A number of students at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have outdone themselves in various fields of study in the past two years, earning the highest student honour in the form of Chancellor’s Medals.
Seven graduates will receive Chancellors Medals for the Most Meritorious Masters Study in 2019, while four graduates will receive faculty prizes for the Most Prestigious Undergraduate or Honours Graduate for 2019.
These awards are annually presented to individual students in each faculty for the most meritorious study at Master’s, Undergraduate and Honours levels, for academic excellence.
As a norm, the University celebrates the awarding of the Chancellor’s Medals during graduation ceremonies. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the cancellation of traditional graduation congregations in the foreseeable future this year, the medals will be presented to the students in a separate small function.
Close to 10 000 undergraduate diplomas or degrees and almost 3 000 postgraduate degrees, including 669 Master’s and 133 Doctoral degrees have been virtually awarded their qualifications by the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala.
All the graduates will continue to receive their qualifications digitally via the University’s official platform (https://digitalcertificates.uj.ac.za) and can share these with third parties or prospective employers at no cost.
CHANCELLORS MEDAL FOR THE MOST MERITORIOUS MASTERS STUDY IN 2019
1. Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
John Yannis Generalis
Magister Technologiae Fine Art (with distinction)
Dissertation: Hybrid Vigour as a creative strategy in the work of Steven Cohen and Grace Jones.
Supervisor: Prof KE von Veh
Co-Supervisor: Ms BE Findlay
2. Faculty of Education
Mafor Penn
Master of Education (with distinction)
Dissertation: Grade 12 Physical and Life sciences learners’ understandings about scientific inquiry.
Supervisor: Prof U Ramnarain
3. Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
Tebeta Ronny Thapelo
Master of Engineering: Mechanical Engineering (with distinction)
Dissertation: Investigation of mechanical properties of polyethylene-based Nano-composites
Supervisor: Prof NA Ahmed
4. Faculty of Health Sciences
Megan Joy Geldenhuys
Master of Nursing Science: Professional Nursing Science: Ethos and Professional Practice (with distinction)
Dissertation: Evidenced Based Nursing Care for Spinal Immobilisation: A Systematic Review
Supervisor: Prof C Downing
Co-Supervisor: Prof WE Nel
5. Faculty of Humanities
Brendan Lynford Byrne Dor
Master of Arts: Sociology (with distinction)
Dissertation: Precarious Workers and the Labour Process: A Multi-sited Case Study of Management Control and Worker Resistance
Supervisor: Prof C Runciman
Co-Supervisor: Dr M Hlatswayo
6. Faculty of Law
Yorgo Athanasios Yiannakis
Magister Legum: Commercial Law (with distinction)
Minor Dissertation: Drone legislation and liability insurance: a comparative study
Supervisor: Dr S Huneburg
7. Faculty of Science
Mampho Khesa Pitso
MSc Aquatic Health (with distinction)
Dissertation: The effect of chronic efavirenz exposure on the organ health and haematology of the red-strain Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus
Supervisor: Prof GM Wagenaar
Co-supervisor: Prof IEJ Barnhoorn (University of Venda)
FACULTY PRIZE FOR THE MOST PRESTIGOUS UNDERGRADUATE OR HONOURS GRADUATE FOR 2019
1. Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
Faculty Prize for the Most Prestigious Undergraduate Student for 2019
Matthew Ryan Slabbert
Baccalaureus Ingeneriae: Mechanical Engineering (with distinction)
2. Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty Prize for the Most Prestigious Student in Undergraduate and Honours for 2019
Tayla Giovi Zurfluh
Baccalaureus Technologiae (Podiatry) (with distinction)
3. Faculty of Humanities
Faculty Prize for the Most Prestigious Undergraduate Student for 2019
Shene Jheanne De Rijk
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (with distinction)
4. Faculty of Science
Faculty Prize for the Most Prestigious Honours Student for 2019
Dylan John Durieux
Bachelor of Science Honours: Applied Mathematics (with distinction)