Technology Transfer and Innovation
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Senior Lecturer: Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics: Dr. Mohammed Seyam Tel: 0313732413 Email: MohammedS@dut.ac.za Campus: Steve Biko Campus Qualification(s): Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Malaya, Malaysia in 2016; MSc in Water Resources Engineering from the Islamic University of Gaza in 2009; Bachelor in Civil Engineering (Honours) from the Islamic University of Gaza in 2003. Dr Seyam is a professional engineer and an academician with track-record of 16 years’ experience in academic teaching, scientific research, engineering design and consultations, project management, infrastructure projects, professional training for engineering programs. Main teaching courses include but not limited to, Hydrology, Hydraulics, Fluid mechanics, Environmental Engineering, Water Treatment, and construction management. Research interests include hydrological modeling. Artificial intelligence applications in water resources, groundwater and surface water hydrology, water resources management, water quality modeling, Water treatment and climate change analysis. More than 20 papers have been published in International Scientific Indexing (ISI) journals and international conferences. Current water-related projects at IWWT:
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Research, Grants Administrator: Dr Bloodless Dzwairo Tel: 031 373 2423 Email: bloodlessd@dut.ac.za Campus: Steve Biko Campus Qualification(s): DTech Eng: Civil (TUT), MSc IWRM (Eng) (UZ), BSc (Hon) Environmental Management(UNISA), BSc Chemistry and Microbiology (UNISA)Dr Bloodless Dzwairo, uses a suite of multi-disciplined environmental sustainability components of Integrated Water Resources Management in her Water Research Group, which comprises Masters and Doctoral students. Her research is anchored in the Vaal, uMngeni and Limpopo. Dr Dzwairo worked with Rand Water, Sedibeng Water and Midvaal Water during her Doctorate and for some of her Post-Doctoral research as these Utilities are strategically located for upstream-downstream pollution trading in the Vaal Basin. The Water Group is multi-disciplined as it comprises of postgraduate students from Community Health Studies (Environmental Health), Civil and Industrial Engineering Departments. One cross-institution M student is modelling the price of raw water in the Vaal Basin. In Ugu District Municipality and uMngeni basin, the group is focusing on; Optimising Inanda Dam’s operational rule curves, Modelling ecosystem-specific water quality indices, Predicting treatment chemical dosages and water usage analysis, and Accounting for water losses in Umdoni Local Municipality using a business model. Dr Dzwairo is also involved in a collaborative Water Research Commission project that is investigating various aspects of IWRM in uMngeni sub-Basin. At the Institute of Systems Science, she is involved in an inter-country collaborative crop yield mapping and modelling project. Current water related projects: • Remote sensing, environmental modelling and GIS in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay: C V Raman International Visiting Fellowship. |
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Senior Lecturer: Environmental Health: Dr Poovendhree Reddy Tel: 031 373 2808 Email: poovier@dut.ac.za Campus: Ritson Campus Qualification(s): PhD: Occupational and Environmental HealthDr Poovendhree Reddy is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Community Health Studies, Durban University of Technology. Her main areas of interest include public health with emphasis on genetic epidemiology; epigenetics; maternal and child health; and water management and quality related to health risk assessment. She is a co-leader on the Medical Research Council Flagship project (Maternal Health) and a team member of the Water Research Niche area at DUT. In addition, she is a co-investigator on a collaborative project with UKZN and the University of Michigan which involves genetic epidemiology and epigenetics related to respiratory related outcomes and environmental exposures in the MACE study (Mother and Child Environmental Study). Dr Reddy serves on the Editorial Board for a national and an international journal and is a solicited reviewer for 5 international journals. She also serves as a member of various professional bodies and committees both externally and within the DUT. Current water related projects: • Wastewater treatment |
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Senior Lecturer: Chemical Engineering: Dr Sudesh Rathilal Tel: 031 373 2498 Email: rathilals@dut.ac.za Campus: Steve Biko CampusDr Rathilal is a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Durban University of Technology. He completed his PhD in 2010 and has been involved with water related projects since then with close collaboration with Prof VL Pillay. The main focus area has been in the treatment of water and waste water using membrane technology. Current water related projects: • Investigation of the removal of oil and organic solvents in water using different technologies |
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Head of Department: Biotechnology & Food Technology: Dr Feroz Mahomed Swalaha Tel: 031 373 2689 Email: fswalaha@dut.ac.za Campus: Steve Biko CampusDr Feroz Mahomed Swalaha is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biotechnology & Food Technology, Durban University of Technology. He has worked extensively in the fields of biological wastewater treatment with the aid of mathematical modelling. Dr Swalaha is currently working on modelling anaerobic digestion with genetic algorithms, applying constructed wetlands to urban water treatment and algal scrubbing of CO2 emissions from waste industrial gases. He also maintains an interest in developing new technologies for the treatment of water-borne pathogens and surveying of pathogens such as Legionella spp in domestic settings. Current water related projects: • Application of an evolutionary algorithm to enhance wastewater degradation and biogas production in a UASB reactor. |
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Senior Lecturer: Chemical Engineering: Dr Manimagalay Chetty Tel: 31 373 2384 Email: chettym@dut.ac.za Location: S4, Level1 Campus: Steve Biko CampusDr Manimagalay Chetty is a senior lecturer and the current Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Durban University of Technology. Dr Chetty’s current research focus areas are water and wastewater treatment, renewable energy, application of airlift reactors, fluid hydrodynamics mathematical modelling, viz neural networks and computational fluid dynamics, and engineering education. One of her main focus areas is alternate sustainable energy sources which uses wastewater treatment as a basis. The production of biogas from domestic and industrial wastewater forms a major part of her current research. Current water related projects: • Aerobic treatment of sewage sludge |
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Associate Professor: Chemical Engineering: Prof Paul Musonge Tel: 031 373 2218 Email: paulm@dut.ac.za Campus: Steve Biko Campus Qualification(s): PhD(Lond), DIC, FSAIChE, MCSEProfessor Paul Musonge, obtained a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Imperial College, University of London, in 1983. His PhD was in the field of Computational Fluid Dynamics (development of turbulence models). Twenty one years of his Post-Doctoral career has been in the development and teaching of a range of Chemical Engineering Programs from the Diploma to Post-graduate levels and research activities in the broad area of Process Optimization and Engineering Education.Professor P. Musonge, of African-Canadian origin joined the Durban University of Technology in 2012, after an international academic career across a wide range of English and French institutions; Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria), University of Ngaoundere (Cameroon), University of Karlsruhe (Germany), University of London (UK), Willis College of Technology (Canada), Cape Pennisula University of Technology (South Africa) and the University of Cape Town (South Africa). Professor P. Musonge, has been a recipient of a number of Prestigious Research Fellowships and Visiting Academic status including the British Council Research Fellowship, Royal Society of London Research Fellowship, Rolls Royce (UK) Senior Research Fellowship, DAAD – German Research Fellowship and the African Visiting Academic Fellowship at the UCT. Professor P. Musonge, developed an interest in water research as a result of water scarcity especially in developing countries and the global need to protect the environment from contaminated industrial effluents. The Water Research Institute at DUT is providing a platform to pursue research in this area and to contribute to the development of human capacity in the management of industrial water resources and environment pollution. Current water related projects: Development of Point of Use (POU) treatment technologies using locally produced photo-catalysts and membranes for river water in rural communities. The use of organic coagulants in the treatment of sugar refinery effluents. Optimization of water utilization in the purification of biodiesel. |