South Africans know El Niño means a hot, dry summer, but climate experts from the North-West University (NWU) warn the El Niño impact extends beyond just drought – there is some evidence, although not significant, that it also brings severe weather events and increased risk of heat stress.

He found them in the mountains and streams of Limpopo. Frogs and lizards, big and small, all of them equally exciting to his inquisitive mind. To the despair of grandmother he would run around with them in his pockets – yes, even snakes – as his rural childhood village became a playground of untold riches. When the time came, as it always did, to return to Mamelodi, where he went to school, he immersed himself in that melting pot of cultures. 

Showing their commitment to community engagement, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Computer Science and Information Systems recently organised the annual GeeXpo event. 

GeeXpo is a technology and innovation exhibition that showcases cutting-edge research, products and services from various industries, including information technology, robotics, engineering and science.

The faculties at the North-West University (NWU) are doing exciting work on the research front.

Prof Philimon Modisha is an associate professor in the Faculty of Engineering and his research is centred on liquid organic hydrogen storage. His research is mostly at the Department of Science and Innovation Hydrogen South Africa Infrastructure Centre of Competence, co-hosted by the NWU and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

North-West University (NWU) academic and researcher, Prof Nico Smit has been appointed as an adjunct professor in marine biology and ecology at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami (UM), USA.

The title of adjunct professor is the equivalent of an extraordinary professorship, showcasing the recognition of his exceptional contributions to the field.

It will be a first for Africa: One innovative step by the North-West University (NWU) and one giant leap by the continent. The NWU’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is set to launch the research area SpaceBiology@NWU.

According to one of the project leaders, Prof Henk Bouwman, this multidisciplinary research area – which is going encompass expertise from other NWU faculties such as Engineering too – will look at how biology can assist with living in space.

Dr Japie Greeff, deputy director of the School of Computer Science and Information Systems at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus, will be leading four NWU students to take part in a BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) initiative in China.

The students will take part in two skills competitions and Dr Greeff will be one of the judges.

The first competition will focus on data analysis and visualisation, and the second on machine learning and big data.

Prof Klaus Kellner from the North-West University (NWU) was recently appointed by the Director General of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to serve on the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the 7th Global Environmental Facility (GEF) funded project.

The GEF-funded project falls within the Land Degradation focal area and is titled “Mainstreaming sustainable land management (SLM) for large-scale impact in grazing lands of the Limpopo and Northern Cape provinces in South Africa”.

Postdoctoral researcher Fortunate Mafeta Phaka recently represented the North-West University (NWU) at the 10th Brazilian Herpetology Congress that took place in Porto Seguro.

This is the largest herpetology event in Brazil, bringing together researchers, students and professionals in the field to discuss the latest discoveries and trends. The event featured lectures, short courses, presentations, symposiums, exhibitions and much more.

By Menziwa Msibi and Phenyo Mokgothu

The Chemistry subject group at the North-West University's (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, under the leadership of Prof Lebo Katata-Seru and Prof Thebe Medupe, hosted its inaugural "Chemistry in Action" event on 3 October 2023, marking a significant step toward bridging the gap between academia and industry.