INTERNAL STAFF MAGAZINE SECOND QUARTER 2014

PROF KEES IMMINK RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORAL DEGREE p.14

EXCELLENCE NOTEWORTHY ENGAGED PEOPLE

UJ EXTENDS UJ COMMEMORATES RADIOGRAPHY MANDELA LEGACY ITS TEACHING JUNE 16 WITH 1976 DEPARTMENT LIVES ON AT UJ AND LEARNING STALWARTS AT CHANGES ITS NAME WITH UJ’S ‘HOW TO FACILITIES SOWETO CAMPUS AND COURSES SERVE’ THEME we live in. “Book printing, gunpowder BELOW Ambassador Patrick Gaspard and even the industrial revolution are PHOTO: JAN POTGIETER the results of engineering. Steve Jobs hired John Sculley from PepsiCo with Noteworthy the legendary pitch, ‘Do you want to sell USA Ambassador asks UJ graduates: sugared water for the rest of your life? Or, do you want to come with me and What do you have in your hands? change the world?’ Sculley went on to join Apple, one of the world's biggest “WHAT IS IN your hands graduates? He highlighted the power that our technology companies. The results Surely you have more power in your youth possess in a technologically were evident. So, yes, ‘Engineers do hands. You are the most powerful advanced society. He said; “In one change the world’.” generation that this world has ever hand, you have degrees that say that known.” These inspiring words from you are indeed brilliant and beautiful. Prof Immink concluded: “An engineer US Ambassador to , In your other hand many are even must be creative and be able to solve Ambassador Patrick Gaspard, infused a as I speak scrolling through your technical problems. To be an inventive standing ovation from Graduates at UJ smartphones which concentrate more engineer, you have to be willing to live on 22 May 2014. human capital in your hands than has with the bipolar feeling that either the ever been deployed in recorded history. problem at hand is too complicated or Ambassador Patrick Gaspard What is in your hands? You could use that you are just too dumb to solve it. accepted the honorary doctoral your data to stream and watch yet again An engineer must have an excellent degree - Legum (Doctor of the attack Beyonce’s sister launched on education. To achieve excellence in ) honoris causa – on behalf of Jay Z. You could go down that rabbit engineering requires good governance President Barack Hussein Obama. hole again. Or you might combine that in our academic institutions and beyond, UJ’s Faculty of conferred the and smartphone and create Engineers have the power to change our world. and the freedom to conduct independent honorary doctoral degree on President a tool that completely changes the New environments present new opportunities, research. To the new engineers and Obama in acknowledgement of his interface and accountability between driving innovation and a call for change. scientists gathered together in this room, social and intellectual achievements civil society and government. What is I’d like to say ‘Spread out over the world, that strengthen international in your hands?” ✜ THIS WAS THE message from Prof In his address, Prof Immink expressed and change it to a better one’. You can do diplomacy during the second Kornelis (Kees) Antonie Schouhamer his gratitude for receiving an honorary it; your engineers and scientists of graduation series, scheduled Immink that inspired graduates at UJ from the University and the past have paved your way.” from 22 May to 11 June 2014. YOU ARE on 10 June 2014. spoke about his passion for science THE MOST and engineering, saying: “I am an This was the second honorary In his frank and inspiring address to Prof Immink, one of the most prolific engineer because I have a sincere doctorate the University awarded this the audience, Ambassador Gaspard POWERFUL inventors of the 20th century in passion for science and engineering. year. An honorary doctoral degree spoke about the fire of his righteous GENERATION consumer electronics, accepted an I’ve had this passion since I was - Doctor Legum (Doctor of Laws) anger, saying; “I’m angry that too many THAT THIS honorary doctoral degree – Doctor a young boy. I have always loved honoris causa was awarded on US of our brothers and sisters will never WORLD HAS Honoris Causa for Technical and everything that moves - from steam President Barack Hussein Obama have the opportunity that you and I EVER KNOWN Scientific Research during the engines, to bicycles and locomotives, to in acknowledgement of his social have had to pursue excellence. I’m

University’s second graduation sailing boats and planes.” Prof Immink and intellectual achievements that angry that some of you will be turned series. UJ’s Faculty of Engineering added that “I would have loved to work strengthen international diplomacy in away from meaningful employment and the Built Environment conferred side-by-side with James Watt on the May 2014. US Ambassador to South- because you don’t have the right the honorary doctoral degree on design of a new steam engine. Or to Africa, Ambassador Patrick Gaspard relatives. I’m angry that there’s a radius Prof Immink as acknowledgement have worked with Michael Faraday on accepted the honorary doctorate on of hunger from Detroit to Diepsloot.” for his instrumental role in the developing the first electrical motor. behalf of US President Obama. ✜ development of digital audio, video These are fascinating inventions by He urged the young graduates to use ABOVE (FROM LEFT) and data recording systems, and for pioneering engineers.” ggLink to story and videos: their degrees for the good of their Prof Njabulo Ndebele, Prof Kees Immink, Prof Ihron Rensburg the profound impact his contributions www.uj.ac.za/EN/Newsroom/News/ communities and to roll up their at Prof Kees Immink’s doctoral conferral and inventions has made in today’s He emphasised that engineers have Pages/Digital-pioneer-Prof-Immink- sleeves to make a marked difference in PHOTO: JAN POTGIETER digital society. throughout history changed the world inspires-UJ-engineering-graduates.aspx the lives of those around them.

14 U@UJ SECOND QUARTER 2014 15