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Chemical Education Seminar and Medal Presentation at NMMU on 21 October 2011
A Chemical Education seminar was presented by the Eastern Province branch of the South African Chemical Institute on Friday 21 October where the Matriculation results in Science/Chemistry in the Eastern Cape were discussed and the SACI Medal for Chemical Education was presented to Prof Peter Loyson, after which Prof Loyson gave a lecture entitled: A distillation of 35 years lecturing chemistry.
The seminar was held in the Senate Chambers at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth and attended by about 60 delegates. The facilitator was Dr Zenixole Tshentu who is the current chairman of the Eastern Province section of SACI.
Prof Tommy Gerber, Head of the Department of Chemistry at NMMU, welcomed the delegates, after which Mrs Joyce Sewry from Rhodes University gave the opening address entitled: Chemistry at the secondary/tertiary education interface. She reported on the dismal pass rate of matriculants in the Eastern Province in Physical Science with only 14 % getting more than 40% in 2009 and 23% in 2010. Factors such as the lack of qualified teachers, the FET curriculum and lack of practical work facilities are responsible for the low pass mark. Current NSC chemistry topics were then compared with 1st year university material. It was alarming to see that a number of important topics covered in the 1st year were not examined at NSC level in grade 12. These were stoichiometry, atomic structure and bonding, acids and bases, biological building blocks and inorganic chemistry. It was suggested that less time should be devoted to organic chemistry in 1st year, and more on stoichiometry, atomic structure / bonding and acids / bases. Various aspects of Johnstone’s theory were discussed with reference to 1st year chemistry, eg ability to do the calculations versus understanding.
Dr Tshentu then read a short CV of Peter Loyson and presented him with the SACI Chemical Education Medal for 2011, after which Prof Loyson was invited to give his lecture, covering 35 years of teaching chemistry, with an emphasis on physical chemistry. Student misconceptions were treated first, then his own teaching methods were highlighted, where he uses everyday examples to put concepts across and always looks for applications of the theory. Further ideas that may facilitate the understanding of physical chemistry were then discussed after which some physical chemistry practicals were highlighted for their great educational value (eg silver electrode equilibrium). He stressed the importance of the Journal of Chemical Education which he says is invaluable for a chemical educator. He finished off by looking at some electro-analytical techniques which have always fascinated him (polarography, cyclic voltammetry, and others).
Dr Tshentu then addressed the audience on the activities of SACI and encouraged staff to become members. He then invited the delegates to refreshments, kindly sponsored by SACI East Cape.
Prof Peter Loyson receiving the SACI 2011Chemical Education Medal from Dr Zenixole Tshentu at the Chemical Education seminar at NMMU on 21 October 2011.
SACI Eastern Cape Post-graduate Research Seminars-14 October 2011
The annual regional post-graduate chemistry seminars took place on Friday 14 October at Rhodes University. Post-graduate students and staff from the Chemistry Departments of the four Universities in the Eastern Cape Province gathered together to listen to the latest Chemistry Research being carried out at the various universities. The participating universities were: Rhodes, Fort Hare, Walter Sisulu and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). Representatives from Aspen Pharmacare (Dr Nigel Harmse) and Lasec (Mr Anthony Benecke) were also present at this event.
Professor Mike Davies-Coleman, acting Head of the Department of Chemistry at Rhodes University in the absence of Prof Nelson Torto, briefly welcomed the delegates. This was followed by a presentation by Dr Zenixole Tshentu (chairperson of SACI EC) who addressed the audience about SACI on issues such as; new leadership at SACI, SACI awards, SACI programmes, and finally the SACI EC leadership structure. He also urged delegates to consider publishing in the South African Journal of Chemistry and to become members of the South African Chemical Institute. He then presented the Sasol Postgraduate Medal to Mr Ryan Walmsley (Rhodes University) and the James Moir medals to Mr Matthew Coombes (Rhodes University) and Mr Henry Mungodori (University of Fort Hare). He concluded by thanking the sponsors: Aspen Pharmacare, Lasec SA, Spellbound Laboratory Solutions and Rhodes University Chemistry Department as well as the members of the organizing committee: Ms Dambisa Zenani, Ms Barbara Ah Yui, Mrs Benita Tarr, Mr Ryan Walmsley, and Dr Rosalyn Klein.
The seminar programme included a Junior Section incorporating BSc Hons/B Tech and 1st year MSc, and a Senior Section covering the higher studies (2nd year MSc and PhD), and were chaired by Drs Chidawanyika and Degni (Rhodes University postdocs) respectively. There were 3 speakers in the Junior Section, two from Rhodes (Mr Meloddy Manyeruke and Ms Jessica Taylor) and one from Fort Hare (Mr Henry Mungondori). The senior section had 4 speakers: one from Fort Hare (Mr Vala Mavula), two from MMMU (Mr Brenton Simpson and Ms Nonzaliseko Yumata) and one from Rhodes (Ms Nolwazi Nombona). A panel of judges, consisting of Prof Oyedeji from WSU, Dr Katwire from UFH, Mr Hlangothi from NMMU, Dr Klein from Rhodes (head of the panel) and Dr Harmse from Aspen Pharmacare, allocated marks for each student presentation. The top two speakers in each category were rewarded with cash prizes, sponsored by Aspen Pharmacare (1st and 2nd prize, senior section), Lasec for the 1st prize in the junior section as well as Spellbound/SACI for the 2nd prize in the junior section.
The 1st prize in the Junior category went to Ms Jessica Taylor from Rhodes with the title: Synthesis of Upconverting Nanoparticles Utilising Lanthanide Doping, whilst the 2nd prize went to Mr Meloddy Manyeruke from Rhodes with the title: Synthesis of Disubstituted Bioactive Imidazoles. The 1st prize in the senior category went to Ms Nolwazi Nombona from Rhodes with the title: Phthalocyanine for use in Photodynamic Therapy; and the 2nd prize went to Mr Brenton Simpson from NMMU with the title: Modeling of the crystallization process of highly concentrated ammonium nitrate emulsions.
Picture taken by Mr Francis Chindeka
From the left: Mr Matthew Coombes (RU), Ms Nolwazi Nombona (RU), Mr Brenton Simpson (NMMU), Dr Nigel Harmse (Aspen Pharmacare), Dr Zenixole Tshentu (SACI EC Chair), Mr Anthony Benecke (Lasec), Mr Ryan Walmsley (RU), Mr Henry Mungodori (UFH), Mr Meloddy Manyeruke (RU) and Ms Jessica Taylor (RU).
The quality of the presentations was outstanding, and the standard of the chemistry presented showed that the Eastern Cape is engaging within the current research trends in the subject. After the academic programme was concluded, students and staff enjoyed refreshments sponsored by Aspen Pharmacare, SACI and Rhodes University Chemistry Department.
