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UFS welcomes GeoCongress 2025 delegates

02 June 2025 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Dr Martin Clark, chair of the local organising committee, is looking forward to welcoming delegates to the GeoCongress.

In just more than three weeks, the University of the Free State (UFS) will open its doors to delegates attending GeoCongress 2025, hosted in collaboration with the Geological Society of South Africa. From 23 to 27 June 2025, academics, industry professionals, and students will come together on the Bloemfontein Campus to share knowledge, discuss new research, and connect with peers in the geosciences.

This biennial event will feature a dynamic programme of workshops, keynote addresses, and presentations covering a broad range of topics in the field.

Message from the event organisers and UFS leadership

“It is a unique honour to be able to host the national GeoCongress, being responsible for bringing together our partners in industry and academia to share our evolving understanding of the rocks, minerals, and advances in the geosciences and associated disciplines. My view of the GeoCongress stems from my appreciation and understanding of one of South Africa’s most highly regarded geologists, Dr Hans Merensky. Dr Merensky is credited with finding platinum in the Bushveld, diamonds in Namaqualand, and phosphorus and vermiculite in Phalaborwa. However, less remember was Dr Merensky’s ability to coordinate comprehensive investigations of rocks, and his tenacity in exploring across the South African landscape. For this, I believe our theme Embracing Change through Collaboration is apt, since it's through interactions between various sectors that we are best able to handle the challenges of tomorrow,” comments Dr Martin Clark, Senior Lecturer in the UFS Department of Geology and principal investigator of the Merensky Group for Airborne Geological Image Classification (MAGIC) at the Department of Geology.

“The 2025 GeoCongress symbolises the principles of sustainable research and innovation that we advocate for in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and underscores our dedication to the development of interdisciplinary collaboration. Research collaboration through our Green and Complex Research Hubs is consistent with the congress theme of ‘Embracing Change Through Collaboration’. By integrating geoscience research with broader sustainability and technological advancements, we guarantee that our scientific discoveries make a significant contribution to both environmental stewardship and industry," said Prof Paul Oberholster, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

Outstanding line-up of attendees

GeoCongress 2025 is set to bring together some of the most influential minds in geoscience, creating a space where leading academics, industry experts, and emerging researchers can exchange ideas and insights. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with key figures shaping the field, including Prof Glen Nwaila, Director of the Wits Mining Institute and a leading authority in economic geology and geometallurgy at the University of the Witwatersrand; Prof John Carranza, a highly regarded researcher at the UFS; and Sifiso Siwela, Chairperson of the SAMCODES Standards Committee and past president of the Geological Society of South Africa.

Adding to the wealth of expertise, Dr Geoffrey Howarth, Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town and Head of the Electron Microprobe Facility, will bring his knowledge in mineral studies, while Prof Susan Webb, Associate Professor of Geophysics at the University of the Witwatersrand and acting co-director of the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Integrated Mineral and Energy Resource Analysis (CIMERA), will share her insights into geophysical research. Dr Hayley Cawthra, specialist scientist at the Council for Geoscience, will contribute her expertise in coastal geology, and Prof Steve McCourt, President of the Geological Society of South Africa and Professor Emeritus at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, will bring his experience in structural geology. The line-up also includes Prof Wolfgang Maier from Cardiff University, whose research on magmatic ore deposits continues to influence the field.

To make the most of your GeoCongress 2025 experience, be sure to take full advantage of the networking opportunities – from informal meet-and-greets to engaging panel discussions. Don't miss the chance to attend hands-on workshops and exciting field excursions. These excursions offer a deeper look into the country’s rich geological history, with opportunities to visit Florisbad, Kimberley, the Beatrix operations in the Goldfields, or the Drakensberg. For more tips on navigating the congress and must-see highlights, visit the GeoCongress 2025 website at https://geocongress2025.org.za/ or contact us at secretariat@geocongress2025.org.za.

GeoCongress 2025 is set to be a landmark event on the geosciences calendar. With the UFS as your host, prepare for an experience that combines academic excellence, innovation, and a collaborative spirit. Welcome to GeoCongress 2025!

News Archive

Prof Steyn to receive Jan H Marais Prize in Stellenbosch

2017-05-09

Prof Jaap Steyn, who started his career as
journalist at Volksblad, later entered the academy,
and was a professor at the University of the
Free State for many years.
Photo: Marthie Kemp

Although Prof Jaap Steyn will be honoured officially for his contribution to Afrikaans as an academic language at the end of this month, he only became aware of his nomination after he had won the award.

According to this research fellow in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the University of the Free State (UFS), he is grateful for the recognition. He has recently been awarded the Jan H Marais Prize for his outstanding contribution to Afrikaans.

Former Kovsie honoured together with Prof Jan van der Watt
According to a statement by the South African Academy for Science and Arts, the award was jointly made to Prof Steyn, who is probably the best-known South African language historian, and Prof Jan van der Watt van Nijmegen from the Netherlands. The prize money of R500 000, which they will share, will be presented in Stellenbosch on 30 May 2017.

Prof Steyn is a former Kovsie, who was a research professor at the UFS from 1985 to 1997, and at the age of 78 is still a research fellow. “After the announcement of the prize, I learnt that I was nominated by two of my colleagues,” he says.

His most difficult work was probably also his best
Over the past 50 years several of his publications, biographies, and books have seen the light. He believes that nothing one does is perfect. His most difficult work was the biography of NP van Wyk Louw. “It was probably also my best work,” he says. “The book I enjoyed working on most, was the biography of the author MER, or ME Rothmann.”

Prof Steyn has also received awards such as the Stals Prize, the Louis Hiemstra Prize, the NP van Wyk Louw medal, and honorary membership from the South African Academy for Science and Arts.

He says the staff in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French are very friendly and helpful to still render him assistance as a research fellow.

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