2016 Cultural Festival: 8 - 12 August.

5 August 2016Official weekly newsletter of NUST

Namibia University of Science and TechnologyNUST_Namibia

@NUST_Namibia

NUST BRIEFwebsite: www.nust.na

Dr Adam Flowers is Brand Ambassador of the Month

International students welcome

CHEC is an international Chinese state-owned company specialising in large-scale construction projects such as the building of harbours, railways and bridges. The company has been awarded two major construction projects in Namibia which are both part of the Port of Walvis Bay Expansion Project. Handing over the bursaries at a recent award ceremony, the Project Manager of CHEC, Yuanfei Feng said: “These scholarships should essentially equip these students with the skills and knowledge to meaningfully plough back into Namibia’s development upon their return. Therefore, we are proud

that we could, in our small way, make a big contribution to the human resource base development of the country.”

Speaking directly to the beneficiaries, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr Samuel John said: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You have shown that you have the aptitude academically to succeed and you have the courage to face any challenges which may come your way.” The two students were selected after a comprehensive selection process focused on academic performance and financial background.

Chinese bursaries awarded to top InSTEM studentsThe China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has awarded bursaries to two engineering students, Martino Swarts and Oiva Willbard who are currently enrolled in the Introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (InSTEM) programme. The bursaries are for studies in Civil Engineering with special focus on Marine Engineering and will enable the recipients to study in China for a five-year period.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic Affairs, Dr Andrew Niikondo, opened the event and emphasised the guiding principles of the Institution’s Research Strategy. He said: “Research promotion efforts should be directed towards specific solutions that enhance self-efficacy and community empowerment and stakeholders should be engaged throughout the research process.”Master’s and PhD students presented topics on an array of matters from Child Online Protection, Road Traffic Accident Patterns to Preserving Indigenous Knowledge in a Digital World. One of the presentations titled: “Co-designing Crowdsourcing technologies to preserve Indigenous Knowledge with the Otjisa community,” is part of the ongoing project on developing technologies for indigenous knowledge preservation in partnership with rural communities.One of the Otjisa village elders from the

Kunene region, Uaraieke Mbinge, and his wife, Mukamberenge, who have been key contributors in co-designing technologies that will be used by the OvaHimba community also presented at the event. The Electricity Control Board used the platform to sponsor three high-end tablet computers for this research project that is funded by the National Commission on Research Science and Technology. A visiting Professor from Creighton University, USA, Prof Ravi Nath, commended the Faculty’s research focus whilst the FCI Dean, Dr Anicia Peters, mapped the way forward in terms of the Faculty’s research strategies.Additionally, research students showcased a musical game that they have developed, while the Faculty awarded best research/poster prizes to Mercy Chitauro (PhD), Lameck Amugongo (Master’s) and Viktoria Shakele (Poster).

Computing Faculty set on societal digital transformationThe Faculty of Computing and Informatics (FCI) held its annual Research Day under the theme “Enabling Societal Digital Transformation.” The Faculty has four main research focus areas namely; Big Data: Infrastructure  and Analytics, Indigenous Knowledge in Digital World, Smart and Secure Environment, and Digital Transformation.

Staff of the Faculty of Computing and Informatics pictured with the Dean, Dr Anicia Peters (left front row) and Dr Maxwell Muyambo, the Technical Regulation Manager of the Electricity Control Board (second left, front row) as he hands over one of the tablet computers to the Otjisa village elders, Uaraieke and Mukamberenge Mbinge.

From left: Vice-Chancellor, Tjama Tjivikua; Dr Adam Flowers, Brand Ambassador of the Month (July) and Vivette Rittman, Brand Ambassador of the Month Committee Member pose with the BAM Floating Trophy, certificate and hamper. A Brand Ambassador is chosen for excellent service, attitude or innovation.

Front row from left: Oiva Willbard (Beneficiary); Martino Swartz (Beneficiary) and Feng Yuanfei, Project Manager: China Harbour Engineering Company. Back row from left: Daniel Lufuma, Lecturer: Civil and Environmental Engineering; Dr Samuel John, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Xu Yujing, Deputy Project Manager: China Harbour Engineering Company.

Dr Marius Kudumo, Director: International Relations (centre, dressed in black suit) pictured with staff and international students. The Department is hosting 40 exchange and 25 Summer School students during the semester. Countries represented are: Botswana, Finland, Germany, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Summer School students are on campus for a month for tailor-made courses such as Doing Business in Africa, Media and Globalisation, Inter-cultural Communication, Business Ethics and Governance and Politics in Africa, while the exchange students are attending full semester classes.