The University of the Free State (UFS) envisages that its Mineral Biogeochemistry Research Infrastructure Platform (Biogrip) will expose students to a world of innovation and research in the field of biogeochemistry and bioaugmentation.
Construction of this project, funded by the Department of Science and Innovation, is under way at the Bloemfontein campus.
This initiative is part of a national platform to promote the science of biogeochemistry as a strategic objective in South Africa.
According to Dr Mariana Erasmus, deputy director of the newly established Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry, the Mineral Biogrip Node is an independent, multidisciplinary research centre.
“It has numerous existing industry partners and clients with active projects, providing research outputs as well as services in the mining and agricultural sectors.”
The Biogrip is divided into four nodes, namely: the Mineral Biogrip Node at the UFS; the Atmospheric Biogrip Node at the North-West University and Weather South Africa; the Water and Soil Biogrip Node at Stellenbosch University; and the Isotope Biogrip Node at the University of Cape Town.
“In each of these specialisations, the node buys its own world-class equipment and appoints competent teams,” Erasmus says.
“The UFS has a unique opportunity to collaborate with these teams of specialists and gain access to world-class equipment. This creates the potential to increase the institution’s collaborative efforts and research output significantly.”
To be selected for this programme, the UFS had to have existing infrastructure that could be interlinked with the larger Biogrip.
“There are exciting opportunities for students to pursue relevant, applied research interests and to be part of the teams that find solutions to real-world problems in local and international socio-economic systems.”
