Master’s students shine at Young NanoScience Researchers’ Symposium

The CPUT Chemistry Nanotechnology Master’s student, Madillo Mareka won a Grand prize which comes with ' Anton-Paar Monowave 50' worth R115 000 at the 10th Annual Nanoscience Young Researchers’ Symposium (NYRS-2020/21) an event initiated by the South African Nanotechnology Initiative (SANI) and run by Wits University.

Monowave 50 is a conventionally heated synthesis reactor specially designed for teaching labs and standard experimental chemistry. The virtual two-day conference focused on newer and novel fields including advanced materials, nano-commercialisation, fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and artificial intelligence (AI). The conference was attended by at least 15 institutions of higher learning and research centres with over 60 contributions.

Chemistry Department Lecturer, Dr Ncediwe Ndube-Tsolekile said the meeting was aimed at looking into new approaches of merging academic and industrial research without compromising the quest for basic scientific advances and tackling more effectively the grand challenges of our country using nanotech techniques, 4IR and AI.

The Chemistry Nanotechnology Master’s students, Zintle Wonci, supervised by Ndube-Tsolekile, Sizwe Ngcobo, supervised by Prof Mangaka Matoetoe, Anathi Vitshima and Madillo Mareka, both supervised Ndube-Tsolekile, presented an oral presentation on their Master's research while Sapokazi Timakwa supervised by Matoetoe, presented a poster.

Madillo’s topic is: pH-sensitive Thiol capped Quantum dots: Synthesis and optical properties. "I am deeply pleased and honoured. Now I believe that hard work pays off. I thank CPUT for granting me the opportunity to do my research. I deeply appreciate the support I got from my supervisor Dr Ndube-Tsolekile," enthused Madillo.

Meanwhile Anathi Vitshima won second place and “the prize came with a lot of recognition of the work I am doing and some money for personal use”. “I feel so amazing and it made me realise that even though I may not know where this journey is going, but God is in control. My supervisor (Dr Tsolekile) always says: ‘Anati there's light after this tunnel, keep praying’. Those words alone drive me to stay motivated and to keep working hard. The support from my lab team, especially my supervisor and co-supervisor, is amazing and I'm grateful to the CPUT Chemistry Department staff for having given me such an amazing opportunity to be part of something great like this,” reveals Anathi. Her topic is: Synthesis of Fluorescent AgInS quantum dots using Helichrysum Petiolare for Amino Acid detection.

Anton Paar also awarded Ndube -Tsolekile with a Monowave 50 + P instrument (valued over R100 000) for work presented by Madillo.  

Reflecting on this feat, Ndube-Tsolekile said  the win was very important to them because it indicated an important global affirmation on research ethics, experiments, and ongoing students' deliverable.  She added that’s also important to CPUT and the Chemistry department to gain recognition “as a home for recognisable research”.

“I am excited about this achievement. It highlights the quality of work that we are producing within the Bio-Nanotech and Electrochem Research group in the Chemistry department. This is a great motivator for all post-graduates.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: boyceap@cput.ac.za