child, my parents were told that I was ineducably disabled. Today, I am grateful for the endless speech therapy since my toddler days, and to my dear mother, Jo, and late father, Chris Boshoff, and their firm belief in God which made them believe in me as a person with a congenital deafness. I am grateful for their unconditional love, endless patience, encouragement and support through my long journey in a competitive hearing world. This, together with the help of technology, enabled me to make a significant contribution to the academic world. Everything in my life is undeserved grace, pure kindness.” 
 
 

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