December 2022

Sustainable marine ecosystem management practices the core of 71-year-old Yusuf Adam’s doctorate

A person smiling for the cameraDescription automatically generated with medium confidence Yusuf Adam, project manager at Nelson Mandela University’s Ocean Sciences Campus, graduated with a doctorate in Business Administration at the University’s Summer Graduation, with his research in line with the University’s emphasis on sustainable stewardship and the ocean sciences.

When asked why he pursued a doctorate at the age of 71, Yusuf quoted Allama Iqbal, Urdu poet and anti-colonialism liberator - 1877-1938, who said that “A learned (wo)man only stays a learned (wo)man as long (s)he learns, the moment (s)he stops learning, (s)he becomes ignorant”.

Finfish aquaculture is still emerging as a potential sector for economic development in South Africa’s Oceans Economy and therefore creates an opportunity for business and scientists globally to prevent repeating the industry’s production and supply chain risks in contemporary aquaculture systems, Dr Adam says.

Radiographer’s discipline and motivation lead to her master’s degree

“Motivation (foreseeable benefits) can only get you so far in life, it's discipline that sets the winners apart, because when motivation fails, it's only discipline that will get you to do what needs to be done”, says Anelise Moyo.

Anelise graduated with a Master’s degree in Radiography at Nelson Mandela University’s summer graduation on 12 December.

Anelise is a full-time radiographer and primary parent of her three children and stays in Shelly Beach, Margate, while her husband is a general surgeon and works in Harrismith (five hours away).

Apart from doing everything at home she works as a night/trauma radiographer so that she can care for her children during the day. She also had two of her children while studying for her master’s degree.

She, herself, was raised by a single father with the help of her three brothers, and she salutes her father for that.

A journey of hope and resilience towards an MBA

“We tend to forget that our fellow students go through many challenges. We portray that we can survive and that we do not need help. I encourage students to reach out to their peers in their group, a lecturer, or any other support structure. Just a listening ear can give hope”, says Ryan Gallant (48), who will graduated with his MBA (cum laude) on 12 December.

Ryan, who is now a plant engineer at Coca-Cola (CCBSA) in Gqeberha, managed to complete his studies in spite of being retrenched because of the pandemic and having to start his MBA studies twice because of work pressures.

Doctorate focuses on the success of grant funding towards young South African entrepreneurs

The doctoral research of Nelson Mandela University’s Economics lecturer Asanda Fotoyi focused on the economic impact assessment of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA)’s grant funding in the Eastern Cape.

“This research is interesting because the NYDA grant funding provides young South African entrepreneurs with an opportunity to access both financial and non-financial business support, says Dr Fotoyi, who graduated at the University’s summer graduation on 12 December. Her supervisor was Professor Ronney Ncwadi.

ALUMNA ON SUSTAINABILITY

Profile feature of Mandela Alumna Anga Mbeyiya MCC & BAHons, founder and CEO of Ole Blu a “sustainable seaweed start-up”. Mbeyiya is featured in Mail & Guardian, 2022 Greening the Future, category Protection of Oceans 2022.

Trained in development studies and marketing at Nelson Mandela University and touted as a leader in African innovation after earning her master’s in sustainability studies at the University of Gothenburg, she is setting the pace for her peers.

Singer-songwriter Ngasii graduating with Masters in Gqom

“Hooked on Gqom: An ethnographic study of a contemporary urban youth musical identity in South Africa” is the title of Ngasiirwe Katushabe, Madibaz Radio’s technical manager.

Ngasii will receive his Master’s in Music degree on 12 December at Nelson Mandela University’s graduation ceremony.

He believes the value of his research lies in the study defining the electronic dance music genre through discussions of its soundscape, its choreography, and the theme of the identities of its practitioners and listeners in relation to the music and overall movement. It also “adds to the roaring wave the decolonisation of our education system by adding a black South African voice discussing a black South Africa art form”, he says.

Psychology doctorate explores new trend of finding solutions to social issues in the community itself

A person with curly hairDescription automatically generated with low confidence “I believe the solutions to social issues are found in the community itself,” says Dr Jane Ndungu, who will graduate with her PhD in Psychology at Nelson Mandela University on 12 December.

For Jane the discovery of a catalytic component in the participatory intervention design process was a eureka moment. Co-development is the inclusion of participants (for example, adolescents) in the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions. It is not a new approach but has not been readily used in group-based participatory interventions for adolescents in South Africa.

Mathematics Master’s student wins top SA Science Medal

A person with long hair and glassesDescription automatically generated with medium confidence Master’s student in Mathematics, Ruan Olivier (26) has won the prestigious S2A3 (Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of Science) Medal for the best masters in 2021 in science.

The S2A3 Masters Medals have been awarded annually to the most outstanding research student in a scientific subject graduating at the Masters level at each South African university.

Ruan is no stranger to accolades, as he won the best First-Degree student award in 2015, and the best First Year Degree Graduate award in 2017. He was also a Mandela University Vice-Chancellor Scholarship as well as a Postgraduate Research Scholarship holder.

He was the only pure mathematics honours student in the department in his year, but he was happy for at least the other honours student in applied mathematics.

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