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Geography

News and Events

In 2013 the Department of Geography will be engaged in a variety of events. Keep an eye out to see what we get up to as a department. We will keep you updated with the latest news and events coverage via this page.

Latest News

Mr. R. Pretorius has been invited to present an inaugural speech at the Campus Greening Conference in India. Well done Rudi!

Inocent Moyo (PhD student in the Department of Geography) has been awarded a travel grant to attend the International Geographical Union (IGU) Regional Congress which will take place in Kyoto, Japan from the 4th to 9th of August 2013. Well done Inocent, the Department is very proud. Hard work and dedication does pay off.

On the 1st of February 2013, members of staff from the Tirisano Centre (UNISA), the Department of Geography (UNISA) and the GRCF visited Skuinsdrift Primary School (a rural village approximately 40 km from the Derdepoort Botswana border post) with Prof Carol Allais from the Rotary Club Pretoria. The overall aim of the day was to engage with the community in terms of the Rural Roots Driven Change through Community Asset Mapping (CAMP) and to celebrate awareness campaigns with a difference.  For more information of what some members of staff got up to click here.

The Department is proud to announce the launch of two new short learning programmes namely "Community Asset Mapping for Change (CAMP)" as well as "Philanthropic Community Foundations". Interested participants can access more information under Courses.

 Upcoming Events

We will be participating in the following conferences to keep up to date with the various events that are happening in our discipline:

  • Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns student symposium will be hosted by the University of Pretoria in November 2013. Keep an eye out for more information soon. 
  • The Department will be hosting the Barbara Petchenik International World Map Design Competition. As part of an international children's map competition we would like to establish the general levels of map literacy amongst the typical South African child under the age of 16 years.

We cordially invite schools countrywide to take part in the 2012/ 2013 National leg of the competition.  Click here to view the invitation and click here to view the rules of the competition.

Keep an eye out for more!

 

Notable Past Events:

  • The department hosted an interesting African Scholar lecture as well as a PhD research lecture on the 5th of October. Dr. Y.O.Ouma from the Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya, presented a very informative research lecture entitled "From Pixels-to-Objects for intelligent Geoinformatics: Present and Future trends in Earth Observation for Sustainable Development".  Mr. J. Panek from the Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, presented his valuable PhD research lecture entitled "Participatory GIS: A Phenomenon of Neocartography with a High Potential in Developing Countries. Both of these lectures emphasised the importance of multidisciplinary research and the increasing role and value of GIS.
  • The GISSA Ukubuzana 2012 conference was held at Emperors Palace from 2-4 October and was a huge success.
  • Mr. R. Pretorius participated in the "World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities" which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Click here to see more information.
  • Ms. A. du Plessis recently participated in the "International Water Association's Young Water Professionals" (IWA-YWP) International Conference which was held in the heart of Europe namely Budapest, Hungary. Click here to see more of what she got up to at this international conference.
  • Society of South African Geographers annual conference was hosted by the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department at the University of Cape Town from 20-22 June and was a success.
  • Society of South African Geographers annual student conference was hosted by the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department at the University of Cape Town from 17-20 June and was enjoyed by the geographers.
  • We hosted a World Environment Day on the 5th of June. Have a look at the GRCF May/ June newsletter below to see what the department got up to on the day.
  • The Department of Geography, CAES in collaboration with the Greater Rustenburg Community Foundation hosted a Roots Driven Rural Development Conference on 10 – 12 October 2011. Click here for more information.
  • The Department of Geography, CAES in collaboration with Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap & Kunshave hosted a student symposium on 28 October 2011 on Sunnyside Campus.
  • The Department of Geography hosted the Barbara Petchenik International Word Map Design Competition. Various schools were invited countrywide to draw maps within the theme: “Living in a globalized world”. The Gauteng leg of the Children’s World Map Competition was exhibited and judged on Florida Campus on the 9th of March 2011. The National exhibition and judging of the Children’s World Map Competition took place on 14 March 2011. This event was a great success and the children enjoyed the experience of designing their own map.
  • An Antarctic Winter School for Honours BSc students was held at the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory from 11 to 14 July 2011. Click here for more information.

Greater Rustenburg Community Foundation (GRCF) newsletters