(Article by Daniel Bugon)
Academic staff in the Faculty of Engineering who were promoted during the 2020/2021 financial year was recently recognised for their efforts by the Faculty’s Dean, Prof Wikus van Niekerk.
The Dean congratulated the 15 deserved lecturers, senior lecturers and associate professors who were awarded promotions.
“These exceptionally accomplished lecturers are leaders in their fields, in our classrooms, in industry and in our community. The Faculty is proud of their efforts to advance their disciplines as they prepare our students to be tomorrow’s engineering innovators and leaders,” said Van Niekerk.
Those who were promoted are:
• Dr Rensu Theart, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering was promoted from junior lecturer to lecturer.
• Dr Arno Barnard, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering was promoted from lecturer to senior lecturer.
• Mr Cornel de Jongh, from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering was promoted from lecturer to senior lecturer.
• Dr Wibke de Villiers, from the Department of Civil Engineering who was promoted from lecturer to senior lecturer.
• Dr Algurnon van Rooyen, from the Department of Civil Engineering who was promoted from lecturer to senior lecturer.
• Dr Neill Goosen, from the Department of Process Engineering, who was promoted from senior lecturer to associate professor.
• Dr Tobi Louw, from the Department of Process Engineering, who was promoted from senior lecturer to associate professor.
• Dr Robbie Pott, from the Department of Process Engineering, who was promoted from senior lecturer to associate professor.
• Prof Annie Bekker, from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering was promoted from associate professor to professor.
• Prof Corné Coetzee, from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering was promoted from associate professor to professor.
• Prof Johan van der Spuy, from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering was promoted from associate professor to professor.
• Prof Richard Walls, from the Department of Civil Engineering was promoted from associate professor to professor.
• Prof Rong-Jie Wang, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering was promoted from associate professor to professor.
• Prof Thinus Booysen, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering was promoted from associate professor to professor.
• Dr Imke de Kock, from the Industrial Engineering Department was promoted from lecturer to senior lecturer.
The Faculty of Engineering is one of Stellenbosch University’s flagship faculties and is one of South Africa’s major producers of top-quality engineers. To achieve this, the Faculty ensures that they create a dynamic and stimulating environment for both their students and staff members. The Faculty supports their academic staff in their research efforts and unceasingly strive to explore and institute new fields of expertise.
Prof Walls, who lectures in structural and fire engineering, supports this notion, stating that it is a privilege to become a professor at Stellenbosch University Faculty of Engineering, “Being at such a strong research and teaching institution, gives us a chance to establish a new field of expertise on the African continent, namely fire engineering.”
Academic promotion at the Faculty does not only facilitate upward staff mobility within the Faculty’s institutional hierarchy but also serves as a driving force for achieving teaching excellence and promoting continuous research efforts.
Prof Booysen, who hails from the mining town of Klerksdorp in the North West province, said: “I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have reached this point, being promoted to professor at the most prestigious engineering faculty on African soil. It is a satisfying and unnerving feeling, and I now feel the urge to, once again, readjust my expectations.” He thanked everyone who contributed to his personal and professional growth. “No-one’s journey is an individual journey. Let’s acknowledge that although the passage through a gate may seem solitary, the preceding course was never in isolation. Let’s celebrate the role others play in our formation and progression.”
Prof van der Spuy, whose area of expertise is turbomachinery, concludes that what makes receiving a promotion to professor special is the overall recognition that one receives for one’s work. “All I can say is that my mother still would have preferred me to be a doctor and my father-in-law believes that professors don’t do any work!” he said tongue in cheek.
The Faculty also prioritises recognition for staff members with respected industry experience, such as Mr De Jongh, who was promoted to senior lecturer. “It feels good be recognised for his experience as opposed to having to a mass year of academic teaching and research experience to gain the same ‘title’.” De Jongh currently teaches mostly undergraduate courses in Mechanical Design (4th year), Machine Design (3rd year) and Engineering Drawings (1st year).
The quality of teaching presented by academic staff makes a crucial contribution to the achievement of strategic institutional objectives, including student success; enhancing the Faculty’s knowledgebase; broadening the diversity of the staff and student corps and systemic sustainability. The Faculty commits itself to developing all staff members and, by the same token, affirms its viewpoint that a sophisticated support service for staff and teaching development is crucial to a faculty that strives to compete at national and international levels and to make a meaningful contribution to research.
The Faculty extends sincerest congratulations to all promoted staff members and applaud their dedication to their respective academic fields as well as their loyalty to the Faculty and their students.
