CPUT academic apointed Secretary General of African Mathematical Union

Prof Oluwole Daniel Makinde, Senior Professor and Chair of Postgraduate Studies in the Faculty of Engineering at CPUT, has recently been appointed as the new Secretary General of the African Mathematical Union (AMU).

The unanimous appointment, preceded by a nomination and election by his colleagues and peers, took place during the 7th Pan African Congress of Mathematicians, an annual AMU gathering which ran from 2 to 8 August 2009.

The congress was held in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire, at the Félix Houphouët Boigny Foundation for Peace Research, with this year’s theme being ‘New Trends in the Development and the applications of Mathematical Sciences’.

AMU is an African organisation dedicated to the development of mathematics in Africa and is a member of the International Mathematical Union.

It was founded in 1976 in Rabat, Morocco, during the first Pan-African Congress of Mathematicians.

Held every four years, the congress is attended by delegates from all African countries and representatives from other continents like Europe, Asia and North America, making this a truly global achievement for this highly acclaimed ambassador of the sciences.

It is also an acknowledgement of the international recognition accorded to Prof Makinde’s numerous research publications, students’ mentorship and outreach activities in the area of Mathematical sciences by colleagues nationally and internationally.

When asked how he felt about his achievement, Prof Makinde said: “I am deeply humbled, highly delighted and honoured. It is a call to serve my continent in promoting teaching, learning, research and outreach in mathematical sciences.”

Prof Makinde added, “Mathematics is widely regarded as the language of science and technology. Without mathematics there is no science, without science there is no modern technology and without modern technology there is no modern society”.

In other words, mathematics is the “precursor of science and technology and the indispensable single element in modern societal development.”

In his view, mathematics education is therefore indispensable in nation-building.

Prior to joining CPUT, Prof Makinde headed the Applied Mathematics Department for more than ten years and became a Full Professor at the University of Limpopo in South Africa.

He has taught, supervised and served as an external examiner and promoted several students at undergraduate and postgraduate at many universities both locally and internationally.

His key focus area for research is in Computational and Mathematical Modelling of Engineering and Biological Systems.

He has co-authored several textbooks and monographs on a variety of subjects in Applied Mathematics and has had his research articles appear in numerous reputable Scientific and Engineering journals and conference proceedings.

Prof Makinde was an associate member of National Institute for Theoretical Physics, an editorial board member and a regular reviewer of numerous international academic journals.

He has received several academic and research excellence awards honours and grants, including a nomination for the annual National Science and Technology Forum awards.

By: Thando J. Moiloa

Written by CPUT News

Email: news@cput.ac.za