Nature Conservation Master’s student awarded SA Women in Science fellowship #R2bP
Nelson Mandela University’s Ruby Davies is one of seven master’s degree students countrywide, who received the South African Women in Science Awards DSTI–Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri Fellowship for their academic excellence and research potential.
Ruby is studying for her MSc in Nature Conservation at George Campus, with an international research component at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
Her research supports South Africa’s sustainability and global climate resilience goals, by contributing to evidence-based conservation.
The Fellowship celebrates exceptional women scientists advancing STEM in South Africa and beyond and were awarded recently at the 2025 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA).
Both doctoral and master’s students were recognised to support women researchers at critical stages in their academic journeys.
Under the theme "Unpacking STEM Careers: Her Voice in Science", the prestigious awards celebrated 30 exceptional women scientists and researchers, whose groundbreaking work is shaping the future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in South Africa and beyond.
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National Humanitarian Award for Lumka Cube #R2bP
Lumka Cube, Administrative Assistant in Mandela University’s Nursing Science, has been awarded the 2025 Fabulous Woman Humanitarian Award by the Fabulous Girls Foundation.
Lumka was honoured for her work as founder and Managing Director of the Grab and Go Foundation, a Gqeberha-based non-profit.
Founded in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Grab and Go Foundation addresses urgent community needs by providing essentials, such as food, hygiene products, clothing, and other necessities to vulnerable groups.
“Based in Gqeberha, our mission is to support underserved individuals with dignity. I lead strategy, oversee operations, and build partnerships to expand our reach,” says Lumka.
The Fabulous Girls Foundation, a national NPO, empowers young women through mentorship and educational development while tackling youth unemployment. Its annual awards recognise and celebrate exceptional African women and girls.
“It’s an honour to be recognised nationally and to represent what the University stands for,” Lumka reflects. “Living out my purpose while working at an institution that aligns with my values is a true blessing.”
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Juandré van Eck wins 2025 Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts Competition
Juandré van Eck (25), an Honours student in ceramic art at Nelson Mandela University, is the overall winner of the 2025 Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts Competition, announced on 3 September.
Juandré van Eck with his ceramic piece titled Cycles of the Mind that won the 2025 Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts Competition.
His prize is R100 000 to be used for a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum next year.
His winning ceramic piece titled Cycles of the Mind consists of two connected gourd-shaped clay vessels, each with an embedded whistle made of clay.
“The sounds from the whistles speak to each other: one is a cry of liberation and joy, and the other a low, gentle echo of contemplation and unseen turmoil emulating the cycles of the mind,” he explains. The artwork is set on a short seesaw, which, when tipped, allows water to flow from one vessel to the other, producing sound through the displacement of air.
“I made this piece to talk for me and to talk to other people,” says Van Eck.
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Conservation Management students shine at SAWMA Conference #R2bP
Three Conservation Management students from Mandela University’s George Campus were among the best presenters at the recent Southern Africa Wildlife Management Association (SAWMA) Conference at Port Alfred.
A total of nine Mandela University students attended, of whom two PhD students and five masters presented. Altogether 48 full presentations and 22 speed presentations were made.
Elizabeth Kennedy Overton (right) was awarded the Best PhD Speed Presentation for “Tracking cheetahs: quantifying hunting success through an age-old tracking method".
She is studying cheetahs at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve to assess their impact on prey populations and inform predator management.
Elizabeth’s research focuses on their hunting success, diet, microbiome, pathobiome, spatial movements, and interactions with prey and competitors.
The goal is to bridge the gap between research and practical conservation by addressing a specific management challenge.
The Best MSc Full Talk award went to Yasmin Markides for “Modelling functional dispersal corridors to Malawian protected areas for African wild dog and lion”.
Her project explores how Malawi’s fragmented landscapes affect the survival of lions and African wild dogs.
Using wildlife data and land-use maps, Yasmine is modelling habitat suitability and connectivity to identify key protected areas and wildlife corridors. The aim is to inform conservation planning and support viable populations.
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Top honours for Mandela University Physics students #R2bP
Four Nelson Mandela University's Physics students scooped awards at this year's 69th South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) conference, recently hosted at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Mandela University Physics representatives from left, Elizabeth Hagemann, Lilian Mutia, Matthew Sivewright, Assane Talla, Andi Isni Pujirana, Zola Urgessa, Magdeline Saebi, Arnold Mutubuki and Sandi Bangani
Andi Isni Pujirana was awarded the Frank Nabarro Award for Best PhD Oral Presentation, Condensed Matter, and Arnold Mutubuki, the Best PhD Poster Presentation, Condensed Matter.
The Best MSc Oral Presentation, Applied Science, went to Matthew Sivewright, and the Best MSc Oral Presentation, Physics Education, to Elizabeth Hagemann.
Post Source: Nelson Mandela University
Four awards for Mandela University MSc student in Physics #R2bP
Madeleine Badenhorst has won four awards since December 2024, with her research contributing to solutions for the world’s energy crisis, searching for more clean, reliable energy, and looking beyond coal to options, such as nuclear power.
Madeleine has just returned from the Microscience Microscopy Congress (MMC) 2025 in Manchester in the United Kingdom, where she won the “Best Student Flash Talk Award”.
Winning the Most Promising Microscopist award, sponsored by JEOL/Angstrom Scientific, at the Microscopy Society of Southern Africa (MSSA) conference in 2024, supported her to attend the congress in Manchester. She was also awarded the Best Student Oral Presentation at this conference.
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Dr Nehemiah Latolla shines in M&G’s 200 Young South Africans for 2025 #R2bP
Postdoctoral research fellow in human physiology at Mandela University Dr Nehemiah Latolla has been lauded in the Health and Wellness category as one of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans for 2025.
Dr Latolla, 32, also won the FameLab International competition in 2022, was recognised by the Federation of Commonwealth Chemical Sciences Societies, and was selected as one of 25 emerging higher education leaders globally for the UNILEAD Programme in Germany.
From his national Diploma in Analytical Chemistry to his PhD in Chemistry, Dr Latolla has spent his educational journey at Mandela University.
Nehemiah pioneers the integration of traditional and modern medicine. Raised in the Eastern Cape by missionary parents, his early exposure to community service, education, and indigenous knowledge deeply influenced his path.
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Gqeberha officials fly SA flag at World University Games
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One could say the international careers of sports officials Melinda Goosen and Cheryl Kotze is going swimmingly after the pair were appointed to manage the aquatics team at the World University Games.
Goosen, who manages swimming at Mandela University, have been tasked to head up the diving squad while Kotze, an administrator at the club, will manage the men’s swimming team.
Madibaz aquatics manager Melinda Goosen will manage the South African diving team at the World University Games in Germany next month. Photo: Full Stop Communications
The Games, which draw thousands of elite athletes from across the globe, takes place in Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr region from July 16 to 27.
Even though it will be Goosen’s fifth appearance, the opportunity remains as thrilling as ever.
“It’s a massive and spectacular occasion,” the Madibaz Sport manager said.
“I’ll never forget the moment Tatjana Schoenmaker won Team South Africa’s first medal at the Games. It captured the spirit of the event and remains one of my fondest memories.”
Schoenmaker went on to win Olympic gold medals in 2020 and 2024 before retiring as one of the country’s all-time greats.
The diving role is a new one for Goosen, who is already burying herself in logistics to ensure a seamless team experience to what she says is the “premier international event for student-athletes”.
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Nelson Mandela University labour law pioneer retires after 40 years
South African labour law expert Professor Adriaan Van der Walt is passing on the baton after a distinguished career of more than 40 years at Nelson Mandela University.
As the long-time head of the University’s Labour and Social Security Law Unit (LSSLU) which he founded in 2003, Prof Van der Walt has played a pivotal role in advancing labour law education, practice and policy nationally.
Faculty of Law Dean Dr Lynn Biggs highlighting his contribution: “Prof van der Walt’s profound contributions to the field of labour law have shaped both academic thought and practical application.
"His passion for the law, dedication to teaching, and ability to inspire critical thinking have left a lasting impact on generations of students and professionals. Prof did not only advance the discipline but also embedded a practical approach to legal education.”
Prof Van der Walt has helped shape South Africa’s labour landscape through his work in academia, public policy and legal reform. He served as Ministerially appointed Chair of both the Employment Conditions Commission and the National Minimum Wage Commission.
Despite officially retiring on 31 December 2024, Prof Van der Walt has not cut ties with the Faculty of Law and is continuing to supervise senior students. He is also continuing to act as a Senior Commissioner at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), a role he has been fulfilling since its inception in 1996.
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Professor André Calitz receives 2025 AISSAC Life Achievement Award #R2bP
Emeritus Professor in Computing Sciences at Mandela University Professor Andre Calitz has been awarded the 2025 AISSAC (Association of Information Systems, Southern Africa Chapter (AISSAC) Life Achievement Award.
The award was presented to Prof Calitz in recognised for the significant role he has played in the Information Systems (IS) community in South Africa throughout his academic career.
He was the co-organiser of six SACLA and SAICSIT conferences and created numerous opportunities for local academics to present and publish their work on IS research and education.
Prof Calitz also revitalised and strengthened SACLA (Southern African Computer Lecturers’ Association) at a time when the future of the association appeared uncertain.
Over many years, he served on the SAICSIT Board (SA Institute for Computer Scientists and Information Technologists) as a representative of SACLA, helping to strengthen the ties between the two organisations.
In addition, he has published a substantial number of papers, chapters and articles, both individually and in collaboration with colleagues and postgraduate students, many of whom he mentored.
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First remote SA master’s student in USA Community Engagement programme #R2bP
Community Liaison and Marketing Manager at Mandela University’s Missionvale Campus Khanyisa Manzini is the first fully remote student from SA and Africa to complete Merrimack College’s Master’s in Community Engagement programme.
In addition, she also became the college’s first international graduate fellow to complete a remote placement, working with Princeton University’s Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship (ProCES).
“She is also the first e graduate fellow from anywhere outside of the US who has completed a fully remote fellowship”, Dr Audrey Falk, Professor and Director of the Community Engagement Program at Merrimack College. said.
Reflecting on what motivated her to take on this cross-continental challenge, Khanyi shares, “I wanted to unfurl my dreams and overcome obstacles I didn’t even know existed.”
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George Campus academics make their mark on global and national platforms
George Campus academics Dr Muedanyi Ramantswana and Ewayne Le Roux are among the dedicated academics, who are advancing knowledge and policy at both international and national levels.
Dr Ramantswana (left), a Forestry academic and coordinator at the George Campus, delivered a plenary keynote address at the 2025 IPEF Forest Plantation Congress held in São Paulo, Brazil.
The event, attended by over 400 participants, is a significant platform for the global forestry sector.
Dr Ramantswana's address entitled, “A Forecast of Re-establishment Technologies in Plantation Forestry”, focused on global trends in silviculture innovation, including machine-specific advancements, precision material inputs, AI-enhanced operator systems, and digitalisation.
His work forms part of the Modern Silviculture Research project, in collaboration with Prof Saulo Guerra from UNESP, Brazil — a partnership that has produced research publications, student exchanges, and conference presentations since 2018.
Read more: Nelson Mandela University