NWU lecturer bags PhD against all odds

Walking across the stage to receive his PhD in operational research was surreal for Piet Ntema.

The North-West University (NWU) statistics lecturer received his degree at a recent graduation ceremony on the Vanderbijlpark Campus.

Piet and his five siblings were raised in poverty by a widowed mother who was a domestic worker.…

Hat trick for ‘nicosmiti’ as a third living species takes his name

In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, Juliet asks the age-old question: ‘What’s in a name?’ In the case of North-West University researcher Prof Nico Smit, the answer is clear ― his name is synonymous with expert contributions in the field of zoology.

This celebrated academic and parasitologist taxonomist follows in the…

NWU hosts the first ever Agri-Career Fair for Soil Science

By Oldrin Masowa

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Agricultural Sciences hosted its first ever Agri-Career fair on 19 October on the Potchefstroom Campus.

During the event, final-year students presented the findings of their soil science research and had the opportunity to network with the…

Using nanotechnology for food security and environmental protection

One of the most challenging anxieties of the 21st century is safeguarding food security for the world’s exponential growing population, as stipulated by goal 2 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to projections, the global food demand is expected to rise between 60 to 98% by 2050, with a population of more…

On the quest to save our freshwater sources

South Africa’s freshwater sources are under pressure from various kinds of contaminants, and North-West University (NWU) researchers are searching for ways to keep track of some of the more elusive pollutants.

Prof Rialet Pieters, a researcher in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, is an ecotoxicologist whose interests…

NWU PhD and master’s students shine in Three Minute Thesis competition

Can you present your thesis within three minutes? These master’s and PhD students from the North-West University (NWU) proved that it is possible at the university’s second Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.

This competition is held annually at more than 200 universities worldwide, and challenges participants to present their…

NWU makes a clean sweep at international parasitology congress

Parasites may be viewed by many as pesky organisms,but understanding them and their impact on ecological systems is crucial in nature studies. The researchers and students at the North-West University (NWU) excel as experts in this field.

The NWU made history during the recent International Congress of Parasites of Wildlife by not only…

NWU hosts a data science workshop for teachers

The North-West University (NWU), in partnership with SAS DataFly, a free resource that offers a fun and engaging way to explore data with students in real time, recently hosted a Teachers4DataAnalytics workshop for mathematics and science teachers.

The event was held at the NWU’s Vanderbijlpark Campus and was organised by statistics…

NWU Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences recognises its top achievers

By Oldrin Masowa

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus recently hosted an awards ceremony in recognition of top student achievers.

During the event students were rewarded for achieving top academic results in their various…

NWU hosts International Water-Climate Summer School

The North-West University (NWU) in collaboration with WATERnet and Baleware (Bridging Africa, Latin America, and Europe on Water and Renewable Energies Applications), is hosting an International Water-Climate Summer School from 4 to 18 October 2022.

The summer school is a hybrid, interactive, transdisciplinary event aimed at…