Natural and Agricultural Sciences

NWU academic inducted as fellow of Nigeria Academy of Science

North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Olubukola Oluranti Babalola was elected a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) during its annual general meeting earlier this year.

She was formally inducted as fellow, along with 10 international distinguished scientists on 12 May 2022.

The NAS fellow induction is one of the highest honours of the academy, and each fellow receives a certificate and gold medal.

Submitted on Wed, 05/18/2022 - 09:15

Young entrepreneur takes haircare products to the world

For this young woman entrepreneurship is a way of life. North-West University (NWU) master’s student in chemistry, Paula Maseko, recently started her own business by producing and selling haircare products.

Paula, who hails from Lonelypark in Mahikeng, started her business in 2020 in her mother’s garage. With a few pots, bowls, a hand blender and a two-plate stove, Buhle Bomqhele hair cream and growth oil were born.

Submitted on Tue, 05/03/2022 - 15:43

NWU’s IKS Centre collaborates with Wits University to explore indigenous palaeo-knowledge

The Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) Centre of the North-West University (NWU) has partnered with Wits University to do palaeontology research along the Karoo Basin.

The IKS Centre team comprises Prof Simeon Materechera, a senior professor and research leader for the NWU team, and Otsile Maditsi, a lecturer at the centre. They are working with the Wits team to explore the indigenous knowledge associated with palaeontology.

The IKS Centre will focus on indigenous paleo-knowledge which consists of geomythology associated with palaeontology.

Submitted on Mon, 04/25/2022 - 15:26

Conserving African biodiversity through genomics has a food security link

Using genomics to understand and protect the African continent’s biodiversity could improve the resilience of plants, animals and other life forms to climate change, with a knock-on effect on food security, says North-West University (NWU) researcher Dr Roksana Majewska.

She and fellow researchers at the African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) have undertaken to safeguard and preserve African genomic biodiversity through an Africa-led effort to sequence the genomes of plants, animals, fungi and protists that are endemic to the continent.

Submitted on Mon, 03/28/2022 - 16:24

NWU academic elected President of African Astronomical Society

Phenyo Mokgothu

Prof Thebe Rodney Medupe, North-West University (NWU) academic and deputy dean for community engagement and stakeholder relations in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, has been elected as the president of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS).

Prof Medupe was elected during the society’s General Assembly on 18 March 2022, which formed part of AfAS's hybrid conference that took place from 14 to 18 March.

Submitted on Tue, 03/22/2022 - 14:56

NWU and Universität Duisburg-Essen develop early warning tool for metal pollution in fresh water

Researchers from North-West University (NWU) and Universität Duisburg-Essen in Germany have developed an early warning tool for metal pollution in freshwater systems worldwide.

This research achievement is a collaboration between the Water Research Group, the NWU led by Prof Nico Smit and Prof Victor Wepener and the Universität Duisburg-Essen’s Aquatische Ökologie (Aquatic Ecology) Group, led by Prof Bernd Sures and Dr Sonja Zimmerman.

The project is funded by the National Research Foundation and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Submitted on Tue, 03/15/2022 - 14:12