Researchers of the North-West University (NWU) regularly work in communities to improve lives and find solutions to pressing issues. In the fight against breast cancer, a hospital in Potchefstroom has called on the expertise of the Medicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA) research entity in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
More than 100 000 people in South Africa have turned to the waste-picking sector as a source of employment. This is according to Nonhlanhla Ngcobo, a PhD student and a researcher at the South African Chair in Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability in the Faculty of Law at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus.
“The slow economic growth rate in South Africa does not bring hope to the 31% of people currently unemployed, especially those with very low levels of education and skills,” she says.
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 lie in organic chemical pollutants and their harmful effects on humans and wildlife.
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 winning all the medals for postgraduates but also receiving the most coveted award for a researcher.
It is the diagnosis dreaded by most: cancer. Two professors at the North-West University (NWU) who were both affected in different ways by this life-threatening disease, say the emotional toll it takes can be just as detrimental as the physical havoc it causes. They offer expert advice on how to deal with it when cancer becomes a personal reality.
Prof Welma Lubbe, director of the Quality in Nursing and Midwifery (NuMIQ) research focus area in the Faculty of Health Sciences, says her journey started almost seven years ago when she discovered a lump in her breast.
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 modules during the first semester.
Renewable energy constitutes an increasingly important part of our country’s energy package while we move away from fossil fuels. This, together with an attitude of becoming more environmentally friendly, means that renewable energy like solar and wind power will definitely continue to play a bigger role in power generation.
That is why the North-West University’s Faculty of Engineering presented a five-day short learning course from 3 to 7 October, which was facilitated by the NWU’s Unit for Continuing Education.
I paid the debt I owed them, but they’re still not satisfied; now I am a branded man out in the cold.”
These words of singer Merle Haggard ring true for many ex-offenders when they try to reintegrate into society.
Oldrin Masowa
Entering the world of work can be challenging particularly in a world which is constantly changing and in demand of new skills and information. Thanks to the North-West University (NWU’s) Career Centre students and alumni are able to reach their full potential through provision of academic developments, CV training, preparation for the world of work, interview preparations and financial intelligence.