Monday Paper 29 April – 12 May 2013 Vol. 32#6 Newspaper of the University of Cape Town This edition and other editions of Monday Paper are available online at www.uct.ac.za/mondaypaper. For daily online news at UCT, please visit www.news.uct.ac.za/dailynews Grand Prix for Mizrahi rofessor Valerie Mizrahi, director “Valerie’s work is characterised opportunities for students from the Pof UCT’s Institute of Infectious by an incredible ability to engage with laboratory to travel abroad for special- Disease and Molecular Medicine (IID- students in research, through supervis- ised training. MM), has been awarded the coveted ing and coaching. The way she does The IIDMM is a centre of excel- Grand Prix Christophe Mérieux Prize this is widely acknowledged,” added lence where world-class scientists by the Institute de France in Paris. Cossart. work collaboratively to tackle diseases The €500,000 award (over R6 In her response to the prize Miz- of importance in Africa. As the larg- million), made by the Institute’s Acad- rahi said: “For me the most gratifying est postgraduate research institute at emy of Sciences, is a highly prestig- part of it is that the award committee UCT, the IIDMM is a major training ious international accolade and will be recognised my commitment to, and hub in Africa for biomedical, clinical presented to Mizrahi at a ceremony in passion for, developing people. I’ve and public health researchers, and Paris on 5 June. trained so many young scientists – and currently hosts some 150 postgraduate Paying tribute to Mizrahi’s this award is for them.” students and 80 postdoctoral research research, member of the Academy of She plans to use most of the fellows in more than 20 multi-investi- Sciences Pascale Cossart said: “What prize money to hire senior research- gator research groups. characterises Valerie Mizrahi’s work ers who are able to bring new skills The IIDMM has a very strong is not only her excellent research to the laboratory that she runs with thrust in TB research, hosting the on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and IIDMM colleague Dr Digby Warner, South African Tuberculosis Vaccine tuberculosis, but also her very active particularly in chemical biology and Initiative, the Clinical Infectious involvement in the tuberculosis com- bioinformatics. Diseases Research Initiative, the munity in South Africa, on the African “Given the shortage of career Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, and the continent, and internationally.” opportunities for outstanding early- UCT node of the DST/NRF Centre The Academy of Sciences, which career scientists who are interested of Excellence for Biomedical TB makes awards to the most meritori- in pursuing a career in biomedical Research. ous scientists and promising research research in South Africa, I believe The Institute de France consists projects, also lauded Mizrahi for this would be a great investment,” she of fi ve academies with a rich his- her special qualities in mentoring said. tory spanning several centuries. The Accolade: IIDMM director Prof Valerie Mizrahi has been awarded the coveted students, particularly those engaged in Mizrahi also plans to purchase Institute’s Academy of Sciences was Grand Prix Christophe Mérieux Prize by the Institute de France in Paris, for her TB research. laboratory equipment to provide founded in 1666. TB research and her ability to mentor young researchers. What does Africa month mean to the UCT community? n the eve of Africa Month in May, Deputy Vice-Chan- can build on the accomplishments of 2012 – when UCT Ocellor Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo urges members succeeded in combining the scholarly with the cultural in of the university community to celebrate together and to the exuberant celebration of our African identities. Africa use the next four weeks to refl ect on the ways in which UCT Month in 2013 will be about maintaining this momentum, can continue to use its human, intellectual and material highlighting aspects of identity that at are once personal resources to give expression to its Afropolitan vision. and institutional; academic and cultural. This year will feature an expanded programme of There are good reasons for celebrating Africa Month. events and activities, resulting from an increase in the “Africa is the continent on which we are situated, with scholarly work with an African focus that is conducted at which we feel a sense of kinship and whose histories and UCT. problems are inseparable from ours. Notably, there will also be stronger student participa- As a university community, the more immediate rea- tion; in addition to a Plaza event, both the SRC and its sons are academic and social. In pursuing our core business Societies will be rolling out round-table discussions and of teaching and learning, and research, we have the capac- seminars. ity to directly address the legacy of the histories mentioned The year 2013 is signifi cant because it marks the 50th above and do something tangible about the problems. But anniversary of African Unity (in the form of the OAU, in doing so, we also have the obligation to put in some established in 1963, and its successor, the African Union) work towards improving the institutional culture of our and gives us the opportunity to refl ect on the role of these university. organisations in ushering in the changes and developments The greatest outcome of the extended Africa Month that many Africans are seeing today. celebrations in 2012 was the overwhelmingly positive re- At its best, Africa Month should be an opportunity to sponse from staff and students who said that in that period fl esh out the framework we call the Afropolitan vision – in they could see themselves refl ected in the mainstream cul- many weird and wonderful ways. If we do it properly, ture of UCT. It did not matter whether this was in the form we will be left in no doubt that we are good continental of the increased visibility of cultural symbols or attending citizens in both our scholarly outputs and in our hearts. At a lecture on their currency or religion or home region, or that point it will begin to dawn on us, I hope, not only that Giving expression to UCT’s Afropolitan vision during Africa Month: Deputy hearing their language spoken; the verdict was the same. every month can be Africa Month at UCT, but also that Vice-Chancellor, Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo. I would like to think that this coming Africa Month Afropolitanism has become embedded in our culture.” 2 Monday Paper NEWS 29 April – 12 May 2013 Vol. 32 #6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 news in pictures • news in pictures • news in pictures • news in pictures A delegation from the Eberhard Karls Universität whose exceptional careers in science have opened up new and Four UCT postgraduate students have been awarded the 1 Tübingen visited UCT earlier this month to discuss in- sometimes revolutionary ways of improving human well-being. 7 Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future scholar- tensifying existing collaboration between South Africa and ship, a prestigious international fellowship given to women from Germany, in this the 2012/2013 German/South African Year of The Mother City wore her fi nest on Saturday 13 April to developing countries who are currently studying abroad. The Science. Pictured (left to right) are Eberhard Karls Universität 4 welcome hundreds of prospective UCT students to Open scholarship is aimed at academically excellent women in the Tübingen’s Exchange Co-ordinator, Ms Nici Sauer; UCT deputy Day. Pupils from schools as far afi eld as Grahamstown, Johan- fi elds of science and technology who wish to teach in their home vice-chancellor Professor Danie Visser; Universität Tübingen’s nesburg and Oudtshoorn jostled for information; particularly countries on completion of their PhD programmes. Recipients are Vice President: International, Prof Heinz-Dieter Assmann; UCT in the Jameson Hall, where the Faculty of Science’s hands-on (from left), Liabo Motleleng from Lesotho (Department of Chem- School of Economics’ Dr Patrizio Piraino; and Acting Director of exhibitions drew scores of interested viewers (in picture). Particu- ical Engineering), Taryn Morris from South Africa (Biological UCT’s International Academic Programmes Offi ce (IAPO), Lara larly visible were groups of pupils participating in UCT’s Schools Sciences Department and a current recipient), Tsungai Jongwe Dunwell. Prof Visser and Prof Assmann agreed to continue the Improvement Initiative’s 100Up project. Some 20 schools in from Zimbabwe (Department of Medicine) and Antonina Wasuna work between the two universities and to seek opportunities for Khayelitsha take part in this initiative, designed to help prepare from Kenya (Department of Chemistry). Another recipient, Naa reciprocal student exchange, as well as enhanced research col- 100 pupils from the area for possible admission to UCT in 2014. Dedei Tagoe from Ghana (Department of Architecture, Planning laborations. UCT and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen have and Geomatics) is not pictured. been connected for almost 15 years, through the IAPO, which More than 7 000 participants attended the annual UCT receives their students on semester study abroad. 5 Mathematics Competition on 17 April, representing a record UCT will hold its annual Candlelight Memorial Ceremo- 164 Western Cape schools. The question papers were set by more 8 ny on Jammie Plaza at lunchtime on 9 May, coinciding Student opinion matters when it comes to maintaining UCT’s than 200 high school mathematics teachers – one for each grade with memorials held internationally that commemorate those 2 high academic standards, said Vice-Chancellor Dr Max – with the assistance of 30 UCT students. The competition is the who have died from HIV/AIDS. Organised by the HIV/AIDS Price at a student-hosted discussion on the subject. UCT pays biggest of its kind in the world.