Natural and Agricultural Sciences News
Smart station at NWU will monitor air quality and weather
Vanderbijlpark, a pollution hotspot, has been chosen as the location for a state-of-the-art observation station that will monitor both the weather and air quality.
This multi-million-rand development will see the North-West University (NWU) becoming the first higher education institution in the country to host a permanent monitoring station…
NWU hosts Agri Teen Symposium
The North-West University (NWU) recently hosted an Agri Teen Symposium on its campus in Mahikeng.
This symposium, organised by Land Bank and Shekinah Media, was an intergenerational gathering of stakeholders in the agricultural sector, aimed at transferring passion, skills and knowledge from industry experts to young people from…
Antibiotic resistance: Phages to the rescue
On 30 August 2019 the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Prof Collins Ateba from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences delivered his inaugural address titled "Phages to the rescue: A story with a ‘possible’ happy conclusion”.
Prof Ateba explained his current research, which focusses on the development of bacteriophage…
NWU women shine at prestigious science awards
The women of the North-West University (NWU) continue to shine in Women’s Month and their extraordinary achievements do not go unnoticed.
On 15 August, the NWU was well represented at the Department of Science and Technology’s prestigious South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) in Port Elizabeth. Prof Martinette Kruger received…
Research points the way to turn waste into biofuel
One man’s trash can truly be another man’s treasure. The North-West University (NWU), together with Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (BUW) in Germany, is working on ground-breaking research that will reduce waste and provide clean renewable energy.
The waste they are planning to use is manure, sewage and faecal sludge, which will be…
PhD graduate’s research aims to increase the health of the Tswana goat
Animal health and production is usually a challenge in South African rural communities and particularly among Tswana goat farmers in the North West Province. For this reason, North-West University (NWU) technician and recent PhD graduate Mpho Tsheole set out to find a solution.
Mpho conducted research on the effect of supplementary…
Prof Lebo Seru has big dreams for nanotechnology
There is nothing small about Prof Lebogang Katata-Seru’s ideas. She is currently working at North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng as an associate professor in analytical chemistry and director for the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences. She believes that many of the country’s challenges can be solved through nanotechnology.…
Board game helps accounting students make the leap to the workplace
Curiosity stimulates the brain, making board games the ideal learning tool. Accounting students will soon discover this when playing a new board game designed especially for them.
Creative approaches to teaching and learning are increasingly being used throughout higher education and beyond. One of the trend setters in what is known as table-…
NWU visionary is one of Top 100 Young Mandelas
“Sometimes, it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that generation. Let your greatness blossom.” This is what former South African President Nelson Mandela said, and perfectly describes 32-year old visionary and North West University (NWU) PhD student Fortunate Mafeta Phaka.
Fortunate was named one of the Top 100 Young…
NWU women shine at prestigious science awards
North-West University (NWU) women continue to shine during Women’s Month and their extraordinary achievements do not go unnoticed.
On 15 August a researcher from the NWU took home a South African Women in Science award and a student received the DST-Albertina Sisulu Fellowship award for her doctoral studies at the prestigious award…