The faculty of Applied Sciences received extraordinary results in staff academic development and achievement whilst excelling in the field of research.
The faculty’s output for 2005 boasts 36 journal articles, 25 submitted articles, 25 national conference presentations and 15 international conferences which include a conference on anti-oxidants in red palm oil held in Washington in 2005, a conference on anti-oxidants and health in school children held in Malaysia in 2005 and a conference on the role of anti-oxidants in health and disease which took place in Beijing, China in 2005. Mr Spinney Bernade, head of the anti-oxidant research group, was asked to present papers at these conferences.
In addition, the faculty has also received academic excellence by being awarded five Masters Degrees within the faculty, three members of staff have received their Masters Degree and five members will obtain Doctorates in 2005/6. Currently, 30% of staff hold doctorates while no less than 60% of the staff have either a Masters or a Doctorate degree.
Last year the faculty had received funding for their research that was estimated at more than R4.5 m. Nine of their staff members had received National Research Foundation (NRF) funding. The NRF also approved full funding for 2005.
The faculty’s research area of expertise lies in the areas of Environmental Toxicity and Human Health. Anti-oxidant and Biotechnology research has taken off to a good start despite some minor setbacks.
They have also established an anti-oxidant research group and they have been funded with R1.2 million whilst advancing their work in the speciality areas of Biotechnology, Environmental Toxicity and Human Health. An anti-oxidant research group was established to research the occurrence and neutralisation of free radicals in the body. The research will establish why an accumulation of free radicals is linked to diseases such as cancer, heart failure and so forth. “Anti-oxidant research is a relatively new research with exciting possibilities,” said Mr Bernade.
The CPUT’s unit is the only unit in the country which was established to do anti-oxidant research. The lab is equipped with the latest, state of the art equipment to aid them in their research. CPUT provided starting capital that enabled the group to begin their investigations.
The achievements by the Applied Sciences faculty can be attributed to a research thrust to establish units for research centres of excellence. The challenges for 2006 are to achieve their objectives by starting research projects, training students, obtaining internal and external funding, make money to support research, alleviate disease conditions through dietary means and to earn money to act as a service provider to industry.
Challenges also include limited lab space and funding for students and projects and allowing supervisors time off to supervise students.
Written by CPUT News
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