Health Sciences Alumni Week 2018

We are all saddened by the unexpected death of Professor Bongani Mayosi (Late Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town). Professor Tshilidzi Mawala (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg) has agreed to deliver the AJ Orenstein Lecture. Professor Mawala is a renowned academic and a systems engineer. The title of the AJ Orenstein Lecture will be “Intelligent machines, ethics and health in the 21^st century.

 It will be a stimulating and thought-provoking talk. A cocktail party will take place after the lecture. Please would you RSVP to David Sepeke Sekgwele on Sepeke.sekgwele@wits.ac.za and alumni.healthsciences@DS.WITS.AC.ZA if you would like to attend.

The Research Day and Postgraduate Expo is a big day for the Faculty, where research undertaken in the Faculty is displayed. This will be a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to the fascinating research directions engaged in by the Faculty. Professor Glenda Gray (South African Medical Research Council and a Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Heath in the School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand) will deliver the plenary lecture in the morning of Research Day entitled “Turning Turmoil into Tenacity into Triumph”. The plenary lecture will be followed by the staff and student oral presentations across the various thematic tracks. After lunchtime there will be poster presentations. This will be followed by three round table discussions where invited expert panellists will engage on locally relevant health issues, topics and future trends. Topics include: i) The South Africa Sugar Tax debate, ii) Listeria – Are we sitting on a food safety time bomb? And iii) Disrupting Healthcare in a Digital World. As usual there’s a prize-giving cocktail party. It is important for you to register your intention to attend, on www.witsrd.co.za. This is a CPD accredited event.

We have received an interesting number of presentations for the symposium. Dr Michelle Groome will be contacting you soon with details of the programme. For further enquiries, contact Dr Michelle Groome on groomem@rmpru.co.za.

• Dr Dominic Stratford, a Senior Lecturer from the School of School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies has agreed to conduct a guided tour of the Sterkfontein Caves and the various digs. The tour will be of the research areas, not the public areas. The tour is for 2.5 hours. The tour is limited to 30 participants. NB: Please register as soon as you can on alumni.healthsciences@DS.WITS.AC.ZA. The charge is R100.00 per person and you can pay cash on the day.
  
  
• Conducted tour of the absorbing Origins Centre on  Wits West campus, highlighting man’s early presence and their cultural developments in southern Africa. 1 ½ hour and 45 minutes for ochre workshops. Please RSVP to alumni.healthsciences@DS.WITS.AC.ZA. Please include proof of payment when RSVP’ing. The charge is R80.00 per person.  Payment to be made prior. Please deposit the money to the following account:
  
  University of the Witwatersrand
  Faculty of Health Sciences
  Bank: First National Bank (FNB)
  Branch: 255005
  Account Number: 62150130426
  Account Type: Cheque
  Swift Code: FIRNZAJJXXX
  Reference:Name Surname ALUM18
  
  
• Conducted tour of art collection housed at the Wits Art Museum (WAM) at the East campus (University Corner, Jorissen St & Bertha St). The charge is R150.00 per person. The tour is for 1 hour. This is a guided tour. You can pay cash on the day. Please RSVP to alumni.healthsciences@DS.WITS.AC.ZA.
  
  
• Conducted tour is the Apartheid Museum, this needs no introduction and is a must see for those who have not yet visited. The tour is for 2 hours. The charge is R95.00 per person. You can pay cash on the day. Please RSVP to alumni.healthsciences@DS.WITS.AC.ZA.

All tours start at 10am.

The 2018 annual Alumni Gala dinner will be held at the picturesque Wits Club on the West campus from 19:00pm of the 8^th September. This dinner is open to all Health graduates (medics, dentists, occupational therapists etc.) and we are specially honouring the special anniversary years of 10 (2008), 15 (2003), 20 (1998), 25 (1993), 30 (1988), 35 (1983), 40 (1978), 45 (1973), 50 (1968) years since graduating. Please indicate your attendance early. The dinner is buffet style, catering for all taste and dietary preferences. The dinner charge is R520.00 per person.  Please include proof of payment when RSVP’ing. Kindly deposit money to the account mentioned above and adding the reference no. (Name Surname ALUM18)