Randall nets young lecturer award

Clarity, enthusiasm and spontaneity are presentation essentials. Enter Dr Dyllon Randall of UCT's Department of Chemical Engineering, runner-up in this year's Young Persons' World Lecture Competition, held in Brazil.

Hosted by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining since 2005, the competition attracts the world's brainiest under-28s in materials engineering, testing them on the structure of their lecture, clarity of explanation and argument, and calmness and competence in handling judges' questions.

Randall's winning lecture, Pass the Salt - Recovery of water and salts from mining brines using eutectic freeze crystallization, was based on the results of his PhD research on recovering salts and water from toxic mine water.

Randall attributes his slick skills to practice - and enthusiasm.

"I'm very excited that my PhD research is receiving so much favourable attention. I believe this research will have an important part to play in obtaining sustainable wastewater treatment solutions."

Last year, Randall's doctoral work on eutectic freeze crystallisation won him the Biennal Award of the Industrial Water Division of The Water Institute of South Africa/South African Industrial Water Association.