Drama school benefits from scholar

Professor Hazel Barnes; actress, director, drama lecturer and mentor, has been snapped up by the Department of Drama as the first in a string of Mellon Foundation visiting scholars to UCT.

Barnes, who recently retired from the University of KwaZulu-Natal after 37 years' service, started one of two six-week stints on 5 February.

She was nominated by head of department, Professor Mark Fleishman.

"I'm here to mentor young staff, she says, to help them take the step toward writing up and publishing critical analyses of works. Drama departments in general face the challenge of finding a way to disseminate their work."

The Visiting Scholars Project brings local and foreign academics to UCT to boost key research endeavours and mentor a new generation of researchers. It runs from 2007 to 2009 and is funded by the Mellon Foundation to the tune of $500 000.

Another five international scholars are expected this year.