Ingenieurswese het die afgelope ses jaar beduidend gegroei tot die vierde grootste fakulteit aan die Universiteit. Die groei is in ‘n mate aangespoor deur versoeke van owerheidskant dat ingenieursfakul- teite meer gegradueerdes moet lewer om die land se nypende inge-nieurstekort te verlig. Tans is daar ongeveer 3 400 Matie ingenieurstu-dente waarvan 2 600 voorgraads en 800 nagraads studeer.

Die Fakulteit is uniek ten opsigte van omvangryke voorgraadse en na-graadse werwing, wat self gedoen word deur bemarkers in die de- kaansafdeling in samewerking met die Fakulteit se bestuur. Geteikende bemarking het waarskynlik daar-toe bygedra dat keuringsdrempels aansienlik verhoog kon word om sodoende studente met die beste matriekresultate na Ingenieurswese te lok. Op die gebied van kundigheid is

die Fakulteit Ingenieurswese hoër as die universiteitsgemiddeld vir ge-

doktoreerde akademici, Nasionale Navorsingstigting-geëvalueerdes, M- en D-graaduitsette, innovasie en gemeenskapsinteraksie. Wat studentesukses betref, bly die voor-graadse moduleslaagkoers hoog ten spyte van bekommernisse oor die hedendaagse skoolopleiding in Wiskunde en Fisiese Wetenskappe. Danksy streng keuring, hoogs ge-struktureerde programme en onder-rig- en assesseringsprosedures wat deur die Ingenieursraad van Suid-Af-rika (ECSA) gemoniteer word, is die modulesukseskoers van 85,3% hoër as die universiteitsgemiddeld. Einde Augustus vind die Fakulteit se vyfjaarlikse akkrediteringsbe-

soek plaas waartydens ECSA ‘n span stuur wat die Fakulteit se ses graadprogramme deeglik bekyk en beoordeel vir voortgesette ak-kreditering by die Ingenieursraad van Suid-Afrika.Vanaf 2014 sal Matie ingenieurstudente die geleentheid hê om na hul

lesings in Afrikaans én Engels te kan luister deur middel van parallelle sessies of intydse tolking. Die Fakulteit Ingenieurswese het die voortou by Universiteit Stellenbosch geneem om sy Fakulteit meer toeganklik vir studente met verskillende huistaalagtergronde te maak. Eerste- en tweedejaarmodules word geruime tyd reeds in beide Afrikaans en Eng- els in aparte klasse (parallelmedium) aangebied. Vir modules kleiner as 250 inskrywings, word klasgroepe egter nie verdeel nie en vind in-tydse tolking plaas. Die projek is in 2011 van stapel gestuur met ‘n paar loodsmodules. Dit is jaarliks stelselmatig uitgebrei en tans word ongeveer 100 lesings per week ge-tolk, met tot agt ver-skillende lesings wat soms in dieselfde tyd-gleuf getolk word.

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INGligtingNuusbrief van die Fakulteit Ingenieurswese, Universiteit StellenboschUitgegee deur die dekaan: Ingenieurswese. Redakteur: Liesel Koch, lkoch@sun.ac.za

Omvangryke bou- en opknappingsprojekte is die afgelope paar jaar van stapel gestuur om die groter studentekorps te akkommodeer. Die vierverdieping Kennissentrum is verlede jaar in gebruik geneem. Dit bevat die Ingenieurs- en Bosboubiblioteek (2 vloere), twee groot le- singlokale en ‘n konferensielokaal, asook die Sentrum vir Hernubare en Volhoubare Energiestudie en die MIH-Medialaboratorium. Die anneks wat langs die Prosesingenieurswesegebou opgerig is, is

einde 2012 voltooi. Die moderne gebou, wat volgens groen beginsels ontwerp is, sluit ‘n labo-ratorium, praktikalokaal en tutoriaalkamers vir voorgraadse onderrig in, asook kantore vir navors-ers en dosente. Die Elektriese Ener-

giegroep gaan geweldig baat by omvangryke uit-breidings en opgrade-

rings aan infrastruktuur wat in 2012 vltooi is. Dit sluit navorsings- areas vir elektriese masjiene, hoogspanning en drywingselektronika in asook ‘n wêreldklas hoogspanning isolator toetskanaal en mod-erne werksareas vir nagraadse studente en finalejaarskripsies. ‘n Dak-gedeelte is ingerig vir sonkragopstel-lings en sal ook deur voorgraadse studente benut word tydens prak-tiese sessies vir ‘n module in her-nubare energie- stelsels. Groot verbouings

en opknappings is ook vir die De-partement Siviele Ingenieurswese se infrastruktuur in die vooruitsig gestel. Konstruksie van ‘n nuwe Be-tonlaboratorium het in Desember 2012 begin. Dit is die eerste fase van die omskepping van hierdie Departement in ‘n inspirerende leer- en werksomgewing. Dit behels ‘n omvattende integrasie deur middel van verbindingsgange (tussen die noordelike en suidelike ge-bouvleuels) wat die Departement met die moderne glasfassade van die nuwe labora-torium sal integreer. Die Departement spog ook nou met ‘n indrukwekkende drie-assige toetsfasiliteit, die grootste in die suidelike halfrond. Dit beskik oor die vermoë om groot klipgroottes te toets en het die kapa-siteit om dinamiese steundruk met span-nings soos in plaveiselstrukture voorkom, na te boots. Ten slotte lyk die aantal aansoeke om

toelating vir 2014 op die stadium reeds goed, en sien die Fakulteit uit na nog ‘n stewige inname in 2014.

Drr Johann Steyl en Christie Dorfling, senior lektore, Proses- ingenieurswese, het Desember

2012 PhD-grade verwerf.

‘n Ouerpaar en hul seun wat die Rolmodelle in Ingenieurs- wesefunksie vir toppresteer-

ders uit die aangewese groepe in Mei bygewoon het.

Opgeknapte fasiliteite vir die Elektriese Energiegroep.

Prosesingenieurswese se anneks.

3-assige toetsapparaat met steundrukvermoë.

Ingenieurswese stoom voorspoedig voort

Intydse tolking by Ingenieurswese.

in chemiese ingenieurswese die PhD aan die US te kon ontvang. Ek het nooit aanvanklik beplan om nagraads te studeer nie, want ek wou so vinning moontlik begin werk en geld verdien. Vandag, as ek terug-kyk, sou ek dit nie anders wou hê nie. Die selfstandigheid en lewens-lesse wat mens ontwikkel uit nagraadse studie in ingenieurswese, is onvervangbaar.”

Elroy het onmiddellik na sy PhD ‘n MBA ook by Stellenbosch aange-pak omdat hy homself ‘n breër onderbou wou gee in sy besigheids-

mondering. Hy het groot aanklank gevind by die bestuurswetenskappe en het in besigheidstrategie spesialiseer. Hy het in 2006 sy MBA cum laude ont-vang.

“Ek het grootgeword tussen wingerde en het baie belang gestel in die voed-sel en wynbedrywe. In beide bedrywe was die rol van die chemiese ingenieur maar swak gedefinieer, wat uiteraard baie geleenthede gebied het. Ek het by KWV betrokke geraak terwyl ek nagraads studeer het. KWV het my as jong projekingenieur aangestel terwyl ek met my M besig was. Oor die jare het ek poste by KWV beklee as Projekinge-nieur, Produkontwikkelingsingenieur,

Brandewyndeskundige, Bedryfsbestuurder en later as Uitvoerende Bestuurder. Ek het later ‘n industrieskuif na Pioneer Foods gemaak as Algemene Bestuurder: Strategiese Dienste.”

Elroy is getroud met Sandy, ‘n bemarker, wat hy sedert die 1990’s ken. “Ons twee seuns, Kai (6) en Eli (18 maande), is ons trots. Ons is baie familievas en doen soveel moontlik dinge saam. Dis egter baie moeilik, gegewe my besige program. My wens is om my kinders die geleenthede te gee wat my nooit beskore was nie, en dat hulle nooit die diskriminasie waarmee ek moes worstel, hoef te ervaar nie.”

Elroy se gunsteling sport is die Japannese gevegskuns van Aikido, waarin hy ‘n 4de Dan swartgordel het. Hy beoefen dit reeds 20 jaar en was die eerste student in Suid-Afrika wat sy eksamen vir die 3de en 4de Dan suksesvol in Europa onder een van die wêreld se mees se- nior Japannese instrukteurs (8ste Dan) ontvang het. Hy is die nasion-ale hoofinstrukteur van AIKIDO SUID-AFRIKA®, ‘n nasionale liggaam met verteenwoordiging in verskeie provinsies, wat deur die Wêreld Ai-kido hoofkwartiere (in Tokio, Japan) gemagtig is om Aikido in Suid- Af-rika te onderrig. Hy bied ook verskeie werksessies aan om gewone mense bloot te stel aan basiese selfverdedigingsteg-nieke en het ook al diens aan die SAPS gelewer. Hy het ‘n unieke en spe-siale verhouding met sy instrukteur, Shihan Yoji Fujimoto (8ste Dan).

Dr Elroy Goliath sluit af: “Ek is trots om te sê ek is ‘n Matie. Ek is ook trots om te sien dat die US besig is om progressief te transformeer en meer na ons gemeen-skappe uit te reik om sodoende ‘n meer gebalanseerde profiel te ves-tig, terwyl dit steeds die mees uitnemende akademiese instansie in die land is. Ek en my gesin sal in Suid-Afrika wil bly. Wat belangrik is, is dat ek moet voel dat ek ‘n bydrae maak en altyd leer. My bydrae is op leierskapsvlak in die konteks van groter maatskappye. Ek sal verseker dat ek altyd werksbevrediging het, of aanbeweeg.

“My leuse is: Leef altyd net buite jou gemaksone.”

Moeilike tye, moeilike omstandighede en ‘n moeilike graadprogram – dis wat dr Elroy Goliath moes trotseer toe hy chemiese ingenieurs- wese in 1990 op Stellenbosch kom studeer het. Die leergierigheid wat Elroy van sy moeder gekry het en die hardwerkendheid en hard-koppigheid van sy vader, het hom egter in staat gestel om alle strui- kelblokke te oorkom, goeie kwalifikasies te verwerf en ‘n suksesvolle loopbaan te hê. Hy is tans Algemene Bestuurder: Strategiese Dienste by Pioneer Foods waar hy onder andere verantwoordelik is vir kom-moditeitsverhandeling en kontantvloei van bykans R6 biljoen per jaar.

Elroy se moeder, ‘n laerskoolonder-wyseres, was sy steunpilaar. Sy het die gedagte by hom gevestig dat opvoed-ing en studie ‘n manier is om jouself te verbeter en op te hef uit ‘n gemeenskap met baie sosiale euwels en weinig rol- modelle. Elroy is in die Paarl gebore. In Graad 8 is hy na Schoonspruit Sekondêr in Malmesbury as gevolg van die poli-tieke onstabiliteit en impak wat dit op veral swart skole gehad het. Sy Skei- natonderwyser het gesê dat chemiese ingenieurswese na sy mening loshande die mees komplekse en ingewikkelde graadkursus is, en dit het Elroy se be-langstelling in chemiese ingenieurs wese geprikkel. “Ek was lief vir die toepassing van chemie, en die intrige vir chemiese ingenieurswese soos deur my onderwyser beskryf, het my gebyt. Ek het by beide Stel-lenbosch en Kaapstad se universiteite aansoek gedoen.

“Ek wens ek kon sê Stellenbosch was ‘n natuurlike keuse. Finansiële en politieke omstandighede was moeilik in 1990. As topstudent was my skoolprestasie goed en is ek deur beide universiteite vir chemiese ingenieurswese aanvaar. Die swaaifaktor was egter dat ek by die UK (weens die afstand) in die koshuis sou moes tuisgaan - wat ek nie kon bekostig nie. Ek het toe op Stellenbosch besluit omdat ek daagliks per trein na Stellenbosch kon reis en nie addisionele uitgawes vir verblyf sou hê nie.

“Die eerste jare was maar redelik intimiderend,” sê Elroy. “Ek erken ek het ‘n sosiale en akademiese agterstand gehad teenoor die hoof-saaklik blanke klasmaats wat duidelik net aan die beste blootgestel was en ook van die land se toppresteerders was. Die treinryery het my baie van my studentelewe ontneem. Praktika het my vir jare soms tot na 19:00 oppad huis toe iewers op ‘n treinstasie gelaat. My grootste wens was om in ‘n koshuis te kon woon, maar dit was my nie beskore nie.

“Die akademiese standaard, gehalte van dosente, US-kultuur en daaglikse skouerskuur met van die topstudente in die land, het ‘n groot ommekeer in my lewe ge-bring. Ek het van my beste vriende gemaak en my selfvertroue het oor tyd ingrypend toegeneem. Ek was trots om na 12 jaar se studie

Elroy by die Sasko meulefasiliteit te Malmesbury wat tans opgra-

deer word teen ‘n koste van R330 miljoen. Dit sal die grootste maal-fasiliteit in die Wes-Kaap wees met

die jongste Switserse tegnologie. Dit is die hoofsentrum van koring raffinering in die Wes-Kaap en is verantwoordelik vir die voorsien-ingsketting aan die Wes-Kaap se klein bakkery-industrie, aanleg-bakkerye, handelsmerkprodukte

en industriële applikasies.

Elroy , Sandy en hul seuns, Eli en Kai.

Elroy beoefen Aikido op die strand.

Profiel: Dr Elroy Goliath Die man wat van struikelblokke boustene maak

Separations Technology – an overviewThe Separations Technology group is based within Stellenbosch University Department of Process Engineering, and comprises 15 postgradu-

ate students with 6 academics involved. As suggested by the name, research topics focus on different techniques to isolate, extract or remove components that initially exist in mixtures. Crucially, all research is guided by the need to upscale to industrial scale, or serve existing industries. These industries include, amongst other, petrochemisty, water purification and natural product extraction. Projects typically fall into one of five categories:

Supercritical fluid extractionSupercritical fluid extraction and related high pressure separation methods represent a sub-speciality within separations technology. This ap-

proach uses high pressures to achieve otherwise difficult separations. Given the capital expenditure required to operate industrial scale plants at high pressure, products are often compounds of high value present in low quantities, and the technology is utilised in the downstream pet-rochemistry, speciality chemicals, natural products and pharmaceutical industries. One could unpack supercritical fluid extraction as follows:

Research is typically conducted in the temperature region 35 to 120 °C, and pressure region 60 to 300 bar. At these conditions the solvents display enhanced capabilities, enabling one to perform complex separations. One such example involves the separation of close boiling deter-gent range alcohols and alkanes.

Fatty alcohols, with carbon numbers ranging between 8 and 20, and especially mid-cuts from this range, known as detergent alcohols, enjoy widespread application in the production of household detergents, cosmetics, textile processors, agrochemicals and oil field chemicals. Pop-ular detergent alcohol production pathways result in product streams containing significant quantities residual alkane. Product streams also contain a combination of linear and branched alcohol isomers. Successful application of detergent alcohols requires removal of the residual alkane fraction from the linear and branched alcohol isomers. Unfortunately, the alkanes and alcohols present in the product stream possess overlapping melting and boiling points, which negates the use of the conventionally favoured techniques of crystallisation and distillation.

The Separations Technology group has conducted various studies on the use of su-percritical fluid extraction to address the above-mentioned problem. These studies, which involved both binary phase equilibria and pilot plant experiments, have con-sidered mainly carbon dioxide, ethane and propane as supercritical solvents. Various functional groups, the position of these functional groups, and branched isomerisa-tion have also been studied as factors affecting solute solubility.

Separations Technology at Stellenbosch University Department of Process Engineering has developed unique equipment and methodologies to measure high pressure phase equilibrium of mixtures containing three and more chemical compounds. Globally, at most a handful of institutes possess and successfully operate phase equilibrium apparatus of similar intricacy.

The collective advantages of this specific experimental setup provide tremendous versatility, and add a new dimension to the research capabilities of Separations Technology.

High pressure separations and extractionsBecause we are super critical about fluids

Frederick Fourie

Read more on next page...

Distillation,Absorption & Stripping

MembraneTechnologies

Vapour Liquid EquilibriaVacuum / Low Pressure

Predictive Model Development

Supercritical Fluid Extraction

Supercritical

Pressure and temperatureabove the critical pressure

and temperature of the fluid

Fluid

Active solventenabling extraction

or separation

Extraction

Separating orisolating from a

mixture of solutes

Critical Pressure and Temperatureof popular supercritical solvents

CO2 74 bar 31 °C Ethane 49 bar 32 °C Propane 42 bar 97 °C

High pressure phase equilibriaPhase equilibria data are necessary to design and optimise high pressure separation processes and equipment. These data are also used as

input for predictive model development. Predictive models are incorporated into plant control software packages. Accurate and representa-tive phase equilibria data enable predictive models of superior accuracy and robustness, which ultimately affect plant safety and bottom line figures. The following is a simplistic definition of phase equilibria: Given a specific bulk mixture composition (the ratio blue : red : green), how does this mixture behave (i.e. how many blue & red in the top phase, and how many red & blue in the bottom phase) at various temperature and pressure combinations.

Shown on the right is a simplified schematic of the analytical phase equilibria setup. In essence, it

comprises a sample preparation vessel, a sample transfer section, and a sample analysis section.

In three- and multi-component systems, containing one solvent and two or more solutes, the need exists to analyse equilibrium phase com-positions (i.e. the ratio blue : red : green in the top phase, and the ratio blue : red : green in the bottom phase). An analytical phase equilibria setup, enabling the generation of such multi-component equilibrium phase composition data, has been developed.

Key benefits of this experimental setup include the ability to vary vessel volume and vertically adjust both samplers, whilst maintaining sys-tem pressure. This adds beneficial operational flexibility. High definition video images of the entire internal volume enable one to observe inter-esting phase behaviour phenomena which go unseen with the naked eye. Simultaneous sample extraction from two phases, and simultaneous parallel online analysis of both these samples, ensure the analysis data are representative of vapour and liquid phases that exist in equilibrium. The picture below provides an overview of the apparatus.

An overview of the experimental setup: [1] – oven containing the high pressure vessel, [2] – two sample extractors, [3] – heated sample transfer tubing and [4] – gas chromatograph for online analysis.

An analytical phase equilibria setup

Read more on next page...

Side view of a thick-walled vessel

A vessel loaded with two chemical compounds (the solutes to be separated)

Add a pressurised

solvent

Manipulate temperature & pressure; allow mixture to separate into two phases

How does the blue behave in green?

How does the red behave in green?

How does the presence of blue affect the behaviour of red in green?

How does the presence of red affect the behaviour of blue in green?

Pha

se E

quili

bria

The high pressure sample preparation vessel (also referred to as an equilibrium cell) is, in essence, a horizontal stainless steel cylinder with one open end sealed by a sight glass and the other by a mobile piston. The volume is adjustable between 75 ml and 125 ml. The maximum op-erating temperature and pressure are 150 °C and 300 bar. Temperature control is achieved by means of a circulated heating fluid (water or oil), and a forced convection oven. Five Pt100 probes are used to monitor for any radial or axial temperature gradients within the vessel (the probes and data acquisition unit are calibrated, in unison, to an accuracy of ± 0.1 °C). A melt pressure transmitter, the diaphragm of which is located flush inside the vessel interior, is used to measure pressure to an accuracy of ± 0.3 bar. Magnetic stirring is used to enhance the approach to equilibrium. Machining of the high pressure vessel involved a combination of CNC turning, conventional turning, electrical discharge drilling, spark erosion and conventional milling.

Sample preparation and extraction:

[a] – a simplified section view of the equilibrium cell and pressure intensifier and

[b] – the sample extractors and accompanying displacement devices.

The phase equilibria apparatus utilises two ROLSITM(Rapid On Line Sample Injectors) samplers. A capillary, with internal diameter smaller than 0.15 mm, protrudes into the high pressure vessel. The capillary top is sealed with an electromagnetic piston which momentarily lifts upon actuation, enabling sample removal. Heated helium carrier gas continuously feeds to and from the samplers. Upon extraction from the high pressure vessel, the vaporised sample is swept along and transported to the gas chromatograph for analysis.

Despite the samplers described above, and the variable sample times they enable, sampling from a high pressure environment remains a major challenge accompanying analytical phase equilibria work. Sample size is affected by temperature, pressure, viscosity, surface tension and composition of the phase being sampled from. Samples should be sufficiently large to be representative, yet small enough not to disturb equilibrium conditions. In addition, sampled quantities must be compatible with the gas chromatograph columns, detectors and detector cali-bration procedures. Typical sample sizes encountered thus far fall in the range 1 to 4 mg.

Front is Frederick Fourie, who developed the apparatus as part

of his MSc and PhD studies, with his supervisor, Prof Hansie Knoetze

and co-supervisor, Dr Cara Schwarz.

Compositions of the two co-existing equilibrium phases are determined via gas chromatography, and the customised Agilent 7890A instru-ment offers versatility with regard to analysis approach. The configuration of two split-splitless inlets, two flame ionisation detectors, one ther-mal conductivity detector, two switch valves and four columns, enables simultaneous parallel analysis of samples containing both permanent gases and mid-length hydrocarbons. The diagram below provides a schematic of the chromatograph layout, and typical analysis chromato-grams for a three-component (2 solutes, 1 solvent) system.

Online composition analysisvia gas chromatography:

[a] – the chromatograph configuration and

[b] – typical analysis results for a three compound system.

Conclusions and future workA state-of-the-art high pressure multi-component analytical phase equilibria facility was recently developed by Separations Technology at

Stellenbosch University Department of Process Engineering. This apparatus, and the phase composition data it enables, complements and expands on former and ongoing research on the use of high pressure solvents to perform complex separations and extractions.

We welcome comments and questions, and are always willing to discuss potential projects with interested parties. Contact: Prof Hansie Knoetze (021 808 4204, jhk@sun.ac.za) or Dr Cara Schwarz (021 808 4487, cschwarz@sun.ac.za).

Besoekers word bekoor by Ingenieurswese OpedagIn volmaakte weer het besoekers 20 April na die Fakulteit Ingenieurswese

gestroom vir die gewilde Ingenieurswese Opedag. Dié jaarlikse instelling is die Fakulteit se grootste bemarkingsinisiatief.

Studente en personeel het mense met ope arms verwelkom om te wys hoe in-genieurs wetenskap en tegnologie inspan om die wêreld ‘n beter plek te maak. Die vyf ingenieursdepartemente se talle opwindende uitstallings en demonstra-sies het besoekers bekoor. Sessies aangebied deur die dekaan en visedekane het ook groot belangstelling gelok. Tydens die sessies is baie belangrike inlig-ting oor die Fakulteit se graadprogramme en ander tersaaklike inligting oorge-dra. Verskeie maatskappye wat beurse bied, het ook stalletjies by die Opedag gehad.

Die tentatiewe datum vir die 2014-Ingenieurswese Opedag is 8 Maart.

Die 400 ingenieurstudente wat as demonstreerders of toergidse opgetree het, het baie vrolik gelyk in hul pragtige groen T-hemde wat deur Aurecon geborg is.

Oud-Maties Toffie Turner, 1962 (foto links) en Dirk van Velden, 1965 (foto regs) elk

met ‘n kleinseun aan die sy by die Opedag.

Five Engineering staff members were recently rewarded for exellent research when Stellenbosch University (SU), Africa’s research leader, rewarded 39 of its most productive researchers with new incentive prizes. The 39 had made the biggest contribution to SU’s total num-ber of accredited publications in 2011, the most recent year for which audited publication figures were available at the time of adjudication.

Engineering’s five researchers are Profs Toit Mouton and Howard Reader (Elec-trical and Electronic Engineering), Profs Hansie Knoetze and Guven Akdogan (Process Engineering), and Prof Cornie Scheffer (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering).

Each received R50 000 as an incentive for further research. Only research pub-lications that appeared in the Depart-ment of Higher Education and Training (DHET)-accredited journals, conference proceedings or books were taken into account.

SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Russel Botman, congratulated the group with their achievement and said: “Thank you for your contribution. In our new Vision 2030 we say Stellenbosch pre-eminently wants to be an innovative university – a place where research and knowledge and technology is taken to the next level. You are our pace-setters.”

Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Prof Eugene Cloete, said research publications are among the most important products deliv-ered by SU staff. It enhances the University’s international reputation as an excellent research university and shows that new knowledge is generated here.

Earlier this year, for the fourth consecutive time, the DHET acknow- ledged SU as the university with the highest weighted research out-put per full-time academic staff member in the country. And the past three years SU has repeatedly been included into four rankings of the world’s leading universities.

According to Prof Cloete, publication does not only make it possi-ble for research to be applied, but it also makes a significant contribution to SU’s annual subsidy income from the State.

“It stands to reason that researchers who publish their findings in quality ex-pert sources are therefore regarded as some of the most important assets at any university. I consider it my duty and privilege to give recognition to our top achievers in this regard.”

The awards are currently only for staff occupying ordinary positions within an academic department, and not re-searchers who are already involved in re-search chairs and centres of excellence. “The reason is that our budget is limited, and the fact that the latter group already work in environments where research funding is more readily available,” Prof Cloete said.

Leading researchers rewarded for high research output

Engineering’s researchers who received the incentive prizes are from the left: Profs Howard Reader,

Toit Mouton, Cornie Scheffer and Hansie Knoetze.

Prof Guven Akdogan is on sabbatical leave

at the moment.