South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) - Prof Madhi wins the NSTF-South32 Lifetime Award

Title:

Prof Madhi wins the NSTF-South32 Lifetime Award

 

Published:

South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), July 2022

https://www.samrc.ac.za/news/prof-madhi-wins-nstf-south32-lifetime-award

 

From the news article:

Eminent scientist and director of the SAMRC /Wits Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA), Prof Shabir Madhi, is the winner of this year’s NSTF-South32 Lifetime Award. The award recognises an outstanding achievement by an individual to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation in South Africa over a period of 15 years or more. 

 

University of Canterbury, New Zealand - 3D printing helps turn 'bleach' into non-toxic rocket fuel [Tech Xplore, February 2022]

Title:

3D printing helps turn 'bleach' into non-toxic rocket fuel

By:

University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Published:

Tech Xplore, 18 February 2022

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-02-3d-non-toxic-rocket-fuel.html

From the article:

A University of Canterbury Engineering student is using 3D printing to help turn hydrogen peroxide into a non-toxic rocket fuel for the growing aerospace market.

 

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) - Studying engineering without physics and maths is like a building without foundation [ThePrint, 2021]

Title:

Studying engineering without physics and maths is like a building without foundation

 

Authors:

S.S. Mantha & Ashok Thakur

 

Published:

ThePrint, 6 April 2021

https://theprint.in/opinion/studying-engineering-without-physics-and-maths-is-like-a-building-without-foundation/634583/

 

From the article:

AICTE making maths, physics optional for engineering sounds ‘flexible’ only on paper. Its bridge courses won’t fix the problem.

STEM Education in College: An Analysis of Stakeholders’ Recent Challenges and Potential Solutions [Scholarly Article - FDLA Journal, 2020]

Title:

STEM Education in College: An Analysis of Stakeholders’ Recent Challenges and Potential Solutions

 

Authors:

Santanu De, Nova Southeastern University

Georgina Arguello, Nova Southeastern University

 

Published:

FDLA Journal, Volume 5, Article 9 (2020)

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fdla-journal/vol5/iss1/9/

Abstract:

A vast majority of academic disciplines and curricula in the college center around Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), which are critical to developing the skills necessary for a global workforce. Rapid changes in pedagogical setups, educational modes, and advances in instructional technology entail diverse challenges for key stakeholders (i.e. students, faculty, and the organizations). This paper highlights the most relevant challenges and potential solutions in STEM higher education at the college level, reported in the last decade. The holistic analysis combining the three stakeholders’ perspectives would help elucidate significant contemporary aspects impacting the fields. The goal is to further understand the factors impeding expected learning outcomes. This would help identify as well as bridge the gaps among these three pillars of instruction, possibly forming a foundation for improved content, delivery, and efficacy of higher education in STEM.

South African Journal of Higher Education (2020) - Exploring engineering students' epistemic beliefs and motivation: A case of a South African university

Title:

Exploring engineering students' epistemic beliefs and motivation: A case of a South African university

 

Author:

T.P. Makhathini, S. Mtsweni & B.F. Bakare

 

Published:

South African Journal of Higher Education, Volume 34, Number 4 (2020)

https://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajhe/article/view/3625

Abstract:

This study seeks to investigate how chemical engineering students from South African low-income communities locate knowledge structures. The study used an existing Engineering Related Beliefs Questionnaire (ERBQ) to evaluate beliefs of 268 chemical engineering students. The questionnaire collects additional information by allowing open-ended responses on each item to increase reliability of the questionnaire. Findings suggest that more than 60 per cent of students believe that engineering knowledge cannot be argued, and that learning takes place only when the lecturer transmits knowledge. Engineering educators may consider a humanizing pedagogy, which create opportunities for students from low-income communities to be liberated and reduce the dependency culture. Application of this pedagogy may assist students to achieve life long learning whilst developing necessary soft skills like independent thinking and innovation.