By: Puleng Maphisa- 22 February 2023

Abramo Ndlovu, an Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering student at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), won the best final-year undergraduate project at the 2022 Integrated Post Graduate Industry Partnership (IPGIP) competition.

The purpose of the IPGIP prize is to honour the late engineer E. H. Mathews, whose wish was to bring academia and industry closer together in the engineering field and encourage high-quality research at an undergraduate level.

Ndlovu, who proved his mettle against his peers from fifteen (15) universities offering engineering programmes in South Africa, walked away with top prize money of R10 000 for his research mini dissertation. His supervisor and lecturer, Dr Benton Otieno also received an official recognition certificate.

The research mini dissertation focused on the effects of Aggregate Sizes on Concrete Strength. Mr Ndlovu carried out extensive concrete tests for 5 different aggregate sizes to investigate the effects of the sizes on concrete strength.

Ndlovu said the project has inspired him to further his studies as he is enrolling for postgraduate studies. He intends to further his research in construction materials to find ways to develop or modify them for future uses. He dreams of becoming a lecturer within the Department of Civil Engineering.

Congratulations to Mr Abramo Ndlovu and Dr Benton Otieno for their academic excellence.