The University of Johannesburg has announced a new scholarship, the Mpedi Neurodiversity Scholarship which will help make research in a very underserved field more accessible!

Johannesburg, South Africa (06 March 2024) — In an effort to further research in the field of Neurodiversity Studies, the University of Johannesburg has initiated its Mpedi Neurodiversity Scholarship thanks to UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi and his family!

Professor Mpedi is a parent to a neurodivergent son. From his son, the professor has witnessed both the unique intelligence and systemic challenges neurodivergent people face. Knowing that learning more is the first step to creating a more fitting society, the Neurodiversity Scholarship hopes to help more students who want to explore the largely untapped topic a Master’s level, with a emphasis on the neuro-develeopmental learning needs of children and youth.

This will hopefully play an important role paving the way to a South Africa that shifts to help neurodivergent people flourish instead of them having to simply make their way through a society that by systemic design, often doesn’t consider them.

UJ shares:

“The scholarship represents more than a financial aid program. It symbolises the commitment by UJ to address global challenges in the field of neurodiversity. The scholarship aims to facilitate meaningful research that contributes to a more inclusive and understanding society.”

For Mpedi, there are many areas where the system does not serve neurodivergent people. Legal systems do not safeguard their rights enough, policies are not centred around inclusivity and nurturing environments where neurodivergent people’s perspectives and capabilities are not acknowleged enough.

For him, it is about seeing the differences that neurodivergence entails not through the lens that paints them as defective, but as a variation of the human experience.

Students have already been awarded the scholarship. Nthabiseng Molebatsi, Ntokozo Zwane, and Mohamed Mosala are all researching topics related to Down Syndrome. Each is examining different topics, including parents’ experiences in providing support and transitioning from home to school.

Sources: University of Johannesburg 

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The University of Pretoria is celebrating a big achievement after having ranked in the global top 8% of universities for education that’s both of top-tier quality whilst also being affordable:

Pretoria, South Africa (01 February 2024) — The University of Pretoria is celebrating a win in the world of higher education! This after UP earned a ranking in the top 8% of universities around the world for providing international students with education that’s both high-quality while being affordable.

In a world where one of the biggest roadblocks to higher education is affordability, it matters to spotlight those that are actively clearing this path. Moreover, it gives South Africa even greater headlights when it comes to our academic offerings.

This recognition comes as per the university database Study Abroad Aide, the most comprehensive database of universities globally. Over 8060 private and public higher education institutions across 69 countries were covered, identifying those that offer top-quality education without breaking the bank.

Universities across the world were assessed on two key factors: the academic quality they provide (which accounts for 75% of the evaluation and is also based on academic reputation) and the difference between the university’s tuition fees and the country’s average tuition fees to gauge affordability.

“As a leading research-intensive university in South Africa and on the continent, we are proud to kick-start 2024 with this recognition of our distinction in the provision of high-quality education that remains affordable for international students form all corners of the globe,” reflected Professor Sunil Mahaaraj, Vice-Principal for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education.

“Quality education and affordability are the top factors that learners consider when choosing a university,” shared Roxanne Naguinlin, database lead of the ranking.

“As such, being part of the best value ranking would not just expose a university to greater numbers, it also reflects where an institution stands among its peers, emphasising the excellence it offers to students.”

Prof Maharaj adds:

“This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a globally inclusive academic environment, where students can access top-notch education without compromising on quality…it is a testament to our dedication to shaping future leaders and fostering a diverse community of learners. We look forward to continuing our mission of excellence and affordability in education.”

Sources:  Supplied

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Architecture students from the University of the Free State got to represent South Africa and dazzle hundreds of thousands at one of the most prestigious showcases in the world—the Venice Biennale!

Free State, South Africa (22 January 2024) — The Venice Biennale (La Biennale di Venezia) is a highlight on the calendars of architecture lovers, architects, creatives and design enthusiasts. They come from all over the world to enjoy the grand spectacle dubbed ‘one of the most prestigious cultural festivals in the world’ that runs annually from May to November. And last year, students from the University of the Free State got to bask in being a part of it all.

Third-year students from UFS’s Department of Architecture got the chance to exhibit their work at the international showcasing—a shining accomplishment for any architect, let alone students.

Around 285,000 visitors attended the La Biennale di Venezia last year where, for the first time in its 18-year-long history, Africa was the focus of the festival. Six design artefacts were selected by South Africa’s Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, with UFS’s students proudly earning their place among the chosen six.

According to Phadi Mabe, a UFS Department of Architecture lecturer:

“To be featured in this exhibition means that we are recognised by the international community as one of the leading architectural learning sites in South Africa and the work being produced at the institution deserves international acclaim.”

But it also means a big shift in how architecture values what young African minds have to bring to the table—something we can all root for.

The students who have made South Africa so proud are Anya Strydom, Yamkelwa Simelane, Jan Truter and Khalipha Radebe, who used 3D printing in the most innovative way.

“The sound structures of South Africa’s languages are mapped three-dimensionally to create a visual and spatial record of language. This unique artefact demonstrates that there are uncharted terrains in architecture, suggesting alternative dimensions that can be extrapolated to show that architecture can represent the intangible,” Mabe explains.

Meanwhile, in other applause-worthy news of South African creativity earning spots in international settings, a South African film by Mark Engels was recently selected for the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles!

Sources: UFS; Various (Linked Above)

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Khanya Mhlongo from Hilton College recently got the news that his dream had come true after finding out that he had been accepted to attend Yale University!

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (17 January 2024) — Hilton College’s Khanya Mhlongo has recently made a dream come true for himself, his family, and many of his high school peers.

Recently, Khanya received the green light he’d been waiting for—he had been accepted into one of the world’s most prestigious universities—Yale.

The Hilton community could hardly be more proud of Khanya’s achievement as he prepares to trade the familiar lush scenes and faces of KwaZulu-Natal’s Midland for an entirely new atmosphere in United States New Haven.

The Ivy League university is ranked in the world’s Top 10 finest universities, and has a reputation of a strict admissions rate—making this a mammoth achievement for a scholar outside of the US. But, given Khanya’s glowing report card (he was awarded the Hilton DUX prize 2023 for earning top marks in his year) and his leadership qualities as the Deputy Head of School, the writing of success seems to have been on the wall for him!

Reflecting on the opportunity, Khanya shared a heartfelt perspective thanking those who walked this journey with him or lent their guidance:

“First, I thank God for this opportunity. All I have achieved is due to his generosity and grace in my life more than due to my own merit. It was Christ who blessed me with a father who worked hard to send me to Hilton, with teachers who regularly went above and beyond the call of duty, and with friends who believed in me when I doubted myself.

Special thanks to those behind the scenes—the support staff at Hilton, the housemasters and the admin staff – who contribute significantly to making Hilton a place where every boy can realise his potential. Yale would be a dream come true! But I will always miss Hilton and cherish the memories I made there.”

Sources: Hilton College; Khanya Mhlongo  

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A Stellies scientist and University Professor has made South Africa proud after making it onto a coveted list in academia that honours researchers whose work has been cited the most in the world!

Global (12 January 2024) — Stellies Scientist and Professor David Richardson is being celebrated for something pretty huge in the academic community.

Prof Richardson (who is part of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Botany and Zoology) was named on the global ‘Name Dropping List’ —the Clarivate list! This list names and fames researchers who are highly cited in their fields of influence, making Prof Richardson one of only ten people from South African institutions to be featured.

Prof Richardson now comfortably wears the title of one of the world’s most cited and respected researchers. This, for his contributions to ecology and the environment (2014-2021) and the cross-field category (from 2022-2023).

According to Stellenbosch University:

“The highly anticipated list identifies scientists and social scientists who produced multiple papers ranking in the top 1% by citations for their field and year of publication in the Web of Science over the past decade, demonstrating significant research influence among their pears.” 

All in all, over 7000 researchers from 67 countries across 20 fields made the list.

For the Stellies scientist and professor, the nod is one of magnitude because it indicates the influence of one’s work. For the Dean of the Faculty of Science, it is a proud moment, both for the recognition it gives to Prof Richardson’s time and effort, as well as the spotlight it shines on his work with managing invasive species.

Sources: Stellenbosch University

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A Visual Arts Lecturer has showed people that sometimes the most special creations come from starting exactly where you are, with what you have in front of you. As such, she has created gorgeous prints from everyday items like dish soap, candle wax and cool drinks!

Gqeberha, South Africa (10 January 2024) — A clever artist and lecturer from Nelson Mandela University is showing South Africans everywhere that you can do a lot with a little! After two years of research, Jessica Staple’s fine-tuned a method to create art prints from everyday items, leaving jaws on the floor.

Inspired by the toughness of the pandemic in terms of resource and studio access, Jessica found that turning the items most of us keep reserved for the kitchen into important artistic ingredients is a talent in and of itself. And it took a lot of tries to get right. But, thanks to this printmaking lecturer in the Department of Visual Arts’s determination, it is now a wonderfully accessible way for under-resourced artists to practice, create and even generate an income from their printmaking.

The mark-making technique Jessica experimented with is known as planographic printmaking (which, in a nutshell refers to printing on a flat surface). But, with her unique technique, everyday items like groceries become the necessary pieces to the puzzle, and no press is required whatsoever.

This is a hugely exciting development in the printing scene—especially in a country like South Africa, where artistic resources are limited for struggling creatives— as it is proof that creativity and innovation can outdo some of the fanciest tools and materials. Not only this, but it’s a fantastic way to up-cycle materials that may otherwise have turned to waste, like candle wax and tin foil.

“The materials are very basic, like lemon juice, Holsum vegetable fat, green Sunlight soap, Maizena, candle wax and tin foil,” shares Jessica before adding that she uses cool drinks too (this for the phosphoric acid component necessary for the print).

Expressing why she honed this technique, Jessica, who is also a Masters in Visual Arts Cum Laude Graduate from Stellenbosch University shared:

“This exhibition is the result of a love for printmaking, drawing, problem-solving and the people around me.”

She has named the technique, “Monolitho” inspired by the French artist Émilie Aizier’s Kitchen Lithography or Kitchen Litho invention without which, her work largely wouldn’t be possible).

While her works were already exhibited at NMU’s Bird Street Art Gallery, we have no doubt that they have and will continue to inspire all those who come across them digitally to believe that yes, you can make the most with what you’ve got. And yes, it might just be even more special for that reason.

Sources: Nelson Mandela University; Jessica Staple  

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Malefetsane Letsika’s mother worked as a clothes hawker to pay his way to education. Later, he’d work in a pizza shop to survive poverty. Life threw him many potholes on his road to graduation, but this master’s graduate proved them wrong:

Cape Town, South Africa (12 December 2023) — Malefetsane Letsika’s road to graduating with a Master’s in Structural Engineering did not come without its potholes.

In fact, for someone with a different perspective, the entire road could’ve seemed like a no-go. But, this is not a story about someone who only looked as far as the eye can see. In fact, according to his university, the University of Cape Town, it’s a story about someone who latched to his vision like a bulldog and refused to let go.

Malefetsane’s youth in Lesotho was tough from the offset. His mother, Agatha, endured abuse from his father. Then, when she remarried, Malefetsane’s second dad later passed away while Malefetsane was still a child.

Agatha’s resilience became a source of inspiration for her son. A clothes hawker, she had a plan to get her children the best education she could afford; a promise she delivered by paying for his school fees at a private boarding school in the Free State—an accomplishment he is still inspired by.

After her death, poverty fell upon the family. Electricity had become a luxury, as had food and clothes without holes.

Malefetsane stuck to his promise of making education a priority, and worked at pizza franchise where he cleaned and prepared dough to both pay the registration fee for his first tertiary education opportunity and his entire livelihood.

Because of his hard work in his academics and his impressive commitment, he received a bursary to become a Civil Engineer at UCT. Money might not have been flowing, but that was just another pothole the student had learned to navigate.

Today, after years of work, learning, struggling, and most importantly, sticking the course, Malefetsane will graduate as a Structural Engineer with a master’s degree. He’s got a job at a consulting engineering firm, and his future is one he knows his mother would be so proud of.

Malefetsane attributes his success to his ability to look at circumstances unconventionally. When life’s potholes told him to stop, he found a new way of going around them.

“I’ve been able to see outside the box when tackling difficult life situations. Life has trained me, and engineering also teaches that,” he shares of his roadmap.

Paying it forward for others who may be going through similar circumstances and need some extra learning resources, he started a YouTube channel to help other students on their paths.

He will graduate later this week!

Sources: UCT

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Ella Gardiner, a student from Stellenbosch University used her skills to make a clever creation that marries myth and magic (engineering). Her solar-powered unicorn toy was designed to inspire more young girls to get into STEM as most of these types of toys are boyhood-centric:

Stellenbosch, South Africa (04 December 2023) — As the push for more young girls to consider futures in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) continues, glaring issues become key points in the conversation. One of them spotlights that inspiration sparkers (like types of toys which encourage many youngsters to dream about getting into the field) are still tailored to boys. But, one engineering student is hoping to change this thanks to her clever creation!

Ella Gardiner, an engineering student at Stellenbosch University worked hard to make something that marries myth and magic (engineering). Her goal was to make a toy that many little girls would be drawn to, given that most tech toys are created with traditional boyhood in mind.

As such, her clever creation—a solar-powered unicorn that can move and even flap its wings— is here as a piece in solving the bigger problem of male hegemony in tech that starts from the toys young kids are offered.

Ella’s work relied on a lot of research to do with the toy market and what’s on offer for children in Africa. Compared to other countries, she found that toys created from engineering concepts with girls in mind were lacking. So her STEAM project (which adds ‘art’ to STEM), began brewing.

Of course, not every little girl is automatically drawn to unicorns, nor is every young boy obsessed with dinosaur robotics. But the more options there are, the more young minds can be encouraged.

Ella’s creation is accompanied by a storybook and is meant to be assembled by a child so they can be part of the magic and ideally, wonder what else they’re capable of building.

Of the storybook, Ella shared:

“I needed to find a way to make [the project] accessible to the average South African schoolgirl. This is where the accompanying storybook comes in. Not only do girls prefer to play with toys that include a story element, but the story also includes a main character who serves as a role model to young girls, encouraging their curiosity and confidence in STEM.”

Ella is part of the December graduate cohort, and we can’t wait to see what more she does with her magic!

Sources: Stellenbosch University

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Leading scholars respected all over South Africa recently earned their spots in the local ‘Hall of Fame’ of Science and Scholarship in recognition of their excellence!

South Africa (13 November 2023) — Thirty-eight of the country’s leading scholars and scientists were recently inaugurated into the local ‘Hall of Fame’ of Science and Scholarship; officially becoming Members of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf).

This was after an annual Awards Ceremony that took place on 9 November 2023, bringing the official number of members to 689.

As the official Academy of South Africa, ASSAf has as a core function to honour the country’s most outstanding scholars by electing them to Membership of the Academy, who are drawn from the full spectrum of disciplines (including and beyond) science alone.

Every year, new members are chosen by the full existing Membership; marking a big honour in recognition of scholarly achievement.

And the New Members Are:

Prof Daynia Ballot: Daynia Ballot is a paediatrician with a sub-specialty in Neonatology. She is a full professor at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Armanda Bastos: Armanda Bastos is Professor of One Health in the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases at the University of Pretoria.

Prof Hans Beushausen: Hans Beushausen is the Deputy Dean for Research and Strategic Innovation of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and Director of the Concrete Materials and Structural Integrity Research Unit at the University of Cape Town.

Prof David Buckley: David Buckley is an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Astronomy, in the Faculty of Science, University of Cape Town.

Prof Daniela Casale: Daniela Casale is a Professor in the School of Economics and Finance at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Makaiko Chithambo: Makaiko Chithambo is Professor of Physics and Head of the Physics Department and formerly Deputy Dean of Science at Rhodes University.

Prof Katherine Cockcroft: Kate Cockcroft is a research psychologist and neuropsychologist by training and is full Professor in the Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Prof Lesley Cornish: Lesley Cornish is the Director of the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Neil Coville: Neil Coville is Emeritus Professor in the School of Chemistry at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Lisa du Toit: Lisa du Toit is a Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Assistant Director and Senior Researcher in the Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform Research Unit in the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

Prof Philip Harrison: Philip Harrison is the South African Research Chair in Spatial Analysis and City Planning funded by the National Research Foundation and hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Edward Kirumira: Edward Kirumira is the Director of the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) and an internationally recognised specialist in the field of medical sociology.

Prof Jasper Knight: Jasper Knight is a Professor of Physical Geography at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof David Limebeer: David Limebeer is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is also an Emeritus Professor of Engineering at the University of Oxford and an Emeritus Professorial Fellow of New College Oxford.

Prof Florian Luca: Florian Luca is a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Thulani Makhalanyane: Thulani Makhalanyane is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology and NRF SARChI Chair in Marine Microbiomics at the University of Pretoria.

Prof Sioux McKenna: Sioux McKenna is the Director of the Centre for Postgraduate Studies at Rhodes University where she provides support and development opportunities for postgraduate scholars and supervisors across the institution.

Prof Bruce Malado: Bruce Mellado serves as the Director of the Institute for Collider Particle Physics,  University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Hanri Mostert: Hanri Mostert is the DST/NRF SARChI Research Chair: Mineral Law in Africa, University of Cape Town.

Prof Juliet Pullian: Juliet Pulliam served as the Director of the South African DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA) from July 2016 – November 2023 and is currently the Branch Chief for Real-time Monitoring at the US CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.

Prof Umesh Ramnarain: Umesh Ramnarain is a Professor in science education, and Head of Department in Science and Technology Education at the University of Johannesburg.

Prof Vimal Ranchhod: Vimal Ranchhod is a Professor in the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town.

Prof Sebastiaan Rothmann: Sebastiaan (Ian) Rothmann is a Work and Organisational Psychology professor and the director of the Optentia Research Unit at the North-West University.

Prof Alison September: Alison September is Professor in the Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology at the University of Cape Town.

Prof Karen Sliwa-Hahnle: Karen Sliwa-Hahnle is the Director of the Cape Heart Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town.

Prof Tholene Sodi: Tholene Sodi is a Registered Clinical Psychologist, currently employed as a Professor of Psychology and chair-holder of the SAMRC/DSI-NRF/UL Research Chair in Mental Health and Society at the University of Limpopo.

Prof Melissa Steyn: Melissa Steyn holds the DST-NRF National Research Chair in Critical Diversity Studies and is the founding Director of the Centre for Diversity Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Stephen Tollman: Stephen Tollman is a Research Professor in the School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand where he directs the Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt).

Prof Marla Trindade: Marla Trindade is the Director of the Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics and holds the DSI/NRF SARChI Research Chair in Microbial Genomics at the University of the Western Cape.

Prof Salim Vally: Salim Vally is the DHET-NRF SARChI Chair in Community, Adult and Workers’ Education based at the Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg and a visiting professor at Nelson Mandela University.

Prof Barend van Wyk: Barend van Wyk is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching, Learning and Technology at the Tshwane University of Technology.

Marcello Vichi: Marcello Vichi is the Director and founder of the Marine and Antarctic Research Centre for Innovation and Sustainability at the University of Cape Town.

Prof Elizabeth Walton: Elizabeth Walton is a Visiting Professor of Education at the University of the Witwatersrand and Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham.

Prof Digby Warner: Digby Warner is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and a Full Member of the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cape Town.

Prof Amanda Weltman: Amanda Weltman is presently the NRF/DHEST South African Research Chair in Physical Cosmology, at the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town. She is also the Director of the High Energy Physics, Cosmology & Astrophysics Theory group.

Prof Angela Woodiwiss: Angela Woodiwiss is the Director of the Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Genomics Research Unit in the School of Physiology at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Sarah Wurz: Sarah Wurz is Professor in the Archaeology Division, School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Liesl Zühlke: Liesl Zühlke is a paediatric cardiologist and Vice-President of the South African Medical Research Council.

Sources: Supplied 

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Dr Okikioluwa Aladeyelu did something big in the world of research, thanks to his helpful work on hearing loss. His research has been shared all over and is positioned to be a help to surgeons!

Global (03 October 2023) — Dr Okikioluwa Aladeyelu from the University of KwaZulu-Natal recently earned the global nod of recognition thanks to his helpful research on hearing loss.

Beyond having his work published in several international journals (including PLOS One, Scientific Reports and Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy) Dr Aladeyelu also earned his PhD in Clinical Anatomy as a result of the research, bringing him a step closer to his dream of becoming a Professor in Clinical Anatomy.

At a broader glance of impact, his research is well-positioned to help otologic surgeons understand what could cause hearing loss when faced with circumstances like middle-ear surgeries.

According to UKZN, Dr Aladeyelu’s focus was on how the development of temporal bone pneumatisation (air-filled cavities in the bone) is related to middle-ear disease and can be implicated in ear-related surgeries as well as other surgeries, like skull fractures.

This was an important path of research, especially given that pneumatisation around the temporal bone is suspected to be the cause of hearing loss in certain instances.

“Using radio-imaging techniques, he established the normal expected growth of air cells in pneumatisation at every stage of post-natal development, the degree of pneumatisation, and its influence on related vasculature in the South African population. The study developed a concise classification of the degree of pneumatisation for diagnostic and surgical purposes,” explained UKZN.

In Dr Aladeyelu’s words:

“The study provides new information on pediatric normal temporal bone pneumatisation which could serve as a key indicator in probing the onset of middle-ear infection among South African children.

“It also offers insights on the prevalence of aberrant vasculatures that are responsible for hearing dysfunction, which could result in an increased incidence of hearing problems and raise awareness of potential surgical pitfalls which otologic surgeons should avoid when planning ear-related and lateral skull-based surgeries.”

Sources: University of KwaZulu-Natal

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The post UKZN Dr’s Study Gets Global Nod for Helpful Hearing Loss Research appeared first on Good Things Guy.