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For more information on the SACI Centenary Events click here
South African Chemical Institute celebrates 100 years.
“100 years of SACI: The Past, The Present, The future”
The year 2012 marks the centenary of the South African Chemical Institute (SACI). The Institute was formed on January 26th, 1912, initially as the South African Association of Analytical Chemists at a meeting held in Johannesburg on January 26th, 1912. The name of the Association was later changed to its present name to embrace a much larger group of chemists. Today SACI has membership that spans the length and breadth of chemistry within and outside of South Africa’s borders.
As part of its year-long celebration in 2012, the institute has planned a series of activities to celebrate its 100 years of existence and to draw attention to the role chemistry has played in the lives of South Africans and the role it will continue to play in the future. The year-long centenary celebrations will be in the form of various symposia across South Africa. The theme of the centenary celebration is: “100 years of SACI: The Past, The Present, The future”.
During the years of its existence, SACI has played various roles in driving which directions chemistry and associated disciplines go in SA. The centenary celebrations would, therefore, allow SACI to highlight some of its past contributions and in the process outline future directions on chemical science in SA.
Ushering in the year-long celebration on Thursday January 26th, 2012 a half-day event was held at the School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand where members of SACI, South African chemical companies that support chemistry and all SACI corporate members were invited. Professors Jimmy Bull and Susan Bourne respectively gave talks on the History of SACI and Chemistry in South Africa.
A full day main event will take place on June 29th, 2012 following on the SACI AGM. Speakers at the event will talk about what chemistry has done for South Africa’s industrial development as well as past, present and future challenges facing SACI and chemists in SA. Here Recognition of Service Certificates will also be handed out to individuals who’ve been members of SACI for a minimum of 25 and 50 years.
The objectives of the institute are to sustain and promote the status and integrity of chemistry and its practitioners. Throughout the years, the institute has been concerned with the status of the chemist in the eyes of the community. To look after the interests of the chemistry community, members of the Institute have served on the committees of various bodies such as the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) and have collaborated with other societies -- discussing educational issues - from matriculation to university level.
The SACI is the only body in South Africa which is concerned solely with the promotion of the interests of chemistry and chemists. This involves representation on The South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), the NSTF, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the Federation of African Societies of Chemistry (FASC), the Scientific, Engineering and Technological Societies and Applied Professional group of South Africa (SETAG), The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) and other government and non-government organizations. Some of the governmental organizations include the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the National Research Foundation (NRF), either directly from the SACI secretariat or via individual members who give advice on various chemistry related issues. In this way SACI has fulfilled its role in SA. This has meant that SA chemists are able to interact with their national and international colleagues at all levels.
The highlights of the year-long celebration will be the half-day event on January 26th, 2012, the day of SACI’s birth; followed by a full-day event in Johannesburg on June 29th, 2012. There will also be a half-day event in Cape Town on November 23th, 2012. The Western Cape symposium will be the last one to be held this year marking the end of the centenary celebrations. A range of events at other venues to be held throughout other regions in SA are also planned in 2012.
As the oldest chemical society on the African continent, SACI has come a long way since its establishment in 1912. Our activities were initially limited to South Africa, but in the second half of its 100 years of existence SACI gradually extended invitations to chemists in Europe and America during its biannual conventions. Our interactions with chemists on the African continent began post 1994; it has, however, grown rapidly to the extent that SACI is a founding member of the recently formed Federation of African Societies of Chemistry (FASC). SACI is arguably one of the strongest chemical societies on the continent, with its own journal which is gradually becoming the journal of choice for a number of African chemists. We look forward to the next hundreds of years during which we will continue to strengthen our activities locally, while strengthening old ties and building new ones.
Members of the public are also invited to join in the celebrations.
Issued by: Siyenza Management
Karabo Keepile
011 463 9184
karabo@siyenza.za.com
On behalf of the SACI
About SACI
Membership is open to all those with qualifications or an interest in chemistry. SACI holds a convention every two years and many of the sections also hold regular biennial specialist conferences. Reduced registration fees apply for SACI members to SACI-sponsored conferences and workshops. Membership of SACI entitles chemists to join the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), and enjoy access to IUPAC publications and services.
SACI publishes an electronic research journal, the South African Journal of Chemistry and holds annual awards recognising outstanding achievements by chemists. It also fosters and encourages student participation in events of interest to chemists, such as Young Chemists' Events, research colloquia, postgraduate symposia while also publishing a monthly newsletter, which reports news and events of interest to chemists.
SACI has links with other related institutions and associations, for example the South African Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Chemical and Allied Industries Association and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
As part of the centenary celebrations of the South African Chemical Institute and as a gesture of goodwill, we are offering members a membership fee amnesty period up until June 2012. This special applies to previous members of SACI whose membership has lapsed due to non-payment of fees, as well as to new members. Upon re-instating or initiating your SACI membership, no fees will be payable up until June 2012.
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.
