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| School of Computer Science Maths Physics
and Statistics |
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Department of Mathematics and Applied
Mathematics – Sasol maths training
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| The dire shortage of suitably
qualified maths teachers in South Africa was addressed
by Sasol and the Department of Mathematics and Applied
Mathematics. Sasol, in conjunction with the Department,
recognized the plight of vast numbers of under-prepared
Further Education and Training (FET) mathematics learners
in the Eastern Cape and launched a comprehensive mathematics
development programme six years ago. Since its launch
the Govan Mbeki SASOL Mathematics Programme has hosted
a mathematics Olympiad competition for Grades 3,5,7,9
and 11; a professional upgrade programme for FET Mathematics
educators; a Grade 12 incubator school for prospective
SET students; various problem solving workshops for educators
as well as workshops focusing on the use of technology
to enhance the teaching and learning of maths.
Some innovative new ideas to improve this project were
announced for 2007, such as the interactive maths DVD,
produced by the SMATE team at NMMU. Sasol has sponsored
the GMSMDP since its inception in 200l.
The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
also launched the Volkswagen Science and Maths Incubator
School Project in 2007 designed to identify and nurture
future FET educators in these subjects.
The incubator school is aimed at Grade 12 learners who
have been identified as prospective science and maths
educators. A group of 40 physical science students and
60 maths students in grade 12 in schools in Mandela
Bay have been identified as future educators and offered
places at the incubator school. They will be exposed
to standardized lectures in either maths or science
designed to prepare them for the Bachelor of Education
degree at the university.
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Physics
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| The Department of Physics has
gained a reputation as a strong research unit, able to
grow and characterize a range of semi-conducting and hard
alloy materials. Two sections remain dominant– the
Crystal Growth Group and the Electron Microscopy Unit.
These have been complemented by the introduction of the
Renewable Energy Unit and the Optical Fibre Research Unit.
NMMU and the NMMU Trust have identified this department
as a flagship in terms of generating funding and running
projects. |
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The electron microscopy facility
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| This facility is considered
to be a centre of excellence and a national asset as it
offers advanced electron microscopy facilities for physics
and materials research. In addition to providing electron
microscopy research facilities to other departments at
NMMU, the unit also renders services to industry, research
institutions and other universities (WITS, UCT, Rhodes,
UFS). Important information in the field of materials
science (microelectronics, ceramics, geology, metallurgy
, polymer chemistry and materials used in nuclear energy
reactors), can be obtained via this unit.
In 2006, William Goosen was appointed as the electron
microscopy operator with funds from the NMMU Trust.
He acted as the secretary of the Physics Organising
Committee, hosting the 2006 Microscopy Society of Southern
Africa Conference in Port Elizabeth at the end of 2006.
The Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials based
at Wits University (funded by the Department of Science
and Technology) contributed
R 350 000 towards NMMU electron microscopy equipment
and service, with Element Six contributing R 150 000.
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The Solar Simulator
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The Centre for Energy Research
is focused on meeting Africa’s renewable energy requirements.
The state-of-the art solar simulator, which meets international
calibration standards, was installed in the centre in 2007.
In the light of the current challenges facing the energy sector,
the South African public is fast becoming energy conscious and
is ready to accept energy saving methods and devices, such as solar power. |
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Materials Characterization
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| The materials characterization
programme was supported by the NRF until 2007 and a total
of R 1.22 million has been awarded for this period. Collaborators
include scientist from Element Six, Mintek and Delft University
of Technology (Netherlands) and Antwerp University (Belgium). |
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Swedish-Sa Collaboration
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| This involves the development
of a new type of vanadium-tungsten-carbide-cobalt hard
metal. |
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DST Centre of Excellence on Strong Materials
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| Prof Neethling of the NMMU
Physics Department is a core team member of this Centre,
which is based at Wits University and funded by the Department
Science and Technology. |
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Solar energy and photovoltaic device
characterization
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| This unit came into being in
2005 and its unit head, Dr van Dyk is involved with an
NRF project on photoresponsive materials – a collaborative
project lead by Prof Vivian Alberts at University of Johannesburg. |
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FTIR Spectroscopy
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| This project received a grant
of R 45 000 for the project entitled “Optical characterization
of semi conducting materials and optical fibres using
FTIR Spectroscopy” |
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Semiconductor Crystal Growth and characterization,
Microstructural characterization of ZnO
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| This is a project that received
funding in 2006/7 |
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Telkom Centre of Excellence
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The Optical Fibre Project…telecommunications
into the future
The Optical Fibre Research Unit was established in the
Department of Physics in 2001 and forms part of the Telkom-sponsored
Centre of Excellence. The main goal of the Research Unit
is to study the optical characteristics of optical fibres
and cables, with emphasis on the assessment of polarization
mode dispersion (PMD). PMD is the phenomenon whereby the
two polarization states of a light wave are transmitted
at different speeds through the fibre, resulting in a
measured dispersion of the signal. PMD is believed to
be one of the factors that will ultimately limit high
data transmission rates in the future. The optical fibre
research work at NMMU is also supported by the African
Laser Centre, with a two-year collaborative project with
Tunisia defined.
This optical fibre research is unique to South Africa;
last year the Unit received R 1.5 million in research
funding, primarily from Corning, Telkom, Aberdare Cables
and Government. The project also received
R 50 000 from Ingoma Communication Services, a South African
BEE company. |
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Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
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The NMMU Trust approved a postdoctoral fellowship to be used by
Professor A Leitch (Dean of Science), to appoint a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Optical Fibre Research
Unit in the Physics Department during 2007. The Unit has been led by Prof Leitch since its inception
in 2001. The Unit remains the only such research entity in South Africa that has this particular research
focus.
It has received a total of more than R 9 million in research funding from South African Government
since 2001 as well as from numerous donors such as Telkom, Corning, Aberdare Cables, Hezeki, MCT and Ingoma.
The post-doctoral Fellowship was allocated to Dr Tim Gibbon. |
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Absa committed R8,6m towards Mathematics, Science and Technology education in 2007
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| The Science and Maths in Schools (SMIS) Project is run through the NMMU Vista Campus.
In order to assist government in meeting its national goal of doubling the number of Grade 12 learners passing
higher grade mathematics and science by the end of 2008, Absa committed to increasing maths science and technology
MST) capacity at schools and educational centres throughout the country. The bank’s support is directed at
organisations that run in-service training for educators from grades 1 to 12, using a combination of classroom
facilitation, workshops, material provision and the development of key teachers in identified school clusters.
The goal is to increase priority skills in areas of dire industry need in South Africa. |
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The Govan Mbeki / Sasol Science and Mathematics Development Programme
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According to a 2007 Centre for Development
Enterprises survey on maths and science in South African schools in 2006,
only 4, 8% of South African learners passed higher-grade maths, and only 5,
7% passed higher-grade science. The Govan Mbeki / Sasol Science and Maths
Development Programme (GMSSMDP) has been running a series of maths development
projects designed to improve mathematics skills and instill a love of the
subject amongst learners in the Eastern and Southern Cape for several years.
Sasol has substantially sponsored the GMSMDP since its inception in 200l.
Due to the notable success of the GMSMDP, Volkswagen South Africa joined
this initiative in 2007. A group of 40 physical science students and 60
maths students in grade 12 in schools in Mandela Bay were identified as
future educators and offered places at the Volkswagen incubator school
in the science/maths classes.. |
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Department of Physics - Research Chair in Nanophotonics
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| The acquisition of this state-of-the-art equipment is critical to the success and sustainability of the nanophysics research to be conducted by the Nanophysics Research Chair at NMMU. This Research Chair was established at the beginning of 2008, and aims to develop semiconductor nanostructures for photonic devices on a commercial scale. The NMMU Trust donated money to this programme, along with the National Research Foundation and the National Nanotechnology Equipment Programme. |
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