CyberTeaRoom
Welcome to the cyberTeaRoom!
This is where you can pick up the gossip, spread the word, and share a virtual beverage. If you have any news or gossip for the CyberTeaRoom, pass it on to The Editor and look forward to seeing your words in print!
Graduation 2012
The department celebrated the achievements of its graduating students at a morning tea, held yesterday (12 April 2012) prior to the science faculty graduation ceremony. The hard work of both first-time graduands and postgraduates was recognised by Professor William Froneman in his short address. The department is particularly proud of its postgraduate (11 honours, 13 MSc and 3 PhD) and award winning students. The graduation ceremonies also saw three staff members being recognised by the University. Professor Martin Villet was awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Senior Research Medal. Professor Christopher McQuaid had the title of "Distinguished Professor" conferred upon him and Dr Unathi Heshula was awarded his Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education with distinction. Well done!
Special congratulations are extended to Felix Akpabey (PhD), Ashley Kirk-Spriggs (PhD), John Opuku-Debrah (PhD), Jenny Booth (MSc), Mathilde Brassine (MSc), Ross Forbes (MSc), Colin Fordham (MSc), Tanith Grant (MSc), Armand Kok (MSc), Jeremiah Plass-Johnson (MSc), Emma Smith (MSc), Ilke Vermeulen (MSc), Paul Vorster (MSc), Jessica Watermeyer (MSc), Phillip Weyl (MSc), Brendan Whittington-Jones (MSc), Claire Love (Beth Cumming Memorial Prize), Daniel Danckwerts (Matthew Jones Memorial Shield), Timothy Kuiper (JC van Hille Award), Phillip Weyl (Duerden Scholarship), Candice Owen (ESSA award) and Ryan Daniels (Ewer Prize).
Honours class bond in the Karoo 
The 2012 Zoology and Entomology class recently visited the Nieu-Bethesda area in the Karoo as a team-building exercise and to learn more about the geology of the region. The class was joined by Dr's Billy de Klerk and Rose Prevec (both from the Albany Museum) who gave the group a fully guided tour of the geology of the Karoo. The focus was on the evolution of the mammal-like reptiles (the Karoo is especially rich in such fossils) and the Permian-Triassic mass-extinction event, nicely represented by the plant and animal fossils found on the Wapadsberg pass. The group also visited the the Wellwood fossil collection (the largest privately owned fossil collection in South Africa) and the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre.
News from the bottom of the world
Departmental alumnus Dr Kim Bernard is currently based at Palmer Station, Antarctica as part of her post-doctoral research. Kim is maintaining a blog to keep all those interested up-to-date with the daily happenings of life in the freezer. Read more by clicking here.
