Inaugural Mathematical and Bioinformatics Workshop a Resounding Success

Inaugural Mathematical and Bioinformatics Workshop a Resounding Success

The School of Life Sciences hosted its first Mathematical and Bioinformatics Workshop recently. Led by Professor Moses Okpeku and his team, the initiative marked the dawn of a new era in out-of-classroom, non-degree training.

The hybrid meeting allowed for both in-person and virtual participation. Aimed at local participants, it attracted a diverse group of more than 60 from various academic backgrounds and locations. They included honours, MSc and PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, early career academics, and senior research officers representing renowned institutions including UKZN, the KwaZulu-Natal Research and Innovation Sequencing Platform (KRISP), the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), North-West University (NWU) (Potchefstroom), the University of Johannesburg (UJ), and international students from Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Nigeria.

The speakers and facilitators included UKZN’s Okpeku; Professor Julien Arino of the University of Manitoba, Canada; Dr Patrick Tchepmo and Ms Mokgokong from NWU; and Dr Olukanmi from UJ.

The workshop promoted knowledge exchange and skills development and laid the foundation for future events. In a time when ongoing education and skills development are essential, the vision for this series extends beyond knowledge dissemination as it seeks to nurture the next generation of Mathematical and Bioinformatics Modellers by offering them unique opportunities for growth and learning in these fields.

Okpeku said that the workshop exceeded expectations and thanked stakeholders for their contributions, especially the generous support received from UKZN, the Wits Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (CoEMaSS) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) Knowledge Interchange and Collaboration (KIC) funding instrument. He expressed his gratitude to Professor A.O. Olaniran, Head of the School of Life Sciences as well as the School’s support staff and the Public Relations unit led by Ms Swastika Maney under the leadership of Dr Sally Frost.

The Mathematical and Bioinformatics Workshop promises to become a movement which demonstrates that education and professional development do not necessarily need to be confined to traditional classrooms, but can extend to innovative and collaborative spaces that have the potential to shape the future of scientific inquiry and technological advancement. Given this strong start, the School of Life Sciences eagerly anticipates the impact and growth of the series.

Words: Cikizwa Gwambe

Photograph: Supplied