pre-feasibility assessment report - Innovationeasterncape.co.za

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African Development Economic ConsultantsADECup the most advanced centre for electron microscopy in the country. Thisfacility will house one of the most advanced microscopes in the world and willrival similar international facilities. One of the key reasons for the facility beinglocated at the NMMU is the Department’s excellent track record in electronmicroscopy research under the guidance of Prof. Jan Neethling, whoundertakes cutting-edge research for the nuclear industry.• Centre for Energy Research. The Centre for Energy Research (CER)undertakes research in renewable energy including photovoltaic,solar thermal, and wind. The centre has close ties with the NelsonMandela Bay Municipality as well as with local private companies.Textile Science. Complementing a regional competitive strength in wooland mohair production, the Department of Textile Science has postgraduateprogrammes in Textiles and Clothing. The Department is run entirely by theregional office of the CSIR located adjacent to NMMU, with a number of CSIRstaff members having joint NMMU appointments. Professor Lawrence Hunter, aresearcher with over 30 years’ exposure in the domestic and international textileindustry is the Head of the Department. He has also been employed by theCSIR for over 30 years.Current research activities at the department focus on the extraction offibres from various plant species and the development of processing machines.The department developed a processing machine for a Swiss firm and theuniversity is receiving some royalties from the product.School of Environmental Sciences. Dr. Derek Du Preez is the Director ofthe School of Environmental Sciences. The School comprises four departments:Agriculture and Game Management, Botany, Zoology, and Geoscience.Professor Janine Adams, of the Department of Botany, is the Chair of the WaterResearch Commission of South Africa and works closely with the Department ofWater and Forestry Affairs (DWAF). She has led a number of ecologicalresearch projects in South Africa. The School is assisting Irvin & Johnson (thelargest supplier of fresh fish to the South African market) on assessing thegrowing of indigenous fish species in the Port Elizabeth Harbour.Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and InformationTechnology. Research within this Faculty is focused in the School ofEngineering, although there are R&D linkages with the School of the BuiltEnvironment and the School of Information and Communication Technology.Professor Henk de Jager serves as Executive Dean of the Faculty and isengaged in promoting the research, facilities, and technology training of thethree schools.School of Engineering. The School of Engineering comprises departmentsin civil, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering as well asmechatronics. While there is some basic research underway in thesedepartments, much of the engineering work is focused more heavily onapplications and product improvement.103 Algernon Road, Norwood (Johannesburg). Tel (011)728-1965 / 6690 Fax (011)728-8371Adec@ADEC1.com. Suite 131, Private Bag X5, Norwood 2117 SOUTH AFRICA 26
African Development Economic ConsultantsADECMechanical Engineering. Research and technology development withinthe Department of Mechanical Engineering is focused in the AutomotiveComponents Technology Station (ACTS), as described below.• Automotive Components Technology Station (ACTS). The DSTsponsoredTechnology Station is housed in the Department ofMechanical Engineering. Professor Danie Hattingh, a researcher withconsiderable respect in the South African automotive industry, is theDirector of ACTS. The Technology Station was established to act astechnical advisor to local SMMEs in the automotive industry, whichhas a large assembly and distribution base in the Nelson MandelaBay region. The key focus is to address the competitiveness of theproducts produced and supplied by local SMMEs by advising themon improvements in manufacturing processes and on development ofinnovations around existing and new technologies.ACTS also assists SMMEs in solving complex design problems. Thestation currently has 250 local SMMEs on their books as clients.ACTS has also broadened its focus to undertake manufacturingresearch more broadly and Professor Hattingh is internationallyrecognised as a leader in the field of friction processing applicationresearch. A number of large research contracts in this field havebeen completed for Eskom and one project is currently veingcommercialized. A Friction Process Research Institute is currentlybeing set up within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.Mechatronics. The newly-established Department of Mechatronics is acombination of mechanical engineering, electronics and computer science.Professor Igor Gorlach is the Head of the Department. The department iscurrently working jointly with Aachen University of Germany, University ofFlorida (USA), University of Pretoria, and North-West University on researchprojects relating to robotic manufacturing systems, mitigation of manufacturingerrors on high speed manufacturing systems and re-configuration ofmanufacturing tools.Information and Communication Technology. The ICT departmentincorporates the Institute for Information and Communication TechnologyAdvancement as well as the CISCO Network Academy.Innovation Support and Technology Transfer. NMMU’s Department ofInnovation Support and Technology Transfer undertakes technology transferactivities (i.e., intellectual property (IP) management and commercialization)within the university. The office also assists university researchers in accessingexternally-funded grants and contracts for research projects. The departmentreports directly to the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Technology, andPlanning. NMMU won the award for “most improved HEI (higher educationalinstitution) in the field of technological innovation” in the 2008 HEI NationalInnovation Competition.103 Algernon Road, Norwood (Johannesburg). Tel (011)728-1965 / 6690 Fax (011)728-8371Adec@ADEC1.com. Suite 131, Private Bag X5, Norwood 2117 SOUTH AFRICA 27
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