Research Bites Newsletter 2015 by Kevin Naidoo

October 2015 Volume 5, Issue 1

Research Bites In this issue Newly Rated Researchers…….…………………………………………1-3

Developing New Generation of Researchers……...……………………….….12

Local & International News….………………………………………....3-5

Sustainable Watch...…………………………………………………….…….…...13

Gala Dinner & Awards……………………………………………..…….5-7

Honorary appointment ...…………………………………..……………………..13

Royal Society-DFID Capacity Building Initiative………….…………...8

Accolades & Awards…………………………………….………...….……….14/15

PhD Training Programme……..……………………………………….9-10

Did You Know....…………………….……………………………..………….…...16

Newly Appointed Professor ………………………...…………………..10

Forthcoming Events……………………….……………………………….…..…16

Climatology in the Department of Geography …….………………...11

elene de Wet is an Associate Professor at UNIZULU. She started her career as Senior Laboratory Assistant in the Department of Botany in 1990. She was appointed as a Lecturer in the same department in 1995. She registered for a PhD part-time in 2001 and graduated in 2006 from the University of Johannesburg. Her doctoral research covered a variety of fields such as ethnobotany, taxonomy and the chemical analysis of secondary plant products of the South African species family of the Menispermaceae. After her PhD she established herself as an expert in the field of ethnobotany. She is the first ethnobotanist to concentrate on Zulu people’s medicinal plant knowledge in a region not previously explored by any other ethnobotanist, namely Northern Maputaland. She concentrated

mostly on the plants that are grown in and on the periphery of people’s homesteads. Many new plants and vernacular names used for a variety of infections and other ailments have been documented for the first time. She also tested antimicrobial activities for many plants species that have never been done before and documented plant combinations to treat infections. Her ethnobotanical surveys also included medicinal plants used among people of Khoi-San and Cape Dutch descent in the eastern parts of the Karoo. Concurrent to her ethnobotanical research, she is currently writing taxonomic revisions for the seven Southern African Menispermaceae genera. Prof De Wet has published 23 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has also presented her research at international conferences. In 2008 and 2011, Continued on page 2

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she was part of the organizing committee for the 11th and 14th Indigenous Plant Use Forum (IPUF) symposia in South Africa. She was invited to give a talk on medicinal plants at the 2nd International Conference on Holistic Medicine (2011) held in Kottayam, India. Subsequently to that; she was asked to be part of the International Advisory Committee for the 4th and 5th International Conference on Holistic Medicine held during September 2013 and 2014 in Kottayam, India. In 2008 she was part of the panel for TWAS, the Academy of Sciences for the developing world, based in Italy for evaluating research programmes on medicinal plants in Africa. She also evaluated funding proposals for the NRF. Since 2010, she has regularly reviewed papers (a total of 37) for international journals. She also successfully supervised four and co-supervised three MSc students in the field of medicinal plants. It is specifically her latest research on lay peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medicinal plant knowledge that has attracted attention. Her research angle and new discoveries encourage other researchers to rethink their PROF. HELENE DE WET own approaches of how to explore local knowledge. Her regular collaboration with experts who are highly regarded internationally, namely Prof Ben-Erik van Wyk (UJ), Prof Sandy van Vuuren (WITS) and Prof Geoffrey Hawkes (United Kingdom), as well as her H-index of 10 confirms that she has developed a strong research profile.

r. Pullabhotla obtained his MSc (Eng) (Distinction) for his work on dehydrogenation of menthone to thymol over supported metal catalysts from JNT University, India. He started his career as a Project Engineer at the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP-CSIR) worked on various petroleum research projects and further continued his career in the petrochemical industry as a Deputy Manager (QC, R & D). Dr. Pullabhotla holds a PhD in heterogeneous catalysis from UKZN. His PhD research allowed him to publish nine scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, and one book chapter. His interest in the petroleum and the heterogeneous catalysis field influenced his choice of PhD topic that is related to the synthesis of the mesoporous and microporous molecular sieves,

DR. VISWANADHA PULLABHOTLA

impregnation of the different metals into the microporous materials and studying the activity of those catalysts in the oxidation of higher alkanes (C16, C14 and C12) using ozone. The alkanes are highly stable at room temperature conditions and even at elevated temperature and pressure conditions. In his PhD studies he employed various metal loaded microporous and mesoporous catalyst systems in the ozone initiated oxidation of higher alkanes to value added products at ambient conditions.

the heterogeneous catalysis, petrochemicals, oxidation reactions and nanomaterials. Dr Pullabhotla has published thirty seven scientific papers in peer reviewed journals, a second book chapter, and has presented twelve papers at national and international conferences.

With his interest in the electron microscopy he shifted his focus to the materials synthesis and characterization of the as-synthesized material with the advanced techniques using microscopy. His academic activities foster analytical chemistry and his research is focused on

r Zimbili Zondi attended South Africa International Conference on Education (SAICE) in Pretoria, from 21-23 September 2014. SAICE is an Africa Academic Research Forum (AARF) which aims at bringing academics and researchers together to promote teaching and learning through conferences. She presented a paper entitled: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Prison Education: Restorative Justice.â&#x20AC;? The paper summarised the study conducted on the restorative justice programmes offered in Zululand prisons by Phoenix Zululand, a Non-Profit Organization based in Eshowe.

DR CZ ZONDI

r NG Biyela’s publications mainly come from local field-research on indigenous knowledge. In the picture, she interviews iNkosi B. Biyela of Emayihlazeni-Nkandla. In the grave, lies Xhoko, the ancestor of the characters mentioned in the Zulu praise poems. Biyela digs out the information on their contribution on the establishment of the Zulu kingdom. Birds, animals and indigenous trees are Dr Biyela’s passion. Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Game Reserve is her source of information. She leads her research assistants to interview Mr S Mdlalose, the ranger at the uMfolozi, regarding the social behaviour of animals and the ways in which King Shaka used to conserve wild life in the same area during the 19th century. At the International Conference, about 260 academic delegates from various countries came together to share their research from a range of disciplines at the American University of Rome, Italy on 28-31 October 2014. At this conference, the disciplines were neatly divided into 5 categories, namely, Social Sciences and Humanities, Business and Economics, Posters, Teaching and Learning and Science and Technology. UNIZULU was represented in Social Sciences and Humanities by Dr N.G. Biyela from Arts and Languages Department in the Faculty of Education. Dr Biyela presented her paper on Women and the Art of Speaking with the Beads: The Traditional ‘Zulu Love-Letter’. She explained how the Zulu youth of old used beadedmessages as an indigenous form of writing to communicate their romantic feelings to their partners. As a Chair of the session, she had won the hearts of the audience who listened with enthusiasm to her presentation, especially, when she miscellaneously interpreted and sang the colourful beadedmessages of love in Zulu. Her overseas conference was also an opportunity to collect data to add to her research on religious names that originated from Italy. Rome also became a good source for her prospective paper on Zulu funeral practices. The last photo on the right has been newly-canonised, St John the 23rd buried inside St Peter’ Basilica which will included as evidence for her future paper.

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Hurray! Her work rewarded. She received awards for outstanding research and presentation and chairing a session. We congratulate Dr Biyela on her effort and hard word.

PROF. HELENE DE WET

he Research and Innovation Office hosted its’ Rsearch Awards Gala Dinner on the 28 October 2014. The Research Awards Gala Dinner is also a Platform to recognise and to promote the research culture at UNIZULU. Recognition was given for achievements to those who made a noteworthy contribution to UNIZULU’s research endeavours. We would like to thank Prof Cheryl Potgieter, the DVC of the College of Humanities at UKZN, for delivering the guest address.

 The Department of Computer Science, which received the Role Model award.  The Department Political Science and Public Administration, which won the award for the most productive department per capita, having taken into account both postgraduate and publication outputs.  Followed by the Department of Communication Science (second).  The Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology (third).

Various awards were given, but special mention must be made to the following:

The Awards Gala Dinner is our Department’s prestige event and a lot of work is put in behind the scenes to ensure its success. We also want to thank all the staff in the Communications and Marketing Department (CMD) and the Research Office, who gave of their time in various ways, including doing things that would not normally be found in their job descriptions.

 Prof Steve Edwards, who produced 9.55 publication units.  Professors Ocholla and Zobolo, who produced 3.6 and 2.05 publication units respectively  The Department of Geography, which produced 1.81 publications per capita.

For pictures see pages 6 & 7

NIZULU hosted the launch of Royal Society-DFID Capacity Building Initiative on Wednesday the 18th of February 2015 at its KwaDlangezwa Campus. Speaking at the event was Prof Azad Malik from the University of Manchester (United Kingdom); Dr Johannes Awudza from KNUST (Ghana) and Dr Peter Ndifon from the University of Yaounde (Cameroon). The University of Zululand was part of a consortium that successfully obtained a research grant funding by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Prof Neerish Revaprasadu, a South African Research Chair (SARChI) holder in Nanotechnology was part of the consortium consisting of representatives from University of Zululand. The consortium’s proposal titled ‘Developing Materials for Applications in Solar Energy’ was one of five projects funded by the Royal Society/DFID Africa Capacity Building initiative to the value of £1.25m for a period of five years. The overall aim of the programme is to strengthen the research capacity of universities and research institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa by supporting the development of sustainable research networks. The programme will strengthen the current research thrust in nanotechnology at the University of Zululand which has gained national prominence. There will be skills transfer between the partner organisations within the consortia through workshops and training programmes in materials synthesis and characterisation. Postgraduate students will also travel between partner universities. Overall the emphasis will be on cutting-edge, world class research in a very contemporary area of research. We celebrate with the Faculty of Science and the Department of Chemistry on this initiative. We hope other faculties and departments will follow suit and that similar collaborative projects will open the doors to internationalization at University of Zululand!

(USBED)

Mrs. Nothile Ndimande

PhD Training Programme- University of Stellenbosch, Business School Executive Development (USBED) 8th-12th September 2014

team of PhD candidates (staff and UZ students) attended a PhD training programme organized by the USBED. The programme was designed to offer assistance to students who are at the initial phase of PhD programme and those who are still searching for supervisors and institutions. It assists students with proposal writing, methodology, academic writing, speed reading, plagiarism and the use of various types of software for data analysis, organization, and literature review. The programme had the following sections:

Philosophy of research: Dr. Ruth Albertyn The research process: Prof Arthur Money Quantitative and qualitative methods: Professors Eon Smith and Willem Schurink  Speed Reading: Britha Padkin  Academic writing and plagiarism: Mr. Jaco Volschenk   

.University of Zululand delegation The University of Zululand had the largest group. The group consisted of committed and mature staff and students. It was an interesting team as some of the candidates are at the initial phase of their PhD and others are already planning data collection. The group was quite active and contributed tirelessly during the sessions. In a number of instances they made valuable contributions which were well received by facilitators and peers. The team was also invited to attend a review of a book by Taleb NN, entitled “Antifragile: Things that gain from disorder. The book was reviewed by Prof Eon Smith. He gave us an invaluable insight on fragility of both economic and socio-political systems. This workshop came at the right time for me. I needed the guidance from the experts and reassurance that I am on the right track. I was encouraged by the amount of interest shown by Prof Schurink in my research and the advice that he offered during our one on one session. The programme has equipped me with a number of techniques that will enable me to produce a sound proposal.

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I am grateful for the outstanding support from the University of Zululand, particularly from Prof Midgley and the Research Office. Through his visit and address during our faculty board meetings, he encouraged us to apply for the programme. I am also thankful for the support that his office offered before and during the programme. Miss Zinhle Ntuliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to organize the trip and her constant communication with the team is highly appreciated. I am also grateful for the support from the Department of Geography for granting leave and assistance with the teaching load during my absence.

efore joining the University of Zululand as Professor of Physics in January 2015, Greg Hillhouse held the positions of Head of Physical and Chemical Sciences and Director of the Centre for Research and Innovation at Elizade University in Nigeria, Professor of Physics and Head of Nuclear Physics at Stellenbosch University, Professor of Physics at the University for Information Science and Technology in Macedonia), Head of Physics and Programme Director at The Edge Learning Centre in Hong Kong, and Head of Physics at the Cambridge International Centre in Shanghai.

PROFESSOR GREG HILLHOUSE

His long term goal of returning to South Africa has been realized with his appointment at UNIZULU. He looks forward to applying his knowledge and experience to benefit the teaching and research initiatives at UNIZULU.

research programmes. He has supervised approximately 20 Ph.D and M.Sc projects and is currently an editor for Edanz (international editing service) and the Central European Journal of Physics.

Prof. Hillhouse has published his Nuclear Physics research in more than 50 scientific papers, and his predictions have served as the motivation for experimental programmes at leading accelerator facilities in the USA, Asia and Africa. His research focuses on the development of relativistic models and corresponding computer codes of neutron stars (pulsars) and polarization phenomena in nuclear reactions on stable and exotic nuclei. He has been awarded several prestigious research scholarships in Japan, China, and the USA, and has been instrumental in setting up bilateral SA-Russia and SA-China

An educator for more than 20 years, Prof. Hillhouse has empowered thousands of high school and university science students in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. He has implemented cooperative learning approaches to enhance conceptual understanding, designed university laboratory programs, and popularized science for high school learners. His goal as a teacher is to provide a deep conceptual understanding of the subject material, accompanied by real life applications and an appreciation of the overarching context of science as a unified academic discipline.

r Jury visited South Africa in 2015 for academic involvement at UZ, where he presented an honours course in Applied Climatology in the Geography Dept. The class covered thermodynamics, climate change, seasonal weather systems, soil water budget and coastal oceanography. The majority of UZ students performed well, even with complex calculations. Dr Jury gave a lecture on factors governing SA river flow, provided supervision to a UZ MSc student, and held a workshop on internet data analysis. Dr Jury then travelled to Ponta do Ouro in June for coastal surveys that included extensive hikes. Municipal services had improved a little, but many wetlands were under stress from farming. The community had turned down a government offer to improve

UZ HONOURS STUDENT

PONTA BEACH

roads, instead preferring isolation and reduced crime. Over the month of July Dr Jury spent time with family and friends in Richards Bay before travelling to USA where he visited Florida Institute of Technology. During this period, the Pacific El Nino brought dry weather to Zululand but generated floods in Florida. The trip was supported by SAPSE publication incentives; UZ logistics were facilitated by A. Mthembu. 120

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CLIMATOLOGY CLASS

PONTA WETLANDS 11

By Magdalene Kevisha Naidoo

esearch is an amazing journey of discovery, with the opportunity to leave a footprint in the world of academia. However for those who are venturing into this realm for the first time are faced with the task of understanding the correct way to approach research and academic writing. Without an appropriate foundation many may lose interest quickly. However this can be remedied by innovative thinkers that strive to help and develop top-class academics. The Information Service Unit under the leadership of Mrs L. Ocholla, in a way to support and encourage research, has designed and organized a series of research centred workshops for Post graduate students. These workshops are aimed at educating both staff and students about the first class facilities and resources available, which are not being utilized to its fullest capacity. One of the aims in this endeavour is to correct the assumption that there is no help at the Library, since students come in and barely scratch the surface when using library facilities. Therefore in a way to educate and inform students, a wide variety of workshops have been made available such as: Know Your Library, as well as understanding Plagiarism, Turn It In, E-Resources available at the library and many more exciting and informative offerings. These workshops are open to all students, however postgraduate, masters and doctoral students are encouraged to attend. Posters on workshops are strategically located at all high traffic areas with important information so that students can stay up-to-date with all workshops that are being held. Students are to RSVP if they are attending as seats are limited. To make these workshops more accessible, lecturers are encouraged to book for their students, and tailor-make the workshops to fit the needs of their students. To ensure that the workshops are effective and informative, feedback forms are made available to participants. This initiative according to the organisers has had enthusiastic support and feedback, and will continue to evolve and progress so services remain relevant and current. The end goal of such an undertaking is focused on developing researchers that are dynamic and effective in their fields. Mrs. L. Ocholla on 035 902 6458 or email her on ochollal@unizulu.ac.za

In the front: Ms. Zanele Hadebe; Ms. Patricia Badenhorst; Mrs. Lyudmila Ocholla; Ms. Zodwa Sithole At the back: Mrs. Grace Mutsvunguma; Mrs. Bongiwe Nkuhlu; Mr. Eric Mchunu; Ms. Ayanda Qomfo; Mrs. Bongi Ntuli

he Global Opportunity network released its Global Opportunity Report 2015

(http://globalopportunitynetwork.org/the-2015-global-opportunity-report.pdf). The report shows how great sustainability challenges can be viewed as opportunities. Identified opportunities have to be inspired by a risk or challenge of global importance, for societies (not just business), and sustainable. Fifteen opportunities are identified in 5 categories: Extreme weather: 1) Early warning and forecasting services; 2) investments in resilience; 3) cost-effective adaptation. Lack of fresh water: 1) Water efficient agriculture; 2) fresh water production; 3) smart water regulation. Unsustainable urbanisation: 1) Compact, green and well-connected cities; 2) Rural growth initiatives; 3) smart cities. Rise in chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs): 1) Combat NCDs with mobile technologies; 2) innovative finance for a healthy generation; 3) everyday health-enablers. Continued lock-in to fossil fuels: 1) Regulated energy transition; 2) energy autonomy; 3) green consumer choices. (Source: Institute for Futures Research Sustainability Watch Issue 68 (January 2015).

He was awarded an Honorary Professorship within the School of Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville for a period of three years as from 1 July 2015. This is a very prestigious Honorary appointment. PROFESSOR A BEESHAM 13

Candidate Adigun MO Akakpo EM Baum RK Beesham A Cele M Cyrus DP De Wet H Dube ZF Duma CM Edwards SD Fakude SM Gasa NN Gumede TK Isike CA Jobe MC Kunene NW Kunene NW Malaza MI Mahadeva J Masikane SC Mavule BS Mdletshe L Kappo AP

Category Technology & Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP) South Africa – Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Grants for Student Practice Indigenous Knowledge Systems Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers SANHARP Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers Sasol Inzalo Foundation Scarce Skills Master’s Scholarship Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers South Africa – Joint Institute for Nuclear Research – Grants for Student Practice Innovation Master’s Scholarship Innovation Master’s Scholarship Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers Innovation Master’s Scholarship International Science & Technology Agreement Thuthuka Extended Support for Scholarships & Fellowships UK-South Africa Researcher Links Grants for Travel and Hosting of Scientific Events Scarce Skills Doctoral Scholarship Innovation Doctoral Scholarship South Africa – Joint Institute for Nuclear Research – Grants for Student Practice South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Research Strengthening & Capacity Development for South African Universities

Candidate Ndwandwe OM