The Faculty of Engineering at the North-West University (NWU) held its Postgraduate Open Day on 25 July, granting prospective students the opportunity to engage with the faculty and peers.

The Open Day served as a platform for students to explore Engineering PhD programmes, the diverse research fields and advanced facilities of the NWU. Attendees also discovered more about interdisciplinary possibilities, application procedures and funding opportunities through presentations by leading experts in the faculty.

Executive dean Prof Liezl van Dyk welcomed everyone and presented an overview on sustainable mining. Prof Rojanette Coetzee, manager of the industrial engineering postgraduate programme and director for energy and technology,  then discussed the Engineering Agri Systems research group.

This group is an entity within the Faculty of Engineering and aims to use proven research engineering techniques and applied research to improve agricultural processes. Prof Coetzee highlighted the research focuses - lean agriculture, food production systems and animal production systems - and expanded on previously completed and current projects.

Ian Thomson, lecturer at the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, spoke about the NWU Cybathlon team and how the group brings together people with physical disabilities to compete in obstacle races. Ian is a member of this multidisciplinary team that comprises passionate engineering professors, senior students and industry professionals. Together they are developing a state-of-the-art wheelchair and prosthetic leg to participate in on the October 2024 Cybathlon in Zurich, Switzerland.

Additional educational lectures were held throughout the Open Day, providing attendees with an in-depth understanding about particular curriculum content areas covered across the engineering schools. Among the topics discussed were operations research/machine learning in health care, solar cookers with thermal energy storage, nuclear energy, water care innovations and minerals processing and refining.

The event fulfils the faculty’s long-standing commitment of educating and developing exceptional engineers through cutting-edge and applied research.

Prof Liezl van Dyk addresses attendees of the Postgraduate Open Day.

Prof Rojanette Coetzee’s educational presentation captivated all.  

Ian Thomson and his team will be competing in the Cybathlon competition in Switzerland, showcasing the great minds at the NWU.

Maria van Zyl, lecturer at the school of Industrial Engineering, discusses operations research and machine learning in health care.