Interested in a science based career? Then look no further than CPUT.

The university is still accepting applications for the following courses: Food Technology, Analytical Chemistry, Nature Conservation and Oceanography.

These courses offer students hands-on practical training in state-of-the-art-laboratories as well as an opportunity to hone their skills in the workplace.

And with a shortage of skilled graduates in the science and technology fields, those who opt to make CPUT their academic home, are sure to reap the benefits once they graduate.

Individuals who are interested in learning the science of food will fare well studying Food Technology, a course that focuses on the physical, microbiological and chemical composition of food.

These skills are in huge demand with large food manufacturing companies offering graduates employment opportunities in quality control, product development and the production management sector.

Interested in a research and development based career? Then a qualification in Analytical Chemistry is the right fit. This hands-on course skills students to apply basic principles and techniques of chemical quantitative and qualitative analysis, quality control of raw materials and finished products.

Individuals who are keen on pairing their science skills with their love of the outdoors can consider applying for the Nature Conservation or Oceanography courses.

Both courses equip students with a comprehensive range of technical and research skills for employment in the nature conservation sectors.

Late applications are accepted until 31 October at a fee of R150 and are available for local students only.

* A select number of courses are accepting late applications for the 2014 academic year, view these courses here.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

A weekend cleaning beaches and rooting out alien plants went down well with a group of first-year Nature Conservation and Oceanography students.

To give students a heads-up on their career choice, lecturers in the Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Management organized a weekend trip to the Helderberg Marine Protected Area.
Head of Department Dr Joseph Kiokosays the students rolled up their sleeves and completed a number of tasks related to their career choice.
 
“The weekend’s activities exposed them to the world of work. It gave them an idea of some of the things they can expect during their course,” he says.
 
Students cleaned the beach at the Helderberg Marine Protected Area near Strand, collected water and marine life samples and spent a day rooting out invasive plants at the Cape Nature Reserve. They also interacted with third-year nature conservation and oceanography students who are currently completing their work-integrated learning programmes at the various sites visited.

RESPONSIBILITY:  Students collected large amounts of trash during their beach clean-up.

Student Dillion Quickfall says he left the excursion better informed on his career choice and after interacting with nature conservation practitioners and senior students, the 18-year-old is positive he made the right career choice. His classmate Thangiswa Kafile also gave the weekend a thumbs-up.

“I am passionate about nature and it was so interesting to learn about the different plants,” he says. Lecturer Conrad Sparks said the trip showed students the impact humans have on the environment and the role they will one-day play in conserving it.
The department plans to make this trip a permanent feature on their year calendar.
 
By Candes Keating
 

Written by CPUT News

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White or pink flowers? What do sunbirds prefer? This is the research question posed by Dr Sjirk Geerts, a Nature Conservation lecturer at CPUT who is exploring the foraging choices of nectar-feeding birds.

Research exploring the flower colour preference of various bird species is a popular research area abroad with a large amount of work done on hummingbirds in the Americas.

However, Sjirk hopes to expand this area of research on the African continent and his efforts have recently been documented in the journal Evolutionary Ecology.

The study is a first of its kind in Africa and saw Sjirk, along with several research partners, focus on the endemic Orange Breasted Sunbird and an Erica plant species, Erica perspicua, to determine which flower colour sunbirds are most attracted to.

Sjirk is interested in the role birds play in shaping the evolution of the plant species on which they feed and the valuable insight this can provide as drivers of plant diversity.

“You observe these plants with pink and white flowers in the field and you ask yourself what is driving this? And how are these maintained? ”

As part of the study, the team set up an aviary, arranged an even number of pink and white flowers and then let in sunbirds and monitored their movements.

“Once foraging, the birds always went to a pink flower first. However, thereafter they did not select a specific colour flower, but rather selected the closest flower. Minimization of flight distances therefore overrides colour preference ,” he says.

This study also revealed that sunbirds are maintaining the colour polymorphism (more than one flower colour form within a species), but what caused this diversity remains an unanswered question.

“The next step is to look at the genetics of polymorphic Erica species, which will hopefully bring us another step closer in unravelling the reasons for the high plant diversity in the Cape,” says Sjirk.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

Husband and wife team, Maya and Otto Beukes, are spearheading a groundbreaking project that will reveal critical information on the activities of the lion population in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

This Kgalagadi Lion Project forms part of the duo’s Masters research in the field of Nature Conservation and is a collaboration between CPUT and the South African National Parks (SANParks).

The project was initiated after a survey conducted in the park, which straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana, found a skewed sex ratio in favour of lion males which could result in a collapse of the park’s lion population.

Maya and Otto will be responsible for conducting a detailed study on the lion population by collecting critical information on their demography and dietary patterns.

“This information will be used to help identify the cause of the sex skew and to inform management decisions on lion conservation in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park,” says Maya.

The couple has been working in the park since last year and has already collected a significant amount of data and have identified 141 individual lions.

“In October 2013 four adult female lions were fitted with GPS/VHF collars by SANParks Veterinary Wildlife and Scientific Services. We will use the collars to locate prides as well as prey remains. The collars will also be used to assist with continuous following of collared individuals and their associated prides through telemetric tracking,” says Maya.

The project will run over a two year period and is being supervised by CPUT’s Dr Frans Radloff and SANParks's Dr Sam Ferreira.

If you would like to find out more about the project, please contact Maya or Otto Beukes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You can also find updates on the Kgalagadi Lion Project on Facebook and on their website.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

A partnership with the Botanical Society of South Africa, which has helped to ensure work-ready Nature Conservation graduates, has been extended for another three years.

A three-year agreement between the university and the Society was first signed in 2014 and a new memorandum of understanding, which will extend the partnership to 2020, was recently signed.
“The partnership has benefitted CPUT students tremendously as the Botanical Society paid for second-year students (about 35 to 40 per year) for a week-long training field trip, which a number of students in our department could not afford to pay for,” says Dr Rashieda Toefy, Head of the Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences.

Among other things, the agreement also allows students who are doing Plant Studies, free entrance into Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the herbarium as well as the transport to Kirstenbosch for practicals.
“Our students are also involved, through the Botanical Society and the South African National Biodiversity Institute with CREW (Custodians of Rare and Endangered Flowers) in the i-spot and Bioblitz field trips, which assist in the recording and identifying of rare plants,” says Toefy.

Chelsey Matthys, a BTech Nature Conservation student, says the experience she gained as a result of the partnership gave her the edge over students from other institutions during her work placement.
“We all get the same theory but the field work is what becomes important. Our field trips to Kirstenbosch taught us a lot about identifying a flower in the wild rather than in a book.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Being awarded the coveted Vice-Chancellor’s (VC) medal brings a sense of pride and accomplishment, and recognition for hard work and dedication.

Joshua Overmeyer, who graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Nature Conservation during the CPUT Autumn Graduation last night, says being the VC medal recipient brings “me a feeling of honour and responsibility, not only to continue to strive for excellence, but to promote and uphold the values associated with the VC medal”.

Joshua completed the Diploma in 2021, scoring distinctions in all 25 subjects offered, and achieving the qualification Summa Cum Laude. He then enrolled for the Advanced Diploma in Nature Conservation and again scored distinctions in all nine subjects offered – graduating Summa Cum Laude again. His average mark across all years of study is 85.3%.

The Capetonian is currently registered for the Postgraduate Diploma in Conservation Science, with a research project supervised by Prof Frans Radloff. Radloff described Joshua as a humble and quiet person who gets the work done without boasting about it in any way. “He cares deeply about others and the environment and is very passionate about conservation. He is obviously gifted, but it is not just a great mind that got him where he is. He also outworks everyone else, and it is the combination of his intellect and work ethic that make him excel.”

The 30-year-old student has a close-knit family who has been incredibly supportive throughout his academic journey. Initially, Joshua studied towards an LLB degree after he finished his Matric, but he shifted his career path to Nature Conservation after rediscovering his passion. Through networking with the experts in the field, Joshua discovered the nature conservation course offered at CPUT. Recognising the University’s reputation for quality education and its practical approach to conservation studies, he decided to pursue his academic journey here.

“At CPUT, I immersed myself in a rich learning environment that combined theoretical knowledge with hands-on experiences. My time at CPUT not only equipped me with the necessary skills and knowledge but also instilled in me a sense of purpose and responsibility toward environmental stewardship.”

It was a transformative period that solidified his commitment to making a meaningful difference in conservation efforts. “My journey leading up to this achievement has been one of growth, perseverance, and self-discovery. It involved exploring different paths, facing challenges, and embracing opportunities to learn and develop. Along the way, I received support from mentors, educators, and family, whose guidance and encouragement fuelled my determination. This journey has not only shaped my skills and knowledge but has also deepened my passion and commitment to making a meaningful impact in my chosen field.”

The support from his lecturers and faculty members has always been “invaluable”. Their guidance, encouragement, and expertise have significantly contributed to his academic growth and success. Joshua attributes a significant part of his achievements to the unwavering support from his family. Their encouragement, belief in his abilities, and sacrifices have been the “bedrock of my journey, providing me with the support needed to pursue my goals”.

Equally important, has been his passion and curiosity for his chosen career path. “This intrinsic motivation has been a driving force, keeping me engaged, enthusiastic, and constantly seeking to deepen my knowledge and skills. It's this passion that has fuelled long hours of hard work, pushing me to consistently strive for excellence.

“I have also been fortunate to have mentors and teachers who have guided and inspired me along the way. Their mentorship, wisdom, and guidance have helped shape my perspectives, refine my goals, and navigate challenges effectively.”

Joshua completed his Work Integrated Working year at Karoo Ridge Conservancy.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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