Water is a limited natural resource and for Africa to improve its management of this resource, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning skill sets need to be taught and embraced at institutions of higher learning.
Prof Stefan Siebert from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences was awarded the prestigious South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) Silver Medal at the recent 49th Annual SAAB conference at the University of Zululand’s Richard’s Bay Campus. This prestigious award was made in acknowledgement of his remarkable contributions to the field of botany in South Africa.
A lack of awareness of our wetlands can have catastrophic consequences for South Africa’s biodiversity. Wetlands play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, water management and community livelihoods, but extensive agricultural expansion, urban development and industrial activities mean that these vital ecosystems are increasingly under threat.
According to Prof Wynand Malherbe from the Water Research Group at the North-West University (NWU), urgent interventions are required to stem this destructive tide.
On Thursday, 16 April 2023, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the Super Pressure Balloon, carrying the Super Pressure Balloon Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT), from Wanaka, New Zealand. The SuperBIT operates in the stratosphere at an altitude of 40 kilometres above sea level.
In a remarkable display of prowess in the realm of cybersecurity, the B1str0m4th team from the North-West University (NWU) emerged victorious at the seventh annual Cyber Security Challenge (CSC) competition.
Hosted by the South African National Research Network (SANReN), the event took place during the Centre for High-Performance Computing (CHPC) National Meeting in December 2023.
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.