A great week for complexity

B/M Phil students on the Complexity Theory and Systems Thinking module this week were fortunate enough to have the opportunity of attending a number of fantastic presentations and lectures by world-renowned leaders in their fields.

On Monday, students had the chance to listen to distinguished speaker, ecological economist Marjan Van Den Belt and her System Dynamics Approach to Mediated Modeling.

Tuesday, the students had a presentation by Prof Jan-Hendrik (Jannie) Hofmeyr. Prof Hofmeyr presented to the students an insight into his complexity approach to his work and research in biochemistry (available here). Prof Hofmeyr is currently at the University of Stellenbosch and is a highly regarded, A-rated scientist and winner of several awards, including the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award.

Prof Paul Cilliers, professor in philosophy at the University of Stellenbosch, another A-rated scientist and first social sceintist to win the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award winner is the leading lecturer on the Complexity Theory course for the sixth year running.

Good kick-off for ECO FC!

Last Saturday, 24th May, Eco FC Under 15s soccer team played their first league match. Under the guidance of new coach Meshack Lefifi, from Eersteriver soccer club Sporting FC, our team had a victorious start to the season with a 1-0 win scored by Mightyman Nkoko (no. 9) against Klapmuts FC at the Cloetisville Fields, just outside of Stellenbosch.

Congratulations ECO!

Mighty on the field

Soil, Soul and Society

The Soil, Soul and Society series will be running for the duration of 2008 and it is the intention to present a seminar at the Sustainability Institute on the last Thursday of every month. We have the following exciting events coming up over the next few weeks:

30 May, 14h00-15h30: Marjan van den Belt - Mediated Modelling - a system dynamics approach to environmental consensus building
Mediated modelling expert in the field of ecological economics – Charlotte USA

4 June, 16h00-17h30: Paul Cilliers - Complexity as a Critical Philosophy
Internationally renowned expert in Complexity Theory. Professor of Philosophy, Stellenbosch. Visiting Professor Universiteit voor Humanistiek, Utrecht. First social science recipient of the coveted Harry Oppenheimer research prize.

10 June, 16h00-17h30: Jan Visser - Rethinking human learning with sustainability in mind: Building the scientific mind - a case in point
Theoretical physicist and cognitive scientist. President and Senior Researcher at the Learning Development Institute, Jupiter, Florida, USA & Eyragues, France.

All the seminars will be hosted by the Sustainability Institute. For more information, please contact June Stone .

Lynedoch recycling

Our new recycling programme is now well underway! We've teamed up with Mr Recycle as partner who collects on a weekly basis and takes care of the second sort before recycling materials back to suppliers as a resource wherever possible. The 3-bin system proves to be effective and the entire Lynedoch community, SI, Guest House and other offices as well as the school are supporting the programme. The picture below is from the Bolander (21 May 2008).

Lynedoch recycling