Research Interests:

• Renewable Energy and Water Research

• Innovative  application  of  physics and  materials  technology   in order  to  generate  new  generation  and lower cost  renewable  energy  and water  systems  in South Africa.
• Application of   innovation and  automation   to  generate  systems  in  South Africa  that   can be  locally  manufactured, and  replace  importing  of  products.  
• Developing  advanced  gas  and   bio sensors  for  application in enhanced  health  care  in South  Africa. 
• Innovation, technology transfer and SMME creation

1. Lukas W. Snyman (UNISA), and G. Maeko (TUT), Viability of using Solar Thermal-to-Electricity Energy Conversion Systems in South Africa, Journal of Energy in Southern Africa,  2021 32 (4), pages 102–116 ; https://doi.org /10.17159/2413-3051/2021/v32i4a10661
2. Fanos Muthizongo and Lukas .W. Snyman, Development of low-cost reflective plate thermal energy absorber systems for application in South Africa, Journal of Energy in Southern Africa,  2021 32(3): pages 41–56; (https://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2413-3051/2021/v32i3a8044) ; https://journals.assaf.org.za/jesa
3. Steve Mvili-Gampio and Lukas W. Snyman, Developing a small photovoltaic power supply system with adaptive technologies for rural Africa: Design, cost and efficiency analyses”,  Journal of Energy in Southern Africa,  2018, 29 (4), pages 60-68,
4. Lukas W. Snyman (UNISA), Kaikai Xu (KUEST) and Jean-Luc Polleux (ESIEE), Micron and Nano-dimensioned Silicon LEDs emitting at 650 and 750- 850 nm wavelengths in standard Si Integrated Circuitry, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics 2020 56 (4), 1-10 .
5. Lukas W. Snyman (UNISA) , Jinchao Qian (KUEST) Kaikai Xu (KUEST), Herzl Aharoni (Ben Gurion) (Fellow Optical Society of America), “Stimulation of 700-900 nm wavelength optical emission from Si AMLEDs and coupling into Si3N4 waveguides using a RF Silicon Integrated Circuit Process”, OSA Continuum (USA) , 2020 , 3(4), pages 798-813.
6. Lukas. W. Snyman and D. Kruger , New Models for Improving Teaching and Training in Engineering and Technology Transfer in South Africa; South African Journal of Higher Education 2020, Volume 34, Number 6, pages 255‒274; eISSN 1753-5913 . https://dx.doi.org/10.20853/34-6-3998

Patents:

1. Lukas W. Snyman , OPTIMISED 650 nm SILICON AVALANCHE” Published in USA USPTR office , US Patent 10,855,484, 2021
2. Lukas W Snyman and R Kene , ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER FOR HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONTROL BASED ON TIMING AND TARIFF DATA” by SNYMAN LUKAS WILLEM, European Patent Application No. 16774836.7 and WIPO 3318020. EUROPEAN PATENT , Published 09.05.2018 by EU Patent Organisation Ref: H04L 12/28, 16774836, UNIV OF SOUTH AFRICA. Notification of grant, 3 December 2020.
3. Lukas W Snyman, THERMAL ENERGY TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY EXTRACTION SYSTEM, SA PATENT , WO/2018/090065 , Filed on 17.05.2018, H01L 35/30, PCT/ZA2017/050084, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA, international PCT patent filed by Hahn and Hahn Inc. Filed and published in China. Brazil, United States, ARIPO and Japan international patent filed by Hahn and Hahn Inc. on behalf of UNISA
4. Lukas W Snyman, Low Cost Wind Turbine with self governing speed regulation mechanism, Filed at CIPRO, SA PATENTS OFFICE , SA Patent , Filed 31 May 2018 (to be evaluated 2019)
5. Lukas W Snyman, Roof Solar Thermal Energy Collector, Patent ZA 2016/05297 , Patent granted on 25 Oct 2018 Priority date : 01-Aug-16, Filed and published in China. Brazil, United States, ARIPO and Japan by Hahn and Hahn Inc. on behalf of UNISA, Evaluation and granting of each is still pending.

Peer reviewed conferences:

1. Lukas W Snyman, On-chip Micro-biochemical Sensors with Si avalanche LEDs and Optical Spectrometric Detectors, International Summit on Optics, Photonics and Laser Technologies, 2021, Virtual event, (Key Note Speaker).
2. Lukas W. Snyman, Kingsley A. Ogudo Jean-Luc Polleux , and K . Xu , Micron- and nano dimensioned 650 - 850nm wavelength Optical Sources and Optical Links with Si based LED’s and Si Ge detectors in a 0.35 µm IC process, NanoMeet 2021 Conference, Porto , Portugal (Invited Speaker).
3. Lukas W Snyman, T Okhai, Design and simulation of optical micro-structures in silicon integrated circuitry with Si avalanche-mode light emitters, EXCEL optical ray tracing, and RSOFT optical simulation, Fifth Conference on Sensors, MEMS, and Electro-Optic Systems 2019, 11043, 110430M,
4. KA Ogudo, JL Polleux, Lukas W Snyman, Edge-emitting Si avalanche-mode LED integrated into a SiGe RF bipolar technology: optical power emission characterization with optical probe mapping technique, Fifth Conference on Sensors, MEMS, and Electro-Optic Systems 2019, 11043, 1104309,.
5. TA Okhai, Lukas W Snyman, “Realizing micro-and nano-optical bio sensors on chip”, Fifth Conference on Sensors, 2019, MEMS, and Electro-Optic Systems 11043, 1104308,
6. Kingsley A. Ogudo, Jean-Luc Polleux, Lukas W. Snyman , “Edge-emitting Si Avalanche Mode LED integrated into a SiGe RF bipolar technology: Optical power emission characterization with optical probe mapping technique” , Proc. SPIE 2019, 11043, 1104309); https://doi.org /doi: 10.1117/12.2502515
7. Zhaotong Zhang, Kingsley A. Ogudo, Hongliang Sun, Lukas W. Snyman, Kaikai Xu , “Light emission from Si Avalanche Mode LEDs as a function of E Field Control, Impurity Scattering and Carrier Density Balancing”, Proc. SPIE 2019 11043, 1104307 ; https://doi.org /doi: 10.1117/12.2502224
8. Lukas .W. Snyman , Timothy A. Okhai “Design and simulation of optical micro-structures in silicon integrated circuitry with Si Avalanche Mode Light Emitters, EXCEL optical ray tracing and RSOFT optical simulation “, Proc. SPIE 2019 , 11043, 110430M ; https://doi.org /doi: 10.1117/12.2502061
9. E. A. Feukeu, Lukas W. Snyman, “An Improved Dynamic Broadcast Storm Mitigation for VANETs” , Procedia Computer Ccience 130, 180-187, April 2018, Proceedings from International Conference on Ambient Systems, Networks, and Technologies, Porto Portugal , 2018, (ISSN 1817-0509) https://doi.org /doi :10.1016/jprocs.2018.04.028.

Professional Affiliations:

• IEEE Member
• SPIE Member

Awards:

• 2020       UNISA Research and Innovation Award : First patent on renewable energy power source at UNISA, 2015.
• 2020       UNISA Vice Chancellor Award : Most prolific inventor at UNISA for period 2015 - 2020.
• 2020       UNISA Chairman of Council Award, : Overall best job performance for 2019.
• 2019       Award by Ministry of Science and Technology Intellectual Property Incentive Award in South Africa, awarded to Prof L. W. Snyman of UNISA for creation of most tangible innovation and technology transfer products (patents and prototypes) that can enhance development of economic infrastructure in South Africa,  2010 - 2018 (plus a financial incentive award of R650 000).
• 2017       Awarded a Special Achiever Award by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University as Alumnus, Port Elizabeth , February 2017.
• 2017       Nominated as Finalist in the National Science and Technology Forum BHP Billiton Annual Awards Competition in South Africa. Category : Innovation in Science and Technology
• 2016       Re-rated as NRF Rated Researcher (category C) for further 5 year term, 2016 – 2020. Receiver on annual NRF Rated Researcher Incentive Grants. Access to diverse other funding sources at the NRF.

Short Biography

Prof. Lukas Snyman is currently a research and innovation professor in Electrical Engineering at the Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability at the College for Science Engineering and Technology at UNISA. He is also a research associate at the Department of Electrical Engineering at UNISA. He has current collaborations with the Key University for Science Engineering Technology in Chengdu China, the Ecole Superior de Electrotecnique in Paris France and the MESA Institute at Twente, Netherlands.

Professor Snyman graduated from the Nelson Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth in South Africa with a PhD in Physical Electronics. He subsequently lectured  and  did research s at the University of Pretoria, the Tshwane University of Technology,  the University of South Africa , and the Paul Scherrer Institute in Zurich Switzerland. He served as Chair of Departments at the latter three universities. In 2015 - 2017 he served in the Deanery and Senate of UNISA as director of the School of Engineering.

Professors Snyman’s expertise lies in physics, physical electronics and engineering system development. He has to date published about 150 peer research outputs in these fields, mostly as published research journal articles.

Professor Snyman has to date supervised about fifteen Masters students and three doctorate students to graduation. He currently supervises  students  in the  disciplines  of water research and electrical engineering and electronic devices, cross-disciplinary as well  as internationally.    

He is currently a member of the Institute for Electrical Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Society for Photonic Engineers (SPIE) in the USA.

Professor Snyman has received numerous recognition awards in his career, including certificates of recognition from the universities where he served, as well as his alma mater University. Recently, he has received invitations as key note and as invites speaker in the field of CMOS photonics optical sensors and optical sources, internationally.