Focus on Ethics in Research
Ethics in Research was the focus of Day two of CPUT’s annual Research Festival, recently held at the District Six campus.
The festival stretched over four days and this year’s theme was Relevant, Responsive and Focused Research and Innovation for Societal Impact.
Dr Jerome Kiley, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences’ Human Resource Management Department, delivered a thought-provoking talk on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Research Ethics.
He said there was no straightforward answer to the question of AI and ethics.
Some of the ethical concerns discussed included privacy and consent, transparency and disclosure, data sensitivity, fair use and copyright, bias and representation, data security and anonymisation, and the impact on online communities.
The event also featured roundtable discussions, including one around informed consent, which touched on issues such as informed consent in research involving vulnerable individuals, when the process starts and when it ends, and the various elements of informed consent.
Prof Johan Bester, Associate Dean for Pre-clerkship Curriculum at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in the United States, delivered an online presentation titled: Autonomy as Ethical Principal in Research. Why it Matters and Present Challenges.
Some of the “take-home” thoughts that he left the audience with included:
- Vulnerable people must get special protection.
- Research involving children must consider the best interest of the child.
He said: “There are many different professional obligations for the researcher. They are not all reducible to autonomy. Autonomy is very important, but it's not the only thing you should be worried about. You should also be worried about beneficence, about justice, about risk reduction, and risk avoidance.”
Celebrating Research Excellence
In a strategic initiative aimed at contributing towards increasing research output within CPUT, the Directorate Research Development brought together academics from numerous disciplines and other stakeholders for a week of celebrating research excellence at the Institutional Research Festival 2024.
Day one of the conference focused on integrating work-focused research and the world of business while day two focused on ethics in research. The third day marked the start of a two-day conference centred around CPUT’s Research Focus Areas.
This event marked a defining moment in the institution's commitment to groundbreaking research and academic excellence as Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo, put it in his welcoming address: “The concept of excellence in higher education is very elusive strangely misunderstood, sometimes charged politicised. Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. The University’s raison d’atre is to create a stimulating, challenging and rewarding environment. Therefore, thank you to CPUT for Investing in excellence. Let us always accept where we are and agree where we want to be in 2030!”
Nhlapo also emphasised the importance of good governance in the institution.
Prof Stephanie Burton from Advancing Early Career Researchers and Scholars (AECRS) urged the academics to avail themselves as mentors to emerging academics as she outlined capacity development platforms in the AECRS programmes.
Amongst the speakers was Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Eddie Andrews, who decisively addressed the conference on: Relevant, Responsive and Focused Research and the need to tackle urban governance challenges. Andrews asserted the urgent need to confront urban governance challenges. He firmly stated that collaboration between the City and the private sector is essential to effectively tackle social issues and drive significant progress in our communities.
The Research Festival concluded with the awarding of certificates and awards to National Research Foundation-rated researchers as well as for research excellence. The following awards for excellence in research activities were made:
Research Publication – 2021 publications
- Platinum - Prof Vipin Balyan (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Gold - Dr Velaphi Msomi (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Silver - Prof Robertson Tengeh (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
- Silver - Prof Oluwafemi Oguntibeju (Faculty of Health & Wellness Sciences)
- Bronze - Prof Tiko Iyamu (Faculty of Informatics & Design)
Postgraduate Supervision – December 2021 and April 2022 graduations
- Platinum - Dr Larry Jowah (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
- Gold - Prof Tiko Iyamu (Faculty of Informatics & Design)
- Silver - Prof Johannes Cronje (Faculty of Informatics & Design)
- Bronze - Prof Vipin Balyan (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Bronze - Prof Charles Laubscher (Faculty of Applied Sciences)
- Bronze - Dr Velaphi Msomi (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
Research Publication – 2022 publications
- Platinum - Prof Tiko Iyamu (Faculty of Informatics & Design)
- Gold - Prof Victoria Jideani (Faculty of Applied Sciences)
- Silver - Prof Rodney Duffett (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
- Bronze - Prof Vipin Balyan (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
Postgraduate Supervision – December 2022 & April 2023 graduations
- Platinum - Dr Larry Jowah (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
- Gold - Prof Robertson Tengeh (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
- Silver - Prof Atanda Raji (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Bronze - Prof Justine Daramola (Faculty of Informatics & Design)
- Bronze - Prof Andre de la Harpe (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
Postgraduate Supervision – December 2023 & April 2024 graduations
- Platinum - Prof Mohamed Kahn (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Gold - Prof Andre de la Harpe (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
- Silver - Prof Atanda Raji (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Silver - Prof Michael Twum-Darko (Faculty of Business & Management Sciences)
- Bronze - Prof Tiko Iyamu (Faculty of Informatics & Design)
External Funding – For 2023
- Platinum - Dr Conrad Sparks (Faculty of Applied Sciences)
- Gold - Prof Tandi Matsha (Faculty of Health & Wellness Sciences)
- Silver - Prof Tunde Ojumu (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Bronze - Dr Kessie Govender (Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment)
- Bronze - Dr Pamela Welz (Applied Microbial & Health Biotechnology Institute)
Written by Ilse Fredericks and Aphiwe Boyce |
Lecturer wins Best Oral Presentation at NRF Symposium
Dr Vusi Mshayisa, an esteemed researcher and lecturer at the Department of Food Science and Technology (DFST), charmed the audience with his insightful oral presentation at the National Research Foundation (NRF) Next Generation and Emerging Researchers (NGER) Symposium, held recently in Boksburg.
This prestigious event was designed to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the presentation of groundbreaking research among postgraduate and emerging researchers, all in alignment with the NRF’s 2030 vision of “Research for a Better Society.”
Mshayisa’s insightful oral presentation was titled “Edible Insect Flours: Proximate, Physicochemical, and Functional Properties for Sustainable Food.” His presentation received a standing ovation and was lauded as a “masterclass” by attendees.
This showcased Mshayisa’s expertise and dedication to sustainable food innovation. At the gala dinner, he was honoured with the award for Best Oral Presentation, presented by Dr Gugu Moche, Acting DCEO of RIISA and Group Executive: Digital Transformation.
Expressing his gratitude, he dedicated the award to his mentor, Prof Jessy Van Wyk, who has been instrumental in spearheading the edible insect research initiatives at CPUT. Mshayisa also acknowledged the hard work and commitment of his students, “who have been pivotal in advancing this research field”. He highlighted that this accolade not only reflects his dedication “but also the collective efforts of CPUT’s Department of Food Science and Technology to position itself as a leader in sustainable food research”.
“This award is a testament to the hard work and passion driving our research on sustainable food sources,” He enthused, saying: “It is a small yet significant step toward putting CPUT on the map as a hub for impactful research and innovation.”
Annual Media Mingle celebrates African Innovation
Journalist, author and proud CPUT alumna, Dr Candice Bailey, was the guest speaker at the Vice-Chancellor’s annual media mingle, recently held at the CPUT Business Lounge.
The event was attended by journalists from media houses across the city, including Deputy Press Ombudsman Tyrone August and former Press Ombudsman, Pippa Green.
Bailey is one of the authors of the recently published book, We Were Always Here – Stories of Black Inventors across the African Diaspora, which celebrates the pioneering roles played by Africans and their inventions.
The conversation centred around African innovation and finding inspiration in the ordinary.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo said he was proud that Bailey was an alumna from one of CPUT’s heritage institution’s, Peninsula Technikon, and very pleased with the topic she had chosen – African innovation.
He said the institution boasted a number of technologies and innovations and had filed a number of patents, while the university would be launching its next satellite mission next year.
“We are really happy about where we are going as an institution,” said Nhlapo.
He said it was a privilege to welcome so many journalists to the event, which was also an opportunity to showcase the Business Lounge, which is situated inside the Hanover Residence on the District Six campus. Nhlapo said he was happy that many of the journalists were CPUT alumni.
Bailey shared some of the stories included in the book, including the inspirational tale of Richard Turere, inventor of the Lion Lights system, which deters lions from attacking livestock.
She said the book catalogues the stories of 40 African innovators who found solutions to everyday problems.
Bailey who started her career at the Cape Argus in 2003, said she “never thought that as a young brown girl from the gang-infested Kensington, that she’d have the power to inform the narrative”.
“I didn’t believe that my limited life experience could inform the news of the day and I didn’t think that one day I’d be part of the two percent of the country’s women that are bestowed doctoral degrees,” she said.
She left the audience with the following thought: “How are you going to contribute to encouraging black and brown girls and boys to find inspiration in the ordinary?”
Race for a Robber
Hours after racing down and apprehending a robber, a CPUT security guard then went on to run one of the fastest marathon times of anyone else at the university.
Siyabonga Madala was hours away from an uneventful night shift ending when the Campus Security Office at the District Six campus flagged a potential robbery in action at a nearby residence.
As part of the institutional Rapid Response unit, Madala and his colleagues were quickly dispatched to the scene.
When they spotted the burglars, Madala took chase as the robbers sprinted off.
“I knew which one I was targeting so I went after him,” he says.
Unfortunately for the robber, Madala is a regular podium finisher at road races and is a well-trained athlete so catching him was no problem.
“I chased him till he went into a shack. He pretended to be sleeping inside but I knew who he was. I waited for my colleagues to join me before we went in and brought him out,” says Madala.
The man was arrested, and Madala’s shift finally ended at 6am. That left him only a few hours to recuperate and get to the start line of the Cape Town Marathon.
Despite having an ITB injury the 38-year-old ran a blistering 3 hour and 12 min marathon wearing his CPUT Club colours.
“It wasn’t ideal to go racing a day before the marathon but I always do what I need to at work. The marathon wasn’t my easiest because I have that existing injury, but I was happy with my result,” he says.
Earlier this year, Madala’s colleagues at the Art and Design Building raised funds to enable him to travel to Durban to participate in the Comrades Marathon. He is hoping to attend the event again in 2025.
Leading researcher reinforces collaborations with Kenyan university
Dr Vusi Mshayisa, a leading researcher from the Department of Food Science and Technology (DFSC) recently embarked on a significant academic visit to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya.
Funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Thuthuka project, Mshayisa’s visit marked an important step in fostering deeper collaborations around the research of edible insects, as well as advancing learning and teaching activities across the continent.
He also delivered a keynote address titled: "Food Security Matters: Unravelling the Nutritional, Structural, and Techno-Functional Properties of Edible Insects." This presentation captivated both staff and students at JKUAT, sparking substantial interest in the potential of edible insects for food production. With Africa facing increasing challenges in food security, Mshayisa’s work in this area highlights the growing importance of exploring alternative protein sources, such as edible insects, to address nutritional gaps and promote sustainable food practices across the continent.
He also conducted a highly anticipated webinar titled "Revolutionizing Higher Education: How AI and Blended Learning are Shaping the Classroom," which was attended by over 144 participants from institutions worldwide. The webinar explored the transformative power of artificial intelligence and blended learning models in higher education, focusing on how these technologies are being integrated to personalise learning, enhance student engagement, and support educators. With blended learning combining online and in-person methods, Mshayisa emphasised its role in creating more flexible, student-centered environments, “ultimately making education more accessible to diverse learners”.
Amongst the participants were CPUT, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, the University of Nairobi, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, and other educational and research bodies across Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and beyond. “This international interest underscores the relevance of AI and blended learning in reshaping the educational landscape globally,” Mshayisa noted.
His visit underlines the significance of African academic collaborations in tackling key societal challenges, such as food security, “while also enhancing the quality of education through innovative technologies”. His work in edible insect research continues to position CPUT at the forefront of sustainable food production, and his insights into AI in education “are helping pave the way for the future of learning on the continent”.
“As part of the growing partnership between CPUT and JKUAT, future research endeavors will focus on further advancing edible insect projects, including joint research publications and student exchange programs aimed at enhancing knowledge transfer and scientific breakthroughs.”
Mshayisa’s visit also sets the stage for new frontiers in research and education, contributing meaningfully to the continent’s development.
CPUT and Luanda University break language barriers
In breaking the language barrier, CPUT is currently hosting academics from the University of Luanda, Angola who are here for six weeks to participate in an English programme offered by instructors from the Faculty of Education, the Language Unit at Fundani CHED, and the US Embassy.
Prof Alfredo Buza, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Luanda, and his executive team were recently welcomed by Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo. Buza and his team are hoping to stop relying on interpreters as they strive to assertively converse in English, He says the progress is remarkable. Reflecting on his time at CPUT, Buza said this was an implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding between CPUT and his University, which was agreed upon in February last year. He said under the terms of the agreements, the programme is breaking the language barrier for both parties.
He added that the programme was a success as “five employees of our university are training in the English programme and one in the master's programme at CPUT”.
“[My sincere] gratitude to CPUT, the Faculty of Education, Prof Nhlapo, to Prof Anna Dippenaar [and] to everyone involved,” Buza noted.
Prof Anna Dippenaar, Assistant Dean: Faculty of Education, said they were privileged to host a group of academics, which is led by Buza and includes Prof Juliana Canga, Chair of Assembly and the Scientific Council Faculty of Social Work; Prof Campos Pataca, Deputy Director for Academic Area of the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies); Pemba Kudibanza, Head of the Department of Information and Communication Technologies and Sebastião dos Santos, Head of the Department of Scientific Research, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Post-Graduation.
The CPUT team includes the Institutional Language Coordinator at Fundani CHED, Dr Kabelo Sebolai, Prof Candice Livingston, Suzan Wust, Dr Sanet Cox, Dr Praysgod Mhlongo, Valencia Cloete, Dippenaar, Prof Rinelle Evans from the University of Pretoria, Akisha Pearman and Alicia Brent from the US Embassy. Dippenaar acknowledged Dr Brad Horn, Director: Regional English Language Office for Southern Africa at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa “for providing the necessary support and additional instructors”.
Accompanying him, is Pedro Lucas, Head of the Exchange Department of the Legal and Exchange Office of the University of Luanda, who is currently enrolled in a Master of Business Administration or Business Information Administration Course at CPUT for the academic year 2024.
She also acknowledged Dr David Phaho, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation, and Partnerships and Prof Andile Mji, Dean of the Faculty of Education “who were instrumental in setting up this programme, for their support”. “We believe this course will be very valuable for academics who would like to enhance research opportunities at CPUT in the future but might experience language challenges.”
The Faculty of Education is also assisting in taking the team to sites in Wellington and Cape Town, where opportunities for authentic language use are ample. “This is the beginning of a long-term relationship with the University of Luanda. The group will be back at CPUT in March 2025 for another six weeks, during which the language course will be continued, as well as more research opportunities explored,” Dippenaar remarked.