Today's news
Sunday, 19 May 2013
Africa Month: the debates, the movies and some fine cuisine
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Africa Month at UCT is packed with things to do, people to meet and great experiences to be shared. These are some of the highlights from now until the end of May:
Study sheds new light on human origins
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Understanding the transition between ape-like human ancestors (genus Australopithecus) and ancestors that more closely resemble us (genus Homo) is one of the hottest topics in palaeoanthropology, according to Associate Professor Rebecca Ackermann, from UCT's Department of Archaeology. UCT and LSE establish Cape Town July School
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UCT and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) have formally established the LSE-UCT July School. The summer school-style programme will run for two weeks each July. SKA SA fellow is lead author of first scientific paper from KAT-7 results
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The first author of a scientific paper based on observations performed with South Africa’s new KAT-7 radio telescope is alumnus Dr Richard Armstrong, a Square Kilometre Array (SKA) SA Fellow at UCT. Zimbabwe's readiness for elections debated
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All but one of a high-profile panel of Zimbabwean politicians and activists agreed that the country still had much to do to prepare for general elections later this year, and that holding elections before certain conditions were instituted would do more harm than good to the once-thriving nation. African identity, health and sustainability woven into Unibags
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As part of Africa Month, there was an exhibition of 70 hand-made bags by first-year students of the Michaelis School of Fine Art in the Richard Luyt Room (iKhaya Day House) whose creations sought to bring together three concepts:- African identity, health promotion messages, and sustainability. Refurbished JW Jagger Reading Room officially opened
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UCT Libraries got their Africa Month celebrations off to a fine start with the 60th birthday of the Special Collections Section. These are now housed under one roof in the newly restored JW Jagger Reading Room, which Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Crain Soudien officially opened on 10 May. Students rally for right to communicate
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It costs mobile phone networks in South Africa a mere 2.6c for a single text message to be sent over their networks. The 3000%-plus profit that these companies make when an SMS is sent - which places South Africa 6th on the list of highest mobile phone charges globally - is hindering basic communication among South Africa's poorest people. Football tournament is all about 'Ubuntu'
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According to the scoreboard, West Africa had won the final 2-0, but the united festivities after the final whistle showed that everybody felt like a winner. "It's great to see the losing teams celebrating, too," remarked Moses Pieterse of UCT's International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO). Child health care to the fore at first ever children's nursing conference
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"Welcome to all who are my friends and special in the lives of other children in hospital. May you learn new things here and come back to us renewed and energised and continue to give life to many." These were the words of welcome from 14-year-old Elandri, who receives on-going care at the Red Cross Children's War Memorial Hospital in Cape Town, to conference delegates attending South Africa's first ever children's nursing conference. EUSARNAD grant fosters inter-continental student networks
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UCT's links with its counterparts across the seas have been given a major fillip by the first-of-its kind travel grant, sponsored by the European Union. The European and South African Research Network in Anxiety Disorders (EUSARNAD) research exchange exploits inter-university collaboration to develop a greater understanding of anxiety disorders and develop more effective treatments for patients. UCT shines in World University Rankings by subject
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UCT has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world for eight of its subject areas, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject released on 8 May. UCT was ranked at 32 for its Education and Training subject area. The other seven subject areas are: Earth and Marine Sciences, Politics, Psychology, Law and Legal Studies, History and Archaeology, Geography, and English Language and Literature. City law firms plug the gap for students
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As part of their training, law students are required to bulk out their CVs with short-term vac work at law firms. But finding short-term slots is not easy, as a faculty student focus group in 2011 showed. Law firms, like most enterprises, are looking after the bottom line and their focus tends to be on recruiting top students to fill the limited space available to candidate attorneys. National bus strike hits Jammie Shuttles
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Although slightly later than expected, the national strike led by the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union has affected UCT's Jammie Shuttle service. Reduced capacity over the past three days has seen long queues at major shuttle stops around campuses as drivers joined the strike. Mobile Xhosa translator helps the medicine go down
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It's a common problem healthcare practitioners face in a multilingual society: how to translate medical questions and ailments in another language accurately enough to provide correct diagnosis and treatment. Health publications awards for UCT students
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UCT health science students Oluwatoyin Adeleke and Nadia Hussey have won a prestigious award from Health Systems Trust (HST) for articles they submitted for inclusion in the South African Health Review (SAHR). Top international award for cardiovascular researcher
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Karen Sliwa-Hahnle, professor of cardiovascular research and director of UCT's Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research, has been awarded a top international award for her research into cardiovascular prevention, heart failure and the pathophysiology of cardiomyopathy.
President Zuma honours five UCT stalwarts
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President Jacob Zuma has bestowed National Orders on UCT wastewater treatment expert, Professor George Ekama, of the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment, as well as former political activist and UCT academic, the late Dr Neville Alexander. Three other UCT alumni, former politician Colin Eglin and opera star Pretty Yende and Herbert de la Hunt, were also on the honours list. Value-added technologies a vital spin-off to fuel cell development
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The recent conference on hydrogen and fuel cell technology (HFCT) co-hosted by UCT's HySA/Catalysis Competence Centre and Germany's Centre for Fuel Cell Technology (ZBT) can be described as a watershed in South Africa's ambitions to be a world player in the hydrogen economy. 'Ultimate' botanist Skelton flies South African flag high
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2012 was something of an annus mirabilis for PhD botany student Rob Skelton. First, he flew the South African flag as part of the national Mambas team (in which he's known by the tag 'Helter') at the Ultimate world championships in Japan. Stem cells: Handle with care
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While stem cell technology is a real and present key to cures for inherited disorders, the watchword is caution, said Professor Jacquie Greenberg in her inaugural lecture on 17 April. "Stem cell prospects are the fuel of false promises. Many people want to hear they can be helped, but we must balance hype and hope." Record number of schools at Mathematics Competition
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He didn't look it, but Athini Nkota was feeling the pressure. The grade 11 learner from Zola High School in Khayelitsha was one of more than 7 000 participants waiting to get stuck into the annual UCT Mathematics Competition on 17 April. Health sciences hosts centenary dinner in New York
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Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price welcomed over 200 alumni from the US and Canada to the Faculty of Health Sciences centenary gala dinner at the Rosenthal Pavilion at New York University's Kimmel Centre on 31 March. International prize for Mizrahi's research and mentoring
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Professor Valerie Mizrahi, director of UCT's Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM), has been awarded the coveted Grand Prix Christophe Mérieux Prize by the Institute de France in Paris. Possibilities, possibilities for hundreds of prospective students at Open Day
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The Mother City wore her finest on Saturday 13 April to welcome hundreds of prospective UCT students to Open Day. Learners from schools as far afield as Grahamstown, Johannesburg and Oudtshoorn jostled for information, particularly in the Jameson Hall where the Faculty of Science's hands-on exhibitions drew scores of interested viewers. Three of UCT's best in Paris
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Women scientists lit up the Champs-Élysées in Paris recently in a display of posters featuring the 77 Laureates of the L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award, an exposition to mark the award's 15th anniversary. New additions to security fleet
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On Friday 11 April CPS and UCT's contracted security company, G4S, launched four new branded G4S vehicles that will be patrolling upper campus, part of Properties and Services' Risk Management Department's visible policing initiative to enhance safety on UCT campuses. 'Africa's development must be generated from within' - Ndulo
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Since the colonial era, the question of to whom Africa belongs has sparked furious debate. UCT's All Africa House was the site of the latest discussion at a student-organised gathering in late March. 
