The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment once again demonstrated its commitment in supporting students to achieve their highest potential when it delivered its first woman to graduate with a Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering.

Nomzamo Tshemese-Mvandaba was one of the PhD candidates from Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment [FEBE) who obtained their Doctoral degrees during the one-day Summer Graduation today, 13 December 2022, at Bellville Campus. Her research title was: Modelling and controller design of a flotation column. Tshemese-Mvandaba’s doctoral study addressed the advanced controller design for a multivariable system. Advanced controllers are needed to address the intricate interactions that characterise complex industrial processes.

Tshemese-Mvandaba who was born in Tsolo, a small town in the Eastern Cape, attributed her success to her late supervisor, Prof Raynitchka Tzoneva. “I have mixed feelings, I am very excited but at the same time I am very emotional right now. I always dreamed that she [Tzoneva] would be here to witness and celebrate with me, however it wasn’t meant to be. We always discussed my future, we both decided that at 35 I must have PhD, and it really happened,” Tshemese-Mvandaba reminisces.

“I believe she is currently looking at this moment from above and congratulating me. Thank you to all my colleagues at DEECE [Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering].”

Tshemese-Mvandaba also acknowledged the role played by her co-supervisor. and colleague. "I would like to thank Dr Mkhululi Mnguni for his dedication and support throughout my work, especially during the writing-up process and when Prof's health started to be a challenge. Last but not least, I thank Dr Carl Kriger for his leadership and the excellent job that he accomplishes today."

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The Strategic Initiatives and Partnership (SIP) Directorate recently hosted Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences who has an existing collaboration with the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS).

The aim was to touch base with FBMS and to expand the collaboration to other faculties.

“In this regard, the SIP Office was contacted to engage in discussions as to how we can expand on the partnership, in particular there was interest with the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE),” said Dr Tasmeera Singh, Manager: International Relations SIP.

The CPUT delegation included SIP director, Prof Judy Peter, Prof Veruscha Fester: Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation & Partnerships (FEBE), Dr Fareed Ismail: Senior Lecturer/Researcher of FEBE and Xolelwa Bashala: Office Administrator of Strategic Initiatives and Partnership meanwhile Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences was represented by Veronika Wäninger: Non-EU Mobility of Stabsabteilung International Office.

Peter extended a warm welcome to everyone present in the meeting. Fester conducted a presentation about the FEBE which included the CPUT structure and background:

• FEBE structure and governance
• CPUT V2030 Focus areas applicable to FEBE
• FEBE Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes
• Faculty research focus areas
• FEBE Flagship projects

Peter conducted a short presentation about the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships:

• The CPUT Smart Focus Areas
• SIP Internationalisation role
• Facilitate student leadership and agency
• CPUT active partnerships (Erasmus+, African and International)
• International Education Forum

Singh said the meeting was “very good” as there is great potential for expanding the collaboration constructively.

There were also discussions on potential collaborations around engineering management, staff exchange for Nano and 3D printing fields of research. Singh added that the “successful meeting was a starting point for further engagement with different faculties across CPUT”.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) staff members, Sipokazi Mabuwa and Luyanda Meyers, emerged as the winners at the virtual 2nd International Conference on Aspects of Material Science and Engineering (ICAMSE2021) that was organised by Punjab University in India.

The primary scope of ICAMSE2021 was to bring professional engineers, academics and researchers of matching interests on a common platform to share new ideas, experiences, and knowledge in various fields of Materials Science and Engineering.

CPUT was represented by Physics Lecturer, Velaphi Msomi, who is part of the International Technical Advisory Committee and Technical Session Chair, and four paper presenters, Luyanda Meyers, Zamavangeli Mdletshe, Noxolo Hlongwa and Sipokazi Mabuwa.  The Best Research Paper category was won by Luyanda Meyers and the Best Paper Presentation was won by Sipokazi Mabuwa, both from the Mechanical Engineering Department. All the papers presented at the conference have been published in the journal Materials Today: Proceedings.

As a Technical Advisory Committee member, Msomi was chairing the session that is related to his research field as a Technical Session Chair. He says: “As chair, I was responsible for the whole control of the session like introducing the presenters and also judge the best paper and presentation using the guides that were provided to everyone who attended the conference.”

Msomi who is also a supervisor to a PhD candidate, Mabuwa, enthused: “I felt very motivated after hearing the announcement of the names of my students or colleagues. I believe these achievements were indications of the quality of our research”.

Meanwhile, the 32-year-old mother of three, Mabuwa, who is also a DEng: Mechanical Engineering candidate, has published 24 journal articles. The Mechanical Engineering Strength of Materials Laboratory Technician started working at CPUT as an in-service trainee in the mechanical engineering Computer Numerical Control workshop from 2010 to 2011.

Her topic is: The Analysis of mechanical properties between submerged and normal multiple-pass friction stir processing of the friction stir welded dissimilar aluminium joints. The focus is on comparing the mechanical properties of the normal and submerged (underwater) friction stir processing of friction welded dissimilar aluminium alloys, highlighting the best preferred FSP method that can be used for quality weldments.

“It feels very overwhelming, honestly I never thought I’d come this far, but God made it possible. I mean I’m just a technician, most participants had interesting positions in there... It means that the department is capable of producing world-class quality postgraduates. As a department we are heading the right way.”

Another winner, a Lecturer and Extended Curriculum Coordinator in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Meyers says: “The victory was awarded as the Best Research Paper and Presenter in technical session 4… As an early upcoming researcher, this is a motivation to push me to even greater levels…This is my first research award paving the way for more to come.”

The topic of his research paper is: Hydrodynamic analysis of an underwater glider wing using ANSYS fluent as an investigation tool.

Msomi adds that Mabuwa is a humble student who always eager to learn new things and she gives it all when it comes to her work. “She is one of those students who grow each day academically. I believe this achievement will boost her confidence and also encourage her to keep on growing in her field of research. I feel so excited about her achievement.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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In a follow-up engagement on potential collaboration projects, a CPUT delegation recently hosted South African Weather Service (SAWS) delegates at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre.

The Executive Director, Dr Jonas Mphepya, led the meteorological service delegation, while Dr David Phaho, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, led the CPUT delegation.   This was a follow-up from a virtual preliminary engagement, which took place in February 2022, between SAWS, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) and Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships (SIP).

In his brief welcoming speech, Phaho expressed the Institution’s eagerness to have an “engaging conversation”, and SIP Director, Prof Judy Peter, provided the background concerning the February engagement. Dr Nelisiwe Maleka, Manager of Research Uptake at SIP, said the engagement aimed to explore potential research collaborations, student development, and skills enhancement training.  All representatives agreed to review the current Memorandum of Agreement and identify possible research collaboration projects. 

Mphepya indicated that the work at SAWS cut across all sectors. Furthermore, SAWS values the input of academics in the South Africa Value Chain, which includes observations, numerical weather prediction, forecast generation, issuing official warnings, tailored services, and business data integration. “There is a need to expand the value chain and strengthen capacity building in meteorology, aviation, and marine,” said Mpheypha. He also highlighted the importance of partnership in the “global front and African countries”. In addition, the Director of the Technology Transfer Office, Dr Revel Iyer, emphasised the importance of translating research solutions to the market and ensuring uptake. 

Potential research collaboration projects identified during the first engagement are:

• Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to explore the development of genuine Apps for big data
• Use of ICT for experimental learning
• Sensor development (low-cost sensors) and satellite development, where we can conduct collaborations and capacity building.
• A key component of the ocean economy for ocean gathering relates to reacting to and building risk modelling.
• Student development (select three or four career-studentship Masters and Doctoral programmes where they will work and be supported by SAWS)
• Create opportunities for exchange programmes for staff and students

Below are possible areas of collaboration that were explored and consolidated.

SAWS

• Observations/Met Equipment
• Infrastructure/Software Development & Applications
• Weather & climate knowledge value chain
• Training (RTC)
• Product/Services/Research
• Opportunities – Student Opportunities

Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment

• Satellite for weather monitoring and sensor development

Faculty of Applied Sciences

• Marine Sciences, Ocean Economy
• Student development (bottom-up approach from undergraduate to postgraduate)

These should be aligned to CPUT V2030

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) will host the much-anticipated PEESA III (Personalised Engineering Education in Southern Africa) Dissemination Conference on the 7th of September 2021 on Microsoft Teams.

The main theme of this virtual event is: Engineering Education and the conference will be of interest to engineering staff and students. The project also focuses on the promotion of women in engineering and on improving the university's industry co-operation.

The PEESA III Project is a collaborative initiative funded by the European Commission on the Erasmus+ programme. It is aimed at building capacity in areas related to engineering education. The project is being implemented by a consortium of universities from South Africa and Europe, namely: CPUT, Tshwane University of Technology, Vaal University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, Hochschule Wismar, Hochschule Flensburg, University of Szczecin and the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu.

PEESA III Board member, Prof Anthony Staak says in 2013 a consortium of universities from Europe and Southern Africa submitted an application for funding from the European Commission for a project titled “Programme on Energy Efficiency in Southern Africa” hence the acronym PEESA. The consortium was successful in two further applications for funding from the European Commission. All three projects are related to engineering education. “The current PEESA III has as its primary deliverable a suite of professional master of engineering degrees at the South African partner universities,” says Staak.

The Dissemination Conference takes place towards the end of the Erasmus + project, where the primary goal is to provide project participants with an opportunity to showcase the PEESA III project, present the project outcomes and deliverables, and reflect on its successes and challenges.  

The project is located at FEBE and as a result of the PEESA project the faculty will have two newly developed Master’s degree qualifications. “Faculty staff, in particular, will benefit from the capacity building initiatives associated with the project,” Staak enthuses.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, only presenters and session chairs will be permitted to enter the conference venue, and then only for their presentation. The conference will be video streamed on the TEAMS platform making online participation possible. There will be three keynote addresses by well-known speakers. The embassies of Germany, Poland and Romania have all been approached for messages of support, but they will most probably participate virtually. Staak says it’s difficult to estimate the online attendance, but the conference has been advertised at all partner universities.

To join the conference, please click on the following link - https://bit.ly/3j8Lnub 

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Internationalisation has become accepted as one of the critical processes advancing the fundamental business of universities, as such CPUT recently hosted a delegation from Réunion Island.

Dr Tasmeera Singh, Manager: International Relations, said the initial exploration of this research collaboration between CPUT and the University of Reunion Island commenced in 2020 in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE). Singh said the collaboration was placed on hold due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2022, Dr Marco Leroy Adonis and Deon Kallis travelled to Reunion for the first exploratory discussions regarding research collaboration and student mobility/exchanges.

In addition to these meetings, two FEBE staff members will also present lectures to students of the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (DEECE) and possibly the wider FEBE. “The delegation is also interested in expanding the partnership and hence the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS) has also been invited to this meeting,” said Singh.

The delegation included Prof Richard Lorion - Head of the Institut Universitaire de Technologie) at the University of Reunion Island, Prof Edel Lynch - academic at the Department of Sustainable Construction at the University of Reunion Island, Jean Pierre Faucon – Research and Telecommunications and Dr Florence Trentin - International Relations of the University of Reunion Island.

The CPUT representatives included Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr David Phaho, Prof Judy Peter – Director Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Dr Singh, Dr Marco Adonis: FEBE, Ian Van Zyl: FEBE, Deon Kallis: FEBE and Andiswa Mrasi: FBMS.

“There is motivation and enthusiasm to grow the partnership into a sustainable collaboration,” said Singh.

Phaho said CPUT has prioritised Internationalisation as an integral part of our Research, Innovation and Community Engagement agenda and welcomes collaborations, especially from countries in the Global South. “The Delegation from Reunion were enthusiastic about collaborating with CPUT in a number of areas now that we are post-Covid. The pandemic had interrupted initial engagements.

“There are already identified areas of collaboration by the CPUT Faculty of Engineering and their counterparts from the Reunion University. Also, the primary focus on student mobility especially for undergraduate students from both institutions is welcomed,” said Phaho.

He said the CPUT benefit from the partnership will be more international collaboration opportunities, not just in research but also in teaching and learning for “our undergraduate students.” “The proximity of the Island to South Africa also negates long travels and hence less costly for the institution.”

Mrasi said the interest from the FBMS was to strengthen the relationship between the two institutions. She said the meeting was very positive and fruitful. “[The] Engagements have already started with the Marketing Department from FBMS. [We are]Looking forward to collaborations that will emanate from this partnership.” Mrasi said the highlights of the meeting were the research collaboration, internship opportunities for students from both institutions, as well as staff and student exchanges.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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