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| René heads Namibian TV new channel
 MatieAlumnus René Lötter is making her mark as news editor of Namibia’s first independent TV news channel.
ONE Africa Television (OATV), a commercial Namibian television channel,
has been broadcasting international news, sport, educational and
children’s programmes since 2003, but recently began to present a daily
news bulletin containing local content.
Until now, the only television news was that of the state broadcasting
corporation, the NBC (Namibian Broadcasting Corporation).
According to René the news team strives for objectivity, since they do not have to answer to any political party or group.
Contact René Lötter by e-mail at rene@oneafrica.tv
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| Clarke Prize for MatieAlumnus James Barnard
 Dr James Barnard, who was a Matie engineering student in the 1950s, was recently honoured with the Clarke Prize.
James specialises in environmental affairs and works for the Black
& Veatch Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri, in the USA.
The prize was awarded to him for his crucial research contributions and
practical applications of biotechnology in the treatment processes of
waste water. The Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Prize is awarded annually to
individuals who excel in the field of research and technology relating
to water. The prize consists of a gold medal and prize money to the value of $50 000.
The Bardenpho Process – a process to remove excess nitrates and phosphates from waste water – bears Dr Barnard’s name.
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| Sandra Botha leads DA in Parliament
 MatieAlumnus Sandra Botha has been chosen as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.
Sandra studied economics at SU and established herself in the
agricultural sphere in the Free State before she entered parliament.
She was active in the anti-apartheid movement and initiated and led a
variety of community projects.
She was elected official leader of the opposition because the leader of
the DA, Ms Helen Zille, is not a member of parliament as mayor of Cape
Town.
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Former Matie skis into the record books
Photo: Adventurer Correnè Erasmus-Coetzer. Behind her are Denise Martin and Beth Cheesebourgh.
With icy determination, passion and unfaltering faith, MatieAlumnus
Correnè Erasmus-Coetzer entered the record books by being the first
South African woman to ski from the coast of Antarctica to the South
Pole.
“I have always been fascinated by Antarctica – the space, the purity
and knowing you are far away from everything. It’s just you."
“I was sitting in my study one day, reading Die Droomgewer. It’s the
story of a boy whose dreams are symbolised by a feather, but who
realises after a few years that that was all he had – only the feather;
nothing had come of his dreams. I walked into the passage and there lay
a feather. I became icy cold and realised – I had to decide what to do
with my feather. Was I going to put it on the windowsill and look at
it, or would I chase the dream?"
A search for sponsors and intensive mental and physical preparation
followed. “Your body might be ready, but if your head is not right it
means nothing."
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Among the aspects she had to cope with were
temperatures of between -20ºC and -50ºC, as well as frightening ice
storms and strong winds.
The 1200 km across the often dangerous terrain was not easy – besides
coping with the temperatures, the heavy sled holding her food and
crevasses of up to 200 m deep, she and her team, Denise Martin (40)
from Canada and Beth Cheesebourgh (32) from London, had to protect
themselves against frostbite.
“Antarctica is breathtaking – the endless horizon, the snow white ice that stretches for miles around you."
Correnè says she could not have succeeded without the support of her husband, her family and, above all, “the Hand of God".
“You are not there on your own. He is always with you. Antarctica
belongs to Him and you are His guest. It is a journey within yourself
that each person should experience."
Visit www.correne.co.za for more information on Correnè’s experience.
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 Former Matie heads nanomedicine unit in the USA
Prof André Nel, a former Matie attached to the California NanoSystems
Institute (CNSI), a research centre of the University of California,
Los Angeles (UCLA), was recently appointed head of the newly
established division for nanomedicine at the CNSI and the UCLA School
of Medicine. This is the first nanomedicine division in the USA.
In nanomedicine, nanotechnological operations are carried out in the
human body to treat illnesses and injuries. Nanotechnology refers to
techniques that are executed at the level of one billionth of a metre.
This science is widely regarded as the new industrial revolution and,
says André, will have a major impact on the biological sciences and on
medicine.
The primary aim of the division is to train doctors in the principles
and application of nanoscience and technology in medicine. In the long
term, the division wants to establish new paradigms for the diagnosis
and treatment of illnesses that are not currently possible with
existing technology.
André obtained his MB, ChB in 1975 and a Doctorate in Medicine from Stellenbosch in 1987.
He also heads an interdisciplinary main campus programme at the
University of California that is responsible for the safe
implementation of nanotechnology in the state of California.
André is married to Margaret Gardiner.
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