Alumni in the news August 2018
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Be inspired by the Witsies in the August round-up of appointments, achievements, awards and ideas
Books:
African Literature postgraduate student Mapule Mohulatsi (BA 2016, BA Hons 2018) has written a children’s book, Mizz President.
Here is an ENCA video of another Witsie children’s book author, Refiloe Moahloli (BCom 2009).
Panashe Chigumadzi (BAccSci 2013, BA Hons 2016, MA 2017) has published her second book, These Bones Will Rise Again, an account of Zimbabwe’s history.
Wits University Press has a line-up of interesting titles, including Shadow State by alumni Ivor Chipkin (BA 1992, BA Hons 1993, MA 1998) and Mark Swilling (BA 1982, BA Hons 1983).
The latest horse-related novel by Nicola Hayward (BSc 1985, BSc Hons 1986) is out: Master Jack.
Awards and appointments:
Five Wits alumni, all professors, won South African Medical Research Council Scientific Merit Awards in August:
- Maureen Coetzee (MSc 1982, PhD 1987)
- Charles Feldman (MBBCh 1975, PhD 1991, DSc Med 2009)
- Bavesh Kana (BSc 1997, BSc Hons 1998, PhD 2002)
- Penny Moore (BSc 1996, BSc Hons 1997, MSc 2000)
- Lucille Blumberg (MBBCh 1974, MMed 2003, DTM&H 1987, DOH 1991).
Professor Peter van Heerden (MBBCh 1983, MMed 1992, PhD 2000) has been awarded the College Medal of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand. He is the director of the General Intensive Care Unit at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem.
The South African Medical Journal published a festschrift in honour of Professor Michael Kew (MBBCh 1961, DMed 1968, PhD 1974, DSc Med 1982), “physician-scientist, teacher and role model extraordinaire”.
Professor Loyiso Nongxa (BSc Hons 1976, MSc 1978, PhD 1982), former Wits Vice-Chancellor, has been elected as a Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union.
Senior lecturer Dr Jennifer Fitchett (BSc Hons 2012, MSc 2013, PhD 2015) was elected to the Society of South African Geographers Council.
In other news… ideas, innovations, personal stories and places
Haematologist Dr Johnny Mahlangu (BSc Lab Med 1988, MBBCh 1994, MMed 2008) is the lead author in research set to revolutionise the treatment of haemophilia, a genetic blood disorder.
Professor Imraan Valodia, Dean of Commerce, Law and Management, and Business Leadership SA CEO Bonang Mohale co-wrote an opinion piece for Business Live about how technological advances are reshaping our lives. They made the point that technology should “support and empower, rather than replace, workers. We should consider policies that will manage these transitions in the labour market so that society, rather than individual workers, bears the costs of adjustment.” Responses to change should not assume that “one size fits all” but should seek to address inequality in the labour market.
Wits Enterprise, the commercialisation company for the University’s intellectual capital, has a new unit, The Entrepreneurial Wayz (TEWZ). It provides insights, skills, tools and mentoring to young entrepreneurs. Anyone with an interest in problem-solving and innovation – not just business people – can benefit from its services. The other three units in Wits Enterprise are innovation support, research support and short courses.
Dr Max Price (MBBCh 1979, DOH 1983) came to the end of his term as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town recently, and handed over to another Witsie, Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng (BEd 1993, MEd 1996, PhD 2002). Jewish Report looked at Dr Price’s legacy.
Rock Art Research Institute director Prof David Pearce (BSc 2000, BSc Hons 2001, MSc 2002, PhD 2008) helped the Sunday Times’ Lifestyle magazine to understand the Lascaux cave paintings, which were recreated in an exhibition at Sci-Bono in Johannesburg.
Scriptwriter and film director Lwazi Mvusi’s (BA Hons 2012, MA 2013) full-length feature, Farewell Ella Bella, opened on South African screens in August.
To mark Women’s Month, Barbara Hogan (BA 1977, BA Hons 1979) visited the Women’s Jail at Constitution Hill, where she was once imprisoned for her anti-apartheid activism. She spoke about understanding the systems that turn people into oppressors.
Delve, a research consultancy led by Dr Katie Mooney (BA 1995, BA Hons 1996, PhD 2006), is doing work for the new Museum and Archive of the Constitution at the Hill. MARCH is calling on all South Africans to share objects that tell the story of the impact of apartheid and the making of the Constitution. “We are especially seeking objects that tell ordinary and everyday stories and that will allow visitors to ‘touch and feel’ history.” Please contact +27 (0) 66 441 0417 or email marchjhb@gmail.com and the curators will get back to you.
Geophysicist Dr Musa Manzi (BSc 2008, BSc Hons 2009, PhD 2013) told his inspiring personal story to Bongi Gwala on SAfm.
Advocate Thuli Madonsela (LLB 1991, LLD honoris causa 2017) spoke on ETV’s The Morning Show about “falling in love with law”.
Honours student Nazia Wadee (BA 2018) is a semi-finalist in the Miss Earth competition. The student newspaper, Vuvuzela, interviewed her about her goals.
South Africa: The Good News carried the story of Godfrey Tshehla (BSc 2017, BSc Hons 2018), who excelled at Wits with the support of the Tomorrow Trust.
House & Leisure published a guide to the thriving art scene in Braamfontein. Wits Art Museum topped the list of great places to visit.