Professor Rossouw von Solms honoured with IFIP Fellowship #R2bP
Emeritus Professor Rossouw von Solms from the School of ICT has recently been honoured with an International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Fellowship.
According to the IFIP, this fellowship is not only in recognition of his standing and expertise in the field of information and cyber security, but also the contributions, including in working groups and technical committees, Prof Von Solms has made to the IFIP over almost 30 years.
Read more: Nelson Mandela University News
Tribute to the late Dr Pravin Gordhan
Nelson Mandela University pays tribute to former Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who died early on Friday 13 September 2024.
Dr Gordhan earned numerous accolades for his lifetime of public service, including an honorary doctorate from Nelson Mandela University in 2008.
Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan was born on 12 April 1949 and grew up in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal. After graduating with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Durban-Westville he completed his postgraduate studies in Human Resource Development.
In recognition of his substantial contribution to society by transforming the administration of the SARS into a strategic governmental institution, the University conferred the degree of Doctor of Commerce (Honoris Causa) on Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan.
Under his guidance, SARS evolved into a world-class institution, significantly improving revenue collections and enhancing compliance culture across the nation.
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Lifesaving work over COVID-19 leads to Master’s degree
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when South Africa faced a severe shortage of mechanical ventilators, Nelson Mandela University student Zaahid Imran drew on his mechanical engineering knowledge and entrepreneurial skills to improve the drive efficiency of a mobile ventilator.
This year he graduated with his Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology (EBET).
“At the time, universities worldwide, including MIT were working in earnest on mobile ventilators,” says Imran. “I chose this as my design project in the final year of my BTech in Mechanical Engineering in 2020, which continued into my Master’s in 2021.”
The Advanced Engineering Design Group (AEDG) at Mandela University sponsored Imran’s Master’s degree as it had received funding from the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector (merSETA) for the research and development of mobile ventilators.
Imran’s family is from Lesotho, and it was destiny’s hand that led him and his two brothers to the University.
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Art alumnus Nosiviwe Matikinca holds first solo exhibition at Pretoria Art Museum
Nosiviwe Matikinca, 2023 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition Winner and Visual Arts Degree graduate from Nelson Mandela University, will hold her first solo exhibition, titled Ukungalingani Kwezemfundo (Educational Inequality), alongside the Sasol New Signatures 2024 exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum from 5 September to 3 November.
Her acclaimed work in 2023 shed light on the difficulties learners from under resourced backgrounds face in public schools, particularly emphasising the gaps in basic necessities such as school shoes.
The fragile clay castings of school shoes are featured once again, but with enhanced significance in the context of a solo exhibition.
For this solo show, Matikinca expanded her artistic exploration beyond ceramics to include printmaking and castings in various materials. She remarked, “For my solo exhibition, I chose to continue the narrative from 2023, to raise awareness and educate the public about the struggles of learners from underprivileged backgrounds.
Read more: Nelson Mandela University News
Surfing the AI wave
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The new landscape of the working world and how to merge technical skills with human creativity and ethics formed part of the discussions at the recent seminar, ‘How is AI shaping and reshaping your environments and your future of work in the age of AI’ hosted by Mandela University’s Faculty of Humanities’ Digital Humanities Hub.
The discussion was led by Mandela University graduates and alumni, Styli Charalambous, the co-founder and CEO of Daily Maverick, Jackson Tshabalala, project manager at Tangible Africa and Jonathan van der Walt, sculptor and lecturer, all working in the field of humanities at the cutting edge of AI.
According to Styli, while the journalism industry is going through a massive disruption and roughly 70 percent of jobs have been lost, AI cannot replace the work of journalists. Instead, he encouraged students to look at the potential and opportunity of AI, not the negatives, like using AI as a tool to help upskill and assist with research.
Styli also hosted a masterclass for invited Gqeberha media representatives, encouraging them to shift news from being a mere reporting commodity, to becoming more of a service, adding value to the society they are serving.
He relayed the journey towards the success of the Daily Maverick, his South African online news publication and weekly print newspaper, started in 2009.
Read more: Nelson Mandela University News
Mandela University student film selected for London Fashion Film Festival #R2bP
“Back to Earth”, the fashion film directed and produced by BA Media, Communication and Culture student Olothando Ntungele and BVA honours graduate in fashion and textile design. Tazleigh Swartz, has been selected for the prestigious 2024 London Fashion Film Festival.
The film selected alongside internationally renowned brands like Bvlgari, Calvin Klein, Nike, and Fenty, addresses the environmental impact of fast fashion by using fabric and food waste to create textiles and prints.
The collection incorporates materials like fabric offcuts, wilted spinach and onion skins, experimenting with new printing techniques to stencil prints onto garments.
The goal is to foster an emotional connection with consumers and highlight sustainable design practices, addressing waste issues but also innovative approaches to textile production
The selection process is rigorous, with films being audited by leading filmmakers and marketing agents from the industry. The Mandela University students’ film was chosen for showcasing and recognition, highlighting the exceptional quality and storytelling displayed in their work, although it was not submitted for award nominations.
Read more: Nelson Mandela University News