Photo credit: SARAO Photo credit: Volume 14 | 2018/19 ARE WE UNIVERSITIES FACE OFF ALONE? BIOWAR PUTTING ON WATER DOWN WEED ROOTS A PUBLICATION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ADVANCEMENT DIVISION OF RHODES UNIVERSITY CONTENTS Foreword 2 VOLUME 14 | 2018/19 Young brokers take Stock 42 Isivivane – You raise me up 3 Exchange by storm New names, new purpose 4 Understanding the creative 44 economy Rhodes University goes green 6 Eastern Cape universities 45 Unpacking the Institutional 9 face off Development Plan When leaders fail 46 Passing on the gift of 10 graduation – the power of Events and conferences at 47 bequests Rhodes University Sixty-six years of lasting love 11 A new dawn of student 48 leadership Celebrating the cream of the 12 crop The pulse and pace of 50 beautiful art Publisher: Rhodes TEACHING Old Rhodian Union increases 14 & LEARNING student support Rhodes University helps UN 54 University fight corruption From gown to town 16 Editor: Veliswa Mhlope Rhodes University law 55 Sub-Editor: Ilva Pieterse Rhodes University honours six 18 students excel in debate Proofreader: Ikhona heroes Mvaphantsi Future lawyers in the making 56 Question & answer with Dr 21 Thank you to all the Zethu Mkhize Biopharmaceutics Research 58 departments and Institute retains FDA Anybody out there? 24 accreditation individuals who contributed to this publication The snake charmer 26 Rhodes University uses 60 intellectual property to A product of the Centre launches biowar on 28 contribute to the SA Communications and waterweeds economy Advancement Division From Rhodes University to 29 Rhodes University leads the 62 the nation pack Email: COMMUNITY [email protected] International student is Next 30 Beading for reading 64 RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT Generation Scientist When the numbers don’t 66 Tel: Alumna wins Skye Foundation 31 add up 046 603 8570 scholarship Who is your best teacher? 67 Meet serial award-winning 32 Address: Doctorate student Rhodes University alumna 69 Rhodes University highlights black women’s Alumni House Nanotechnology rewards 33 history in new school’s Lucas Avenue three curriculum Grahamstown Art duo obtain fellowship 34 Rhodes University sport 72 6140 makes impact Law alumnus a Fulbright 35 scholar Farewell to long serving staff 74 PO Box: Communications & Putting down roots: a tale of 36 In memoriam 76 Advancement Division three towns PO Box 94 Madiba centenary brings 39 Grahamstown biggest-ever skills trade 6140 Rhodes University is the only research-intensive university in South Africa located outside a maor uran area This uniue characteristic of Rhodes University is layed out in the neus eteen research teachin and community enaement This creates a synery that has led to Rhodes University ecomin a leader in research and community develoment provin that hen e or toether reat thins are ossile Design and layout by Henriette Tronson - [email protected] FUNDRAISING RHODOS FOREWORD By Luzuko Jacobs An ABSA representative Director for Communication and Advancement Division BANKSETA beneficiaries hands over funds for Isivivane hrough the support of a number of citizens. even while studying,” she urged them. am pleased to share with you another we are doing something right to ensure that African school for young girls that was started Texcellent funders, Rhodes University’s “And definitely when you are climbing the I informative edition of Rhodos. In this edition, no academically deserving student is denied by a Rhodes University alumna, on page 69. Isivivane Student Financial Aid Campaign has Goal 4 speaks to ensuring financial and corporate ladder, be sure to help others up we record stories of men and women who an education. We are convinced that in the already helped many dreams come true since environmental sustainability practices at from wherever they are,” she said. continue to push the envelope in academic South African context, of all the contributions Stories in this edition reflect the four pillars of its inception in 2017. Rhodes University through good governance, and research excellence. Initiatives by Faculties that can be made, an investment in education our newly-launched Institutional Development leadership and management. In response to Mangau’s plea to give back, a and Departments at Rhodes University, remains the most important and compelling. Plan: sustainability; simultaneous local With an ambitious target of raising R1 billion group of young Rhodes University alumni have including our numerically superior national To this end, we have created an endowment responsiveness and global engagement; in 10 years, Isivivane is by far the biggest Adding stones to the pile launched the Ntombesizwe Scholarship. Their research chairs, who consistently operate at fund called Isivivane Fund that can be used advancing social justice; and advancing the fundraising campaign in the history of Rhodes One of Isivivane’s very first donors was Absa, programme aims to provide full funding to the cutting edge of excellence internationally, to support students in need (please see page public good purpose of higher education. University. Funds raised through Isivivane help who kickstarted the campaign with a R5- one black female student from Grahamstown, continue to define our value proposition and 3). These are talented young people who These four pillars, along with the seven support the four key areas of the campaign: million donation to assist 150 students who who falls within the “missing middle”. scholarship. This edition presents a snapshot come into the system with the potential to strategic goals of the IDP act as a compass undergraduate bursaries; postgraduate fall outside the National Student Financial Aid of this work across our three core purposes, expand and develop new areas of research. and a roadmap for the University over the bursaries; heightened student experience; Scheme (NSFAS) catchment, known as the Zukisa Pityana, one of the funders of the namely: teaching and learning, research and We invite our alumni, corporate South Africa next three years. and endowments for future sustainability of “missing middle”. Since then, the financial Scholarship says that, “It is easy to get lost in community engagement. and friends of Rhodes University to assist us to the fund. services provider has donated a further forging our own lives. Part of the Ntombesizwe build on our heritage, and create a lasting gift I hope that these stories will inspire you to R2.4million in full bursaries, this time to 49 dream is that we spread awareness about the Our comprehensive Community Engagement – a University that stands out as a world-class pursue your own goals and make Rhodes “We are raising funds to enable access to deserving students. possibility of building someone else’s life, at Rhodes University is qualitatively and African centre of research excellence and University your partner in your journey of academically-deserving students who through even when young professionals are so busy quantitatively above the national average teaching and learning. A true story of hope constantly acquiring and creating knowledge in material respects. Student participation can be found in the feature about the pan- that makes a difference. rates, as well as our results and output are not matched by any other institution in our country. There is a strong thread linking “I am confident our staff and students to the communities in Makhanda (Grahamstown), and within that we will reach our district, through activities that range from volunteerism to mentoring – a true YOU RAISE our targets.” embodiment of our Vice Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela’s mantra that Rhodes University is - Qondakele Sompondo, of and for Makhanda. The article, “Madiba Isivivane Fundraising Manager centenary brings biggest-ever skills trade” on page 39 demonstrates this perfectly. As a small research-intensive University, the ME UP only one of its kind outside of a metropole in South Africa, we continue to punch above our weight. In terms of absolute contribution no fault of their own cannot afford to study One of the bursary recipients said, “Having building their own.” of research outputs, our capacity is modest at the University,” explained Fundraising met other bursary recipients, I realise what in relation to big urban research-orientated Manager Qondakele Sompondo. “We act as impact this opportunity has not only for us As Sompondo reiterated, whether you are institutions. In terms of measures which are a vehicle that attracts bursary funding, and to obtain our degrees, but for us achieving helping one student succeed or hundreds, normalised to our size, we are outstanding. a conduit between prospective funders and our goals and dreams.” With her degree, she you are doing your part in making our country For the last few years, Rhodes University has qualifying students.” hopes to increase the participation of women – and indeed the world – a better place. “You been consistently amongst the top achievers in sport. can’t go wrong with investing in education, in the sector by this measure, and in the most Sompondo hopes that after 10 years, Isivivane since you are investing in your own future,” recent audited report is tied in the first position will raise enough money for the fund to grow Another considerable contributor to the Fund he said. (alongside the University of Stellenbosch). An in perpetuity though its investments. is the Banking Sector Education and Training achievement that we are extremely proud Authority (BANKSETA), whose close to R5.8 Sompondo says that looking at how much has of and continue to build on. Some specific In this way, Isivivane is firmly embedded in at million donation awarded full tuition to 50 been achieved by the Isivivane Fund since its recent achievements in research can be least two of the seven goals as set up by the Rhodes University commerce and science inception in 2017, there is no doubt that the explored through “Anybody out there?” University’s newly-implemented Institutional students.