For daily news visit: www.news.uct.ac.za/dailynews New SRC leader loud and clear – Page 2 Monday PNewspaperaper of the University of Cape Town 3 - 16 November 2008 Volume 27#19 National Orders for UCT four The university was well represented when the President conferred National Orders last week, recognising important contributions to the country across a broad spectrum of endeavours HELEN THÉRON our UCT stalwarts were among the 29 recipients (including five posthumousF awards) who received National Orders from President Kgalema Motlanthe on Tuesday, 28 October. The Order of Mapungubwe (Silver Category) was bestowed on Professor Doug Butterworth of the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, former senior deputy-vice-chancellor Professor Wie- land Gevers, Professor Tim Noakes of the MRC/UCT Research Unit for Ex- ercise Science and Sports Medicine, and Professor Pragasen Pillay of the Department of Electrical Engineering. The Order of Mapungubwe is awarded to South African citizens for excellence and exceptional achieve- ment. National Orders are the highest awards that a country may bestow, through its president, on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals. The university has many alumni and staff who have received National Orders over the years, including lu- minaries such as Emeritus Professor JM Coetzee (2005), Hamilton Naki (2002), Emeritus Professor Peter Beighton (2002), Professor Allan (Clockwise from top) Prof Wieland Gevers, Prof Tim Noakes and Prof Pragasen Pillay were three of the four UCT scholars to receive National Orders from Cormack (posthumously, 2002) and President Kgalema Motlanthe last week. Prof Doug Butterworth (bottom left) could not attend. Professor Daya Reddy (2004). Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price tivated by the need to provide sound Noakes, a National Research sport and to promote health and well- endorsed the valuable contribution scientific advice in relation to current Foundation (NRF) A-rated researcher, ness for all South Africans.” Graduation UCT academics and staff, some of pressing issues in fisheries manage- was honoured for his excellent con- Also an NRF A-rated researcher, them Nobel Laureates, have made ment. tribution to the field of sport and the Pillay was lauded for his excellent call to broader society, both at home and “My thanks are extended to the science of physical exercise. achievement in and contribution to internationally. university for the flexible manner The Discovery Health professor the field of energy conservation. He ith a special graduation “Their input has been across a in which they have allowed me to of exercise and sports science, Noakes is a specialist in renewable energy Wedition of Monday Paper wide spectrum, from great literature operate, without which I would not established ESSM in the early 1980s. technology. planned for 8 December, we’re and pioneering medicine, to cutting- have been able to achieve what I have It is now an acclaimed research unit of His research interests include the putting out a call for leads; stories edge mathematics and sustainable internationally in my field,” he said. the Medical Research Council. design and control of electrical ma- with a graduation focus. These technology. Gevers, the former director of the “I am extremely proud that the chines, electric motor drive systems, might showcase cutting-edge “The group that received this Institute of Infectious Disease and importance of this discipline should traction and hybrid electrical vehicles, research or high achievers. Or year’s Orders is again testimony to Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) after he be acknowledged,” Noakes said. “I and renewable energy - including perhaps you have a first-gen- the span of disciplines in which UCT retired in 2002, was recognised for his was overcome by the messages of conservation and sustainability issues eration or very mature student scholars continue to stand out.” excellent contribution to the field of congratulations that I received at the in power and energy engineering. (septuagenarians, octogenarians, This year Butterworth was hon- higher education and medicine. ceremony from a broad cross-section It is notable that the Order of etc!) who has defied enormous oured for his excellent contribution to A former Rhodes Scholar at of South Africans from many different Mapungubwe has been awarded to odds or circumstances to get their the betterment of the environment and Oxford, where he obtained his DPhil disciplines and interests, including three members of the Department of degree. We’d like to hear from sustainability of the country’s fisher- under Nobel Laureate Sir Hans Krebs, politics, the arts and culture. Mathematics and Applied Mathemat- you. Please email Megan Morris ies. He is an acknowledged world Gevers was the driving force behind “All expressed their support ics: Butterworth, Reddy, and Emeritus at [email protected] with leader in the field of scientific fishery the establishment of the IIDMM. for the value of sport and the way Professor George Ellis. your ideas. We’ll need a name and assessment, modelling and manage- He was one of the first recipients of in which we at UCT and the Sports Of the three, two have shared the contact number or email address ment. The nature of his research is UCT’s Distinguished Teacher Award Science Institute of South Africa have same secretary, Di Loureiro, for two and a very brief gist of the story. deliberately applied and largely mo- and became a Life Fellow in 1984. used science to help South African decades. Ask around. Put the word out. 2 Monday Paper NEWS 3 - 16 November 2008 Volume 27#19 SRC must be visible, says new president MYOLISI GOPHE which also includes five from the tion, students are not sure what we South African Students Congress and are talking about, and that needs to be hen Chris Ryall accepted the three independent candidates. explored.” nomination to be a member of Ryall wants SRC members should However, people were starting to theW 2008/09 Student Representative be visible, and plans to avail himself look beyond the colour lines, he added. Council (SRC), he decided to put his for one-on-one meetings every week. The SRC, Ryall noted, should also studies on hold. “This is the SRC students will see, be and transparent and accountable for Next year Ryall, who was elected hear and feel.” its actions. To ensure this, independent as the new president of the SRC, will While the new members must still audit and review bodies would be set do just one subject towards his degree meet to draft priorities, Ryall believes up to keep them in check. in business science, and dedicate most that access, retention and throughput The rest of the SRC team is of his time to the council. of students are some of the issues that made up of Amanda Ngwenya “I don’t want to do things half- need SRC attention. (vice-president, external), Shannon half,” he says. “I don’t want to do “Access has been achieved, but Bernhardt (vice-president, internal), okay for my degree and okay for SRC. UCT needs to be a place that takes Portia Gama (secretary-general), I want to be as good as possible for responsibility for supporting students, Sabelo Mcinziba (deputy secretary- both. and ensuring they acquire skills so general), Dylan van Vuuren (chair He believes that his “fantastic” their degrees benefit them and their of academics), and Ahmad Bana 14-member team would “bring the communities.” (treasurer). Co-ordinators are Mzwa SRC back to students” and improve He was concerned, however, that Kweyama (transformation), Sara their lives. 14 years into democracy, the coun- Reith (residences), Trevor McArthur Ryall is one of seven students try had not arrived at a definition of (societies), Michelle Davy (sports), from the Democratic Alliance Student transformation. Anton Taylor (entertainment), Organisation (DASO) on the SRC, “When we talk about transforma- Nevana Kostic (media and com- munications), Ayanda Dhladhla (day Accessible: Newly elected SRC president, Chris Ryall, believes the group houses), and Babongile Mandela should be seen and heard. (health, safety and security). news • news • news • news• news • [email protected] he Department of Informa- Field’s tasks as vice-president run Eighty-five alumni and their CT’s plans to diversify resi- try harder,” she said at a panel discus- tion Systems at UCT presented from web development to moderat- guests came to hear a talk by Cape dences received a boost when sion on employment equity, organised theirT annual showcase of third- and ing debates, but his primary goal is Town’s 2008 World Mayor, Helen scoresU of students completed the basic by the Faculty of Science’s Transfor- honours-year systems-development membership development. Zille, also Leader of the Democratic Xhosa communication skills course, mation Forum on 20 October. group projects on 14 October. The “I’d like to expand participation Alliance. Masithethe isiXhosa (Let’s speak The event initiated discussion honours’ year first prize was taken of African, and especially Southern She praised UCT’s role in South Xhosa). around employment equity issues and by the group Cabal7. Their product, African, oral historians,” he says. African education, drawing attention This has given them an opportu- looked at where the university comes CipherStore, allows clients to digitise to the innovative steps UCT had taken nity to learn more about the Xhosa from, its current EE practices, policies paper-based documents, upload them utreach projects received a boost to help young students from disadvan- culture, noted Associate Professor and realities, and its new equity plan to a central server, manage and down- when the Cape Town chapter taged backgrounds “bridge the gap”, Mbulungeni Madiba, co-ordinator of for the future. load them through a web browser. ofO the Students In Free Enterprise enabling them to study at a world- the Multilinguism Education Project The third-year first prize was shared (SIFE), an international enterprise and class institution.