Details of authors

Stephanie G Burton B Sc (Hons) Graduate Sue Harrison B Sc (Hons)(Microbiology) PhD Certificate in Education (University of ) (Chemical Engineering) MSc PhD () MASSAf, MSCI, FSAAE, FWISA, FSAIMM, Vice-Principal, University of , Private Bag MSASM, MSAIChE, MIWA X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028 Director of the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Tel: +27 12 420-2970 Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, Fax: +27 12 420-3696 , E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +27 21 650 4021 Professor Stephanie Burton holds an MSc in E-mail: [email protected] Organic Chemistry (1990) and a PhD in Prof. Sue Harrison holds the SARChI Research Biochemistry (1994) from Rhodes University. Chair in Bioprocess Engineering at the University of Professor Burton has lectured in Biochemistry and Cape Town. She is Deputy Dean (Postgraduate and Biotechnology at Rhodes University, and then Research) in the Faculty of Engineering and the Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Built Environment, and Director of the Centre for Town. In 2009, she was appointed Director of Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) in the Postgraduate Studies at Cape Peninsula University Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT. She of Technology. Professor Burton took up her pres- has over twenty years’ experience in industrial and ent position as Vice-Principal: Research and academic research, and in university teaching. This at the University of time has resulted in nearly 100 co-authored Pretoria, in 2011. Her research interests are in the research papers in refereed journals and books, 80 field of applied biochemistry and biotechnology, international conference presentations, and super- including biocatalysis, bioremediation and benefici- vision of almost 60 postgraduate students to com- ation of industrial wastes. She is on the Editorial pletion. Sue is well known for commitment to col- Board of three prominent international journals in laborative research, particularly with a cross-disci- her field and has reviewed papers for numerous plinary focus, both nationally and internationally. international journals. Professor Burton is a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa and a member Raine Lidbetter M. Eng. (NWU) B. Eng. of the Academy of Science of South Africa. (Pretoria) Project Engineer, Epsilon Engineering Services Rupert Gouws B Eng (Elect) M Eng (Elect) (Pty) Ltd, P.O. Box 7147, Centurion 0046, South PhD (Elect Eng) Pr Eng CMVP Africa. Senior Lecturer, School of Electrical, Electronic Tel: +27 (0)12 664 0902 and Computer Engineering, North-West University, Email : [email protected] Private Bag X6001, Post-point 288 After completing her bachelor’s degree in mechani- Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa cal engineering at the , Raine Tel: +27 18 299 1902 obtained a master’s degree in mechanical engineer- Fax: +27 18 299 1977 ing from the North-West University. Her master’s E-mail: [email protected] dissertation focused on electrical demand-side Rupert Gouws holds a PhD degree in Electrical and management opportunities in the cement industry. Electronic Engineering from North-West University Her findings were presented at an international (Potchefstroom campus). He consulted to a variety conference and were also accepted for the confer- of industry and public sectors in South Africa and ence transactions. The main findings of her research other countries in the fields of energy engineering are currently being implemented at a large cement and engineering management. Currently he is plant. Raine now works for Epsilon Engineering appointed as a senior lecturer specialising in energy Services, where she is involved in a number of proj- engineering, electrical machines and control at ects related to aircraft innovations. Her main project North-West University. The Engineering Council of concerns the detail design and testing of a novel South Africa registered him as a Professional motorbike-aircraft, in collaboration with engineers Engineer and the Association of Energy Engineers from the Netherlands. She has also assisted doctor- certified him as a Certified Measurement and al students in building wind tunnel models (from Verification Professional. composite materials) and disseminating digital par- ticle image velocimetry data.

Journal of Energy in Southern Africa • Vol 24 No 1 • February 2013 99 Leon Liebenberg D.Eng. M.Eng. B.Eng. Electrical Engineers as a student in 2005, then (), M.Sc. (Imperial College London), upgraded to an associate in 2007 and a member in DIC 2010. He is registered with the Engineering Council Professor, Centre for Research and Continued of South Africa as a technologist. He is currently Engineering Development (CRCED), North-West studying towards his doctorate at the University of University (Pretoria campus), Private Bag X30, Johannesburg. His research interest includes Suite no. 93, Silver Lakes 0054, South Africa. Microcontrollers, Programmable Logic Devices Tel : +27 (0)12 809-1051 (PLD’s) and Artificial Intelligence Algorithms. He is Mobile : +27 (0)82 923-2785 a security systems manager undertaking responsi- Email : [email protected] bilities that include cyber security at the South Leon Liebenberg is a contract professor in the African Nuclear Corporation. School of Engineering at the North-West University, and consultant to HVAC International (Pty) Ltd and Simisha Pather-Elias TEMM International (Pty) Ltd. Prof. Liebenberg Senior Project Coordinator, Sustainable Energy currently supervises seven doctoral candidates and Africa 11 master’s candidates in a variety of mechanical Cell: +27 83 457 3597 engineering fields. Prior to that appointment, he E-mail: [email protected] lectured for five years at the University of Pretoria Simisha Pather-Elias attained a master¹s degree in and for nine years at the University of Biotechnology from Rhodes University in 2005 and Johannesburg. His research interests include thereafter worked as a Scientific Officer at UCT in advanced energy systems, unmanned aerial vehi- the Bioprocess Engineering Research Unit working cles, simulation of the human energy system, and on several projects relating to environmental sus- technology awareness programmes. He is author or tainability. In 2011, she was awarded a Master’s co-author of 44 ISI-rated journal papers and 47 degree in Energy and Development at the Energy conference articles, of which six were keynote lec- Research Centre at UCT. She has since worked for tures at international conferences. In 2005, Prof. Conservation International¹s Climate Action Liebenberg won the Stoecker International Visitor Partnership division where she engaged with gov- Award, and subsequently spent a period of six ernment, business and civil society on climate weeks at the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration change mitigation and adaptation technologies and Center of the University of Illinois at Urbana- ecosystem-based demonstration projects. Simisha Champaign. He also won a two-month fellowship also worked for the Botanical Society of South of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Africa, assisting the Director with managing opera- in 2008, for performing research at the Heat tions, maintaining and building on the sustainabili- Transfer Institute of Kyushu University. ty profile of the organisation and extending the Prof. Liebenberg co-founded the TechnoLab portfolio of projects through forming partnerships technology awareness facility at the then Rand with international and national organisations. She University in 1994, which has since has now joined Sustainable Energy Africa where accommodated 60 000 school learners and teach- she coordinates the rollout of low carbon energy ers. He founded the Space and Aviation Challenge projects in conjunction with government. for School Learners at the University of Pretoria. He also founded and edited (for four years) the Mir Vahid Pourrabbi MA (Accounting) University of Pretoria’s Innovate magazine and was Department of Accounting, Payame Noor editorial consultant for the independent Mechanical University, PO Box 19395-3667 Tehran, Iran Technology magazine for 13 years. Tel: +9891 4391 7903 Fax: +9849 2212 2898 Grant Manuel Pr Tech Eng NDip (Elec) ND E-mail: [email protected] (Elec) B Tech (Elec) M Tech (Elec) Mir Vahid Pourrabbi is a lecturer in accounting. He Security Systems Manager: Nuclear Energy has got his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Corporation accounting. His areas of interest include: Evaluating Necsa, PO Box 582, Pretoria, 0001, Republic Of the Efficiency of Decision Making units Using Data South Africa Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Earnings Quality, Tel: 012 305 5341 Intangible Assets, Value of Companies, and E-mail: [email protected] Intellectual Capital. Grant Manuel completed both a technical matric and national diploma (Ndip/N6) at the College of Jan-Harm Pretorius Pr Eng B Sc Hons Cape Town, a national diploma at the former Cape (Electrotechnics), M Ing (Elec), M Sc (Pulse Power Technikon in 2004, a B Tech degree in 2006 and an and Laser Physics), DIng (Elec) M Tech in 2009 at Cape Peninsula University of Professor: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Technology. He joined the South African Institute of Environment, University of Johannesburg, PO Box

100 Journal of Energy in Southern Africa • Vol 24 No 1 • February 2013 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa and tracking bio-products and pathogens. Tel: 011 559 3377 E-mail: [email protected] Houshang Taghizadeh MA PhD (Industrial Jan-Harm Pretorius obtained his BSc Hons Management – Production and Operation (Electrotechnics)(1980), M Eng (1982) and D Eng Management) (1997) degrees in Electrical and Electronic Faculty of Management, Economics and Engineering at the Rand Afrikaans University, and Accounting, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad an MSc (Pulse Power and Laser Physics) at the University, Tabriz, Iran University of St Andrews in Scotland (1989)(Cum Tel: +9891 440 3221 Laude). He is a certified Measurement and Fax: +984 11 333 3459 Verification Professional. He worked at the South Houshang Taghizadeh is an Associate Professor in African Atomic Energy Corporation (NECSA) as a Industrial Management. He has got his bachelor’s Senior Consulting Engineer for fifteen years. He degree in industrial engineering and his master’s also worked as the Technology Manager for the degree and PhD in industrial management. He has Satellite Applications Centre (CSIR). He was published several books and articles and participat- appointed at the RAU in October 1998. He is cur- ed in a number of national and international con- rently a Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and ferences. His areas of interest include: Evaluating the Built Environment at the University of the efficiency of decision making units, using data Johannesburg. He is a registered professional engi- envelop analysis, assembly line balance, value engi- neer and a member of the Institute of Electrical and neering, energy management systems, privatisa- Electronic Engineers USA (IEEE) and a fellow the tion, multiple attribute decision making, lean think- South African Institute of Electrical and Electronic ing, and outsourcing management. Engineers (SAIEE).

William Stafford Harro von Blottnitz (Pr.Eng.) B Sc Eng Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, (Chem) B Sc Hons (O.R.) M Sc (Eng) Dr.-Ing Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, 11 Jan Cilliers Street, Stellenbosch 7600, South University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Africa Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +27 21 650 2512 Dr William Stafford is a Senior Researcher in the Fax: +27 21 650 5501 Natural Resources and the Environment Unit of the E-mail: [email protected] Council for Scientific and Industrial research (CSIR, Harro von Blottnitz (born 1968 in Grahamstown) is www.csir.co.za) He holds a Ph.D.in Molecular a Professor at the University of Cape Town. He Biology and Biochemistry of Malaria (University of holds BSc and MSc degrees in Chemical London) and has been actively involved in aca- Engineering from this institution, and a Doctorate in demic research and development for over 10 years. Engineering from the RWTH Aachen. His research William Stafford is interested in using integrated sys- interests are inspired by the multiple challenges of tems thinking to develop the tools, models and sustainable development in the resource industries mechanisms required for sustainable development. esp. in developing country settings, and span topics The various areas of research that interest him in the fields of Environmental Systems Analysis, include: Bioenergy R&D with a focus on fermenta- Bio-Fuels Processing, and Waste Management, esp. tion, anaerobic digestion, and microbial fuel cells; in the contexts of the mining industry and in African Assessing the potential of plant and algal biomass Cities. Since joining the University of Cape Town as as a renewable energy source and a mechanism for a staff member in 1998, he has introduced sustain- carbon sequestration and capture; The use of able development into the curriculum at under- resiliency and systems dynamics in the sustainabili- graduate and postgraduate level. 36 Masters and 3 ty assessment and management of renewable ener- PhD students have completed their dissertations gy options; Using microbial bioindicators to assess under his supervision. the performance and stability of bio-energy sys- tems; The role of microbial diversity in soil and plant ecology and sustainable agro-ecological sys- tems; Using microorganisms for the monitoring and bioremediaton of wastes and pollutants; Exploring and exploiting biodiversity for genes with novel function and/or characteristics; Gene ecology and gene flow; Biosafety- Genetically modified organ- isms; invasive exotic plants; tracing environmental pollutants; and DNA fingerprinting for monitoring

Journal of Energy in Southern Africa • Vol 24 No 1 • February 2013 101