The College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science (CAES) is hosting its 12th annual Postgraduate Research and Innovation Symposium (PRIS) under the theme #ClimateChange. Some 200 postgraduate students will share their research through oral and flash presentations at the online event.
The School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences is driven by its mission to excel in teaching and research and to engage critically with all levels of society. It seeks to provide competent graduates who are technically qualified and have the critical and creative thinking skills that will give them a competitive advantage in the workplace.
A total of 46 students from the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences will be presenting at PRIS 2022 with research projects that have environmental, societal and industrial impact. Some of the projects from our Masters students are as follows: Ms Neliswa Gcabashe will present research on The effect of ozonated cold storage on superficial scald of granny smith apples; Ms Annika Maniram’s research project is about The Impacts of Drought on the Rural Communities of Msinga in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa; and Mr Thando Mthembu’s presentation is about Assessing the water productivity of sweet potato (ipomoea batatas (l.) lam.).
The School also has a number of PhD entrants. Mr Lindokuhle Mhlongo’s research is about the Impact of varying inclusions of Acacia mearnsii forage in maize silage on intake, milk performance and CH4 and gases in dairy cows. Ms Pelokazi Mhlaba will be presenting on Community radio-based agricultural advisory services towards influencing smallholder farmer’s decision-making. Mr Bruce Mutari’s research project will discuss the Screening and identification of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes combining drought tolerance and micronutrient density with premium canning quality.
We will also be hosting online exhibitions from 30 of our industry partners. The College has strong linkages with industry because they believe in our research excellence. ‘We would like to congratulate all the PRIS 2022 participants. WhiteSci is glad to once again to partner with CAES in making PRIS 2022 a success,’ said Ms Kavitha Bachu, Sales Specialist at Whitehead Scientific.
Some other highlights from PRIS 2022 include the keynote address from Dr Debra Roberts, Head of eThekwini Municipality’s Sustainable and Resilient City Initiatives Unit, and Co-Chair of the IPCC Working Group II. The event will close with a prize-giving ceremony in which all the best oral and flash presentations will be awarded prizes ranging from R3 000 to R15 000. There will also be a number of lucky draw prizes up for grabs for those in attendance.
Register on our website to join us online on 8 – 9 December 2022.
Words: Londeka Makhoba
