Briefs

30 April 2014
  • Former chair of Council dies

    It is with great sadness that the UCT community notes the passing of Ian Sims CBE on 24 March 2014 in New Zealand, after a long illness. Ian Sims was chair of Council (1991 to 1998) at a time of transitions: from the Vice-Chancellorship of Stuart Saunders to that of Mamphela Ramphele; from the old to the new South Africa in 1994; to a new Council structure, following an extensive consultative process involving the then-University Transformation Forum; the transition to a new faculty structure (ten faculties becoming six, and the addition of the Centre for Higher Education Development); and financial devolution to faculties. He took over at a time when UCT had just embarked upon two significant capital projects: the move of the GSB to the waterfront campus, and the acquisition of the Forest Hills complex. His extensive experience and his relaxed style enabled him to ensure that the Council was able to deal effectively with the challenges associated with these transitions.

  • Geophysicist chosen for high-profile lecture tour

    George Smith, a senior lecturer in the Department of Geological Science, was selected by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) to give lectures around Africa and the Middle East. An international scientific society based in the US and a dominant international professional society for applied geophysics, SEG chooses one honorary lecturer per continent in recognition of that person's expertise as a geophysicist and a speaker. Smith recently completed the lecture series through Africa and the Middle East, which saw him presenting 22 lectures in 13 countries. His topic - 'Amplitude Variation with Offset in Exploration and Production' - is about geophysical (seismology) interpretation technology used principally in the upstream oil and gas industry.

  • Salt of success seasons hypertension research Two UCT researchers were recently honoured by the World Hypertension League (WHL) for their groundbreaking work in the field. Professors Krisela Steyn and Brian Rayner received the 2014 WHL Notable Achievement awards for their work in dietary salt reduction and hypertension respectively. The awards were given in recognition of their contribution to the prevention and control of hypertension. Rayner is head of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension in UCT's Department of Medicine and Groote Schuur Hospital, and president of the South African Hypertension Society. Steyn is the associate director of the Chronic Diseases Initiative for Africa.


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Monday Monthly

Volume 33 Edition 03

29 Apr 2014


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