2011-NMMU-Research-Report - Research Management - Nelson ...

118 NMMU Research and Innovation Report 2011 - Conferences hosted at NMMU
Conferences hosted at NMMU
NMMU hosted a number of national and international conferences.
Dr Nancy Boyd-Franklin, Rutgers University (USA).
The sixth Social Aspects of HIV and AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA)
Conference took place from 28 November to 2 December with the
following theme: Are we turning the tide of HIV/AIDS? - Social, Political
and Economic landscape of HIV prevention and response. SAHARA
was established in 2001 with the vision of reducing the number of
new HIV infections through the promotion of collaborative research
and dissemination of evidence-based information for prevention,
care and impact mitigation. The conference brought together
researchers, policy makers, donors and international organisations,
civil society, and communities (including people living with HIV/AIDS).
Keynote speakers were: Mr Bertrand Audoin, Executive Director:
International Aids Society (IAS) in Geneva, Switzerland; Minister Sekai
Holland, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Zimbabwe;
Dr Anderson Franklin from Boston College, USA and his wife Dr Nancy
Boyd-Franklin from Rutgers University, USA; and Dr Sam Fiedman,
National Development and Research Institutes, USA.
The NMMU Construction Management 40 Conference, organised
by the Department of Construction Management, took place from
27 to 29 November. Given that the Department of Construction
Management focuses on the education of construction managers
and construction project managers, the conference addressed
the practice of these two disciplines. Main topics included issues
on career promotion, construction economics, diversity, ethics,
gender and multicultural issues to name a few. The conference
provided an international forum for researchers and practitioners
from developed, developing and underdeveloped nations to address
fundamental construction management and construction project
management issues. Keynote addresses were given by prominent
individuals in the construction industry, to name a few: Prof
Raymond Nkado, President of the South African Council for the
Project and Construction Management Professions; Dr Rodney
Milford, Programme Manager: Construction Industry Performance
at the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb); and Prof
Pantaleo Rwelamila, Professor of Project Management at the
Graduate School of Business Leadership (GSBL), University of South
Africa (UNISA).
The second Joint Congress of the South African Mathematical
Societies (SAMS) and American Mathematical Societies (AMS) was
held at NMMU from 29 November to 3 December. The conference
provided good opportunities for South African mathematicians and
particularly postgraduate students to network with their colleagues
from around the world. A total of 314 delegates from 25 countries
attended the congress. A feature of the congress was the large
number of postgraduate students who participated (105 in total).
The guest speaker at the conference dinner was the South African
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, the Honourable Derek
Hanekom.
The Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of South
Africa (HELTASA) Conference was hosted by NMMU on the Missionvale
Campus from 30 November to 2 December. The conference theme
was: Crossing borders for change in Southern African Higher Education.
The conference was attended by 337 delegates representing academic
developers, academics, top management and institutional decision
makers. Keynote addresses were given by Prof Donald Hanna, who
currently holds a faculty position at the University of Wisconsin, USA;
Prof Piet Naudé, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at NMMU; and
Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free
State. The invited speaker was Emmanuel Sibanda, Senior Manager
of the Statistical Information and Research (SIR) Unit at Umalusi.
Prof Andre Mukheibir organised the third annual Private Law and
Social Justice Conference on 22 and 23 August. NMMU welcomed
speakers from all over the country as well as from Amsterdam,
Australia and Finland. The keynote address was delivered by former
Constitutional Court Judge Yvonne Mokgoro.