Connect with us

Natural Sciences

CoNAS students win awards at the International Petroleum Technology Conference

Published

on

The International Petroleum Technology Conference, IPTC is the flagship multidisciplinary technical event in the Eastern Hemisphere. IPTC is sponsored by four industry organizations and societies namely; the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

The Makerere students team at the IPTC 2022 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. L-R: Kusolo Solomon Matanda, Mugoya Michael, Busingye Diana, and Oyire Gerald

The oil and gas industry continues to invest in initiatives aimed at engaging young people in the energy sector in order to ensure the world’s ever-growing energy demands will be met. IPTC supports this effort through its educational activities. This year’s edition of IPTC was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Saud Aramco as the exclusive host.

At each IPTC event, the top 100 undergraduate science, geoscience and engineering students from around the world are invited to participate in IPTC’s Education Week. This program aims to give students a clear insight into the industry they are about to join and the opportunity to interact with a number of major industry employers who are looking to recruit the best talent from institutions around the world.

An accolade for the first place in the Field Development challenge awarded to the Makerere students team

Four students from the Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University; Busingye Diana, Oyire Gerald, Kusolo Solomon Matanda and Mugoya Michael, were successfully selected to be part of the 2022 Education Week that took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 19 to 23 February 2022.

During the five-day programme, the students experienced a multitude of activities that aimed at preparing them for a life beyond the university. These activities included developing their professional skills by learning together on joint projects, networking with their peers and executives in the oil and gas industry, attending IPTC technical and panel sessions and participating in dynamic road trips. Students were grouped into 19 different teams where they participated in different competitions such as the Geo-steering competition organized by ROGII, Scavenger Hunt by Schlumberger and the Field Development challenge using Petrel and PIPESIM organized by Schlumberger.

A group photo taken during the IPTC 2022

The Makerere students team won first place award in both the Field Development challenge and the Geo-steering challenge. Special thanks to the Faculty Advisor (SPE), Mr. Kawule Wycliff, for nominating the students to apply for this prestigious event, and to the entire staff of the Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies for the support accorded to the students.

Natural Sciences

Equipping Students with Bioprospecting and Product Development Skills

Published

on

Dr. Alice Nabatanzi, Lecturer, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.

By Dr. Alice Nabatanzi

As we train Scientists we ought to equip them with skills that will help them survive beyond the Laboratories, beyond University, and beyond Academia. Thus, the need to Bioprospect and acquire product development skills.

I am therefore proud of what my 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class has been able to achieve.

Following bioprospecting and entrepreneurial training, students developed the following products: Exotic beard oil, Herbal cough mixture, Power candy, Laundry bar soap, Moringa snack bars, Prudy Organic hair dye, Hair food, Syphilis remedy, Cornstarch based bioplastic, Nash probiotic drink, Dental care herbal mouthwash, Rosemary – lemongrass infused vinegar, Tea tree hand wash, Scented candles, Aloe fruit jam, Herbal bloom shower gel, Custard, Beetroot yoghurt, Dewormer, Stomach pain killers, Liquid organic fertilizers, Face scrub, Mosquito repellant scented air diffuser, Underarm whitening oil, Essential oil deodorant, Ria hair conditioner, Shower gels, Crochet jacket among others.

I am confident that with subsequent incubation, start-ups will emerge.


“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.”

Robert Greene


“Build your skills not your resume.”

Sheryl Sandberg

Dr. Alice Nabatanzi is a Lecturer of Phytomedicine and Nutraceuticals in the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University.

Photo Gallery of some of the products

Pata Guard Herbal Dewormer. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Pata Guard Herbal Dewormer.
Lemongrass-Rosemary Infused Vinegar. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Lemongrass-Rosemary Infused Vinegar.
Avocorn. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Avocorn.
Jackfruit Seed Juice. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Jackfruit Seed Juice.
Pure Mint Mouthwash. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Pure Mint Mouthwash.
Exotic Beard Oil. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Exotic Beard Oil.
Crochet Jacket. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Crochet Jacket.
AvoGlow. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
AvoGlow.
Luxe Guard Scented Candles. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Luxe Guard Scented Candles.
Moringa Snack Bar. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Moringa Snack Bar.
Power Candy. Products from Dr. Alice Nabatanzi's 2024 Biotechnology Product Development Class, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Bio-sciences, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Power Candy.

Continue Reading

Natural Sciences

15 PhD Positions: Human River Systems in the 21st century

Published

on

15 New Positions Open in the FWF PhD Program "Human River systems in the 21st century (HR21)". Application Deadline: 2nd April 2024. Austria. Europe

Highly qualified applicants from all over the world are invited to apply for the PhD Program “Human River systems in the 21st century (HR21)”. The 15 positions are fully funded and the Doctoral Programme is providing additional resources for conference presentations, retreats etc.

The 15 PhD research topics are:

  • Topic 1: Role of hydrological extremes (floods) for sediment transport and morphodynamics in the human-river system
  • Topic 2: Material resources demand and flows of hydraulic structures to prevent societal impact of extreme events (social ecology, environmental history)
  • Topic 3: Intermittent flow – hydrological effects and impacts on benthic communities, ecological state and functioning of riverine systems
  • Topic 4: Drought, low flow and warming – hydrological effects and impacts on the ecological state and functioning of river systems
  • Topic 5: Water transit time distributions as indicators for the vulnerability of riverine ecosystems under different pressures from social metabolism
  • Topic 6: Analyzing possible contributions of re-activated former watercourses towards a more sustainable transformation of industrialized riverine landscapes in urban areas
  • Topic 7: The role of the latest industrial revolutions on instream processes and ecological vulnerability of IRL
  • Topic 8: The effects of infrastructure development on ecological and ecosystem service network properties in river systems
  • Topic 9: The impact of urban settlements on organic matter and nutrient flows in industrialized riverine landscapes – What can we learn from the past?
  • Topic 10: Urban metabolism, a river’s ecohydrology and industrialization: Vienna and the Danube, 1800-2000
  • Topic 11: Impact of external organic matter sources on nutrient, sediment and water transport from cropland into streams
  • Topic 12: Impacts of bioenergy crops used as riparian buffer strips on stream ecosystems’ functioning
  • Topic 13: Sustainable hydropower & and the water-energy-food nexus in multi-stressed IRLs: Challenges and solutions for science & management
  • Topic 14: Integrated modelling of farmers’ climate change impact and adaptation appraisal to inform regional human river nexus management
  • Topic 15: Strategic planning approaches to territorial governance of industrialized riverine landscapes

For more information, please visit: https://short.boku.ac.at/q9ry2k

Application deadline: 2nd April 2024

Continue Reading

Natural Sciences

Dr. Tugume Patience Wins OWSD Early Career Fellowship

Published

on

Dr. Tugume Patience, Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Dr Tugume Patience, a Lecturer in the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology at the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University is one of the 28 women who have been granted the 2023 OWSD Early Career Fellowship.  These scientists will receive up to USD50,000 to lead research projects and establish research groups at their home institutions in 16 countries in the developing world, to maintain an international standard of research and attract scholars from all over the world to collaborate. Funding for the fellowships is generously provided by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

During the 3-year fellowship, fellows will receive specific training to build on their leadership and management skills and develop connections with a variety of public and private sector partners to potentially convert their research into marketable products or guarantee its impact on a broader scale. By improving their communication and outreach skills, fellows will also learn to effectively present their research to various audiences, thus attracting new collaborators and potential funders to ensure the sustainability of the research project.

Dr Tugume’s Project – Biological Systems and Organisms

This project will use various forms of bio-wastes from households and urban centres in Uganda as raw materials for production of biogas, as well as an eco-friendly bio-fertilizer and bio-pesticide. Large amounts of unconsumed food are often thrown away in homes and urban centres that could be converted into useful products that would supply energy, enhance agricultural productivity and reduce deforestation. This project will construct anaerobic bio-digester tanks to process different kinds of bio-waste into biogas, a renewable energy source, and evaluate yields of biogas from different bio-wastes and combinations of bio-wastes. It will additionally produce a bio-fertilizer to enrich soil and a bio-pesticide to manage agricultural pests. The project will also equip households with the skills to biologically convert wastes into value-added products, training women and youth in biogas production and usage.

Details on the fellowships at: https://owsd.net/news/news-events/introducing-2023-owsd-early-career-fellows

Congratulations Dr Tugume

View on CoNAS

Continue Reading

Trending