DST-NRF CIMERA is proud to announce its first crop of graduates who have studied under our umbrella in 2015. We extend our heartiest congratulations to them all, and wish them all the best in their future endeavours. One of the key performance areas for Centres of Excellence is education and training, and we look forward to maintaining our good start in the coming years. 

University of Pretoria

Pride of place goes to Mr Alex T. Wheeler who graduated Cum Laude in April 2016 after completing his Masters’ dissertation in one year. His thesis is entitled “Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstruction of the Witbank coal deposits, Karoo Basin, South Africa.” He studied at the University of Pretoria under the supervision of Professor Annette Götz, who has since moved to Keele University in the U.K.

Mr Wheeler is currently studying for his doctoral degree at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, under Professor Joan Esterle, Chair of Coal Geology.

Mr Alex Wheeler

Ms. Shaan Heydenrych, an Honours student at the University of Pretoria in 2015, achieved a distinction in her Honours project, completed under the supervision of Professor Götz, and also graduated in April. Her dissertation is entitled “Palynofacies analysis of the No. 2 Coal Seam, Highveld Coalfield (South Africa).” She will be going on to study for an M.Sc. degree on the palynostratigraphy of the DST-NRF CIMERA KARIN borehole KWV-1 at the University of Keele, under the supervision of Professor Götz. Her project will be co-funded by our Centre of Excellence and Keele, and will be one of our first collaborative projects with a non-South African institution. 

Ms Shaan Heydenrych

University of Fort Hare

Professor Oswald Gwavava reported that four Honours students nominated by DST-NRF CIMERA in the NRF system passed their courses. They are Ms A. Dzihani, Ms S. Khalimashe, Mr S. Khiphi and Ms B.O. Otunola, and will be graduating in May 2016.

Professor Ken Liu reported the graduation of two of his students in September 2015. They did their degrees under the DST-NRF CIMERA umbrella although they did not receive direct funding from our CoE.

(a) Ph.D. student: Lindani Ncube: An investigation of source rocks and depositional environments on acid mine drainage in South African coal mines: A comparison of the Main Karoo Basin and sub-basins.

(b) M.Sc. student: Benedict Pharoe: Stratigraphy, geochemistry and origin of the manganese ore-deposit in Carletonville, North WestProvince of South Africa. Awarded M.Sc. degree in Geology Cum Laude.  

University of Venda

Professor Jason Ogola reported that two of the Honours students nominated by DST-NRF CIMERA in 2015 on the NRF system achieved distinctions for their Honours dissertations. They are Ms K.R. Mashimbye and Mr R.S. Ravele, to whom we extend our congratulations. In addition, five other Honours students also passed their examinations – Ms M.M. Magogo, Ms F.S. Musekwa, Mr S. Muthala, Ms T.P. Netshisaulu and Ms M. Ramavhoya, and will graduate in May 2016.