Walking 160 kilometers to raise funds for postgraduate studies in polymer science at SU

​Walking 160 kilometers in four days, a chemistry lecturer from Stellenbosch University (SU) plans to raise funds for the Ron Sanderson Bursary Fund, established in 2015 in recognition of the late Prof. Ron Sanderson's contribution to the development of polymer education in South Africa.

Prof. Bert Klumperman, himself recognized as a world leader in the field of polymer chemistry, will be one of more than 45 000 people from 70 nationalities taking part in The Walk of the World. Described as the world's largest walking event, it will take place from 16 to 19 July in Nijmegen in The Netherlands. Originally known as the 4DaysMarches (4Daagse in Dutch), participants walk 30 to 50 kilometers per day, while thousands of spectators line the streets to cheer them on.

Klumperman started collaborating with Sanderson in the late 1990s while lecturing at Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands. Sanderson is credited with establishing polymer science in South Africa in the 1970s and since 1982 SU's Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science offers the only postgraduate degrees in Polymer Science in South Africa.

In 2006 the long-time collaboration between the two scientists was formalised when Klumperman was awarded the South African Research Chair in Advanced Macromolecular Architectures at SU, and in 2007 he received an A-rating from South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF).

So started more than 15 years of long-distance commuting between South Africa and his family home in The Netherlands.

Klumperman says the aim of the Ron Sanderson Bursary Fund is to support BSc-graduates wanting to continue with the BSc Honours degree in Polymer Science: "At the moment, there exist bursary opportunities for postgraduate studies in polymer science on MSc and PhD level, but none for BSc Honours students. It is important that we assist more students to bridge this gap and train the next generation of polymer scientists in South Africa."

Klumperman is well-known amongst first year science students for lecturing the Chemistry 124 module in the first semester of their first year at university. And apart from regular long walks and learning to play the French horn recently, he is also closely involved with building a culture of entrepreneurship in SU's Faculty of Science. Over the years, he has registered 25 patents, the latest of which has resulted in the spin-out company Nanosene, co-founded with his former PhD student, Dr Gestél Kuyler.

While in Stellenbosch, he undertakes frequent walks in and around the town and Jonkershoek, most recently having completed a 28 kilometer walk on a Sunday morning. In The Netherlands, he will be joined on the four-day walk by his wife, Linda, and 16-year-old daughter Rosa. This will be his fourth time participating.

Click on the link below for his crowdfunding project on the GivenGain platform - every donation counts!

https://www.givengain.com/project/bert-raising-funds-for-stellenbosch-university-south-africa-80666

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