on Campus Issue 5 • November 2014 • For daily updates visit www.uwc.ac.za
INSIDE PATH introduces new female condom page 3
New UWC postgraduate journal page 5
The UWC Apprentice page 13
UWC initiates SAUS sport exchange page 16
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Prof Baker wins Women in Science Award
T
he University of the Western Cape’s Professor Priscilla Baker received the Distinguished Woman Scientist (Natural Sciences and Engineering) Award at the annual Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) Women in Science Awards ceremony held in Johannesburg on Friday, 15 August 2014. DST hosts the Women in Science Awards to reward outstanding female scientists and researchers, and to encourage younger women to follow in their footsteps. “Male and women scientists both work extremely hard, and both are needed in the sciences,” notes Prof Baker. “But it’s good that we take a moment to recognise how far women have come, and to raise awareness about the issues that may still hold us back a bit, so that we can move forward.” An NRF C2-rated scientist, Prof Baker is a professor of chemistry who specialises in the application of frequency-modulated electrochemical techniques to the design and evaluation of electrochemical smart materials and electroactive actuator systems (materials that change in size or shape en ti late y an ele tri fiel ee systems can be applied in water analysis and treatment, bio and industrial catalysis, as well as for energy-related applications. She has published 65 research articles in international and national journals, written eight book chapters, and has collaborated with researchers on three continents. Yet her favourite part of her job isn’t the prestigious research she conducts as much as it is teaching. “What I really love about my work is the people interface,” she explains. “Developing human potential, seeing students grow from not believing they can do
it to seriously achieving, seeing them master new skills and endure the discipline of post graduate training, that’s what really gets me excited. Every year of teaching is different, and so is every student.” Prof Baker has supervised 21 master’s and 16 PhD students, and currently supevises two an five an i ate She teaches classes from UWC’s Prof Priscilla Baker has been presented with DST’s Distinguished fir t year to o t ra ate Woman Scientist Award for her work in electrochemistry. level, a practice that helps staff to engage students more One thing that made winning the award effectively. e e ially i nifi ant a t e ti in It Prof Baker grew up in Bellville and went wonderful that the accolade came while to Goeie Hoop Primary and Bellville South Prof Brian O’Connell is in leadership,” says Senior Secondary, where she claims not to Prof Baker. “He believes in UWC more than have been especially brilliant or competitive, anyone I’ve ever met — and he can make you but she was passionate about mathematics believe in it, too.” and science — and especially chemistry. She obtained her BSc at the University of Cape In 2006, Prof Baker was elected chair Town, the only black female in her class. of the Electrochemistry division of She then completed a National Diploma in the South African Chemical Institute Analytical Chemistry at the Cape Peninsula (SACI) and has since hosted two University of Technology, and BSc Honours major international electrochemistry and MSc degrees at UWC. Prof Baker received conferences in South Africa. Proceedings her PhD in 2004 from the University of from these conferences were published in Stellenbosch. international peer-reviewed journals with e e a e t e fir t ll ti e e ale ta Prof Baker as guest editor. member in the Chemistry Department at In 2013, she was elected vice-chair UWC in November 2003, and received her 10of the Analytical Electrochemistry year ervi e ertifi ate la t year division of the International Society for It a oint o re e tion e note a Electrochemistry (ISE, Switzerland). time to look back and think about what Prof Baker is a visiting professor at the you’ve contributed. And I’m happy with University of Cergy-Pontoise (Paris, what I’ve done, and happy with the changes France), where she teaches a module in I’ve seen the Department go through — like electrochemical sensors to Master’s in moving into this big new building.” Engineering students.