UKZN’s College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science (CAES) is delving into what things will look like in 2021 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic at its annual Postgraduate Research and Innovation Symposium (PRIS), with Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and co-chair of the South African COVID-19 Ministerial Advisory Committee Professor Salim Abdool Karim presenting a keynote address that will set the tone for two days of presentations of UKZN students’ best research.
To be held virtually via Zoom on 10 and 11 December, the PRIS will crown what has been a challenging year for the country, with universities no exception. Despite this, researchers and scientists have demonstrated the importance of their work to address vital aspects of the fallout of a global pandemic, from issues of understanding epidemiological models, to developing excellent testing regimes, to issues of sanitation and food security in a pandemic-stricken world, and far more.
The PRIS is always a highlight in the University calendar, drawing hundreds of staff, students, and industry partners from across the three UKZN campuses the College operates on, and draws attention to the cutting-edge, collaborative research being undertaken by postgraduate students and the supervisors, partners, technicians, and industry representatives that contribute to UKZN’s successful research programmes.
The Symposium has risen to the challenges presented by COVID-19, and Abdool Karim’s presentation will hone in on epidemic trends in South Africa, explore how the meaning of science has changed in the era of Covid-19, and reflect on what can be anticipated in 2021 and beyond. Abdool Karim, a clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist widely recognised for his contributions to HIV prevention and treatment, is Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at UKZN. One of the world’s most highly cited scientists, his presentation will highlight the importance of “following the science” in addressing the pandemic.
Following this presentation will be two days of parallel sessions in which postgraduate students in the College’s Schools of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Science, Chemistry and Physics, Engineering, Life Sciences, and Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science will present their research as oral or flash presentations, providing insight into themes and innovations that are driving the University’s agricultural, engineering and scientific efforts.
The Symposium always enjoys strong support from industry, and this year will be no different as close to 20 organisations, institutes and companies rally to sponsor prizes for excellent presentations, as well as lucky draws.
Guests are invited to join the virtual research extravaganza by registering on the PRIS website: https://pris.ukzn.ac.za.
ENQUIRIES:
Dr Sally Frost
Email: frost@ukzn.ac.za
Cell: 0731691409
Ms Leena Rajpal
Email: Rajpall@ukzn.ac.za
Phone: +27 31 260 7065 or 0828230853
Ms. Samantha Ngcongo
Email: ncongcos@ukzn.ac.za
Phone: +27 31 260 8470
INDUSTRY PRESENTATION PROGRAMME
Thursday 10 December
09h50 – 10h55 Session 1
| Timeslot | Organisation | Topic | Presenters |
| 09h50–09h55 | UKZN | Introduction | Christine Cuenod |
| 09h55–10h05 | Amazon.com | Come build the future with us | Thembisa Ntulini and Shelley Freswick |
| 10h05–10h15 | Anton Paar | Anton Paar’s innovation highlights at Achema | Manju Naicker |
| 10h15–10h25 | Elsevier | Elsevier congratulates UKZN on continued research excellence | John Sterley and Daneshree Moodley |
| 10h25–10h35 | Eskom | Igula Pumped Storage Scheme | Nonkululeko Shezi |
| 10h35–10h45 | Inqaba Biotec | How well do you know Inqaba Biotec? | Pule Shabalala |
| 10h45–10h55 | SACNASP | Welcome to SACNASP | Sarah van Aardt |
10h55 – 11h10 Break
11h10 – 11h50 Session 2
| Timeslot | Organisation | Topic | Presenters |
| 11h10–11h20 | 2Cana Solutions | 2Cana Solutionsh Enabling digital transformation | Charles Cowan |
| 11h20–11h30 | NRF | NRF funding opportunities for Emerging Researchers | Thandeka Mthethwa |
| 11h30–11h40 | SANAS | The impact of SANAS Accreditation on operational performance of laboratories | Shadrack Phophi |
| 11h40–11h50 | Westfalia Fruit | Career opportunities at Westfalia | Agnes Ramafalo |
11h50 – 12h05 Break
12h05 – 12h55 Session 3
| Timeslot | Organisation | Topic | Presenters |
| 12h05–12h15 | Anatech | The Thermo Scientific LCMS Portfolio | Bridget Calder |
| 12h15–12h25 | Apex Scientific | Apex Scientific – Bringing global technology to your laboratory | Mikayla Raman and Premanthra Naicker |
| 12h25–12h35 | Lasec | Lasec – Empowering Africa’s Development | Bruce Pillay |
| 12h35–12h45 | Merck | Merck – Who we are | Samantha Nicholson |
| 12h45–12h55 | Thermo Fisher | Thermo Fisher: The World Leader in Serving Science | Suvina Bisnath, Neliswa Nhlabatsi, Raveshni Durgiah, Pholisiwe Mbona |