2nd Symposium on Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Southern Africa

The Berkeley Global Science Institute partnered with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the University of Botswana (UB) to organize a symposium titled, "2nd Symposium on Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Southern Africa", in Gaborone, Botswana on October 4-5, 2018.

The symposium featured a number of terrific African scientists hailing from the University of Cape Town, University of Zimbabwe, University of Botswana, and the University of Namibia, among others. Distinguished international scientists and African researchers engaged in the two-day symposium in order to present the forefront of organic and inorganic chemistry. The symposium strengthened the relationship between emerging African scientists and international colleagues and provided a forum for the discussion of recent advances in organic chemistry, materials science, and inorganic chemistry research.

To view the symposium program, click here. 

Plenary Speakers

  • Omar Yaghi, University of California, Berkeley, USA - Reticular Chemistry and Harvesting Water from Desert Air
  • Javier Garcia Martinez, University of Alicante, Spain - The Chemistry Entrepreneur: Bringing discoveries from the lab to the market
  • Susan Bourne, University of Cape Town, South Africa - Guest exchange and guest influence in dynamic frameworks
  • James Darkwa, Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Botswana - Pyrazolyl Late Transition Metal Complexes as Olefin Transformation Catalysts

Sponsoring Bodies

  • IUPAC, The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
  • Berkeley Global Science Institute
  • Department of Chemistry, University of Botswana
  • IUPAC Division of Inorganic Chemistry
  • Swedish Research Links, Chalmers – University of Botswana project Metal-Organic Frameworks for Catalysis and Metal Sequestration
  • Botswana Chemical Society

Invited Speakers

  • Lidia Armelao, University Padova, Italy
  • Daniel Rabinovich, University North Carolina, USA
  • Mayoro Diop, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal
  • Thomas Walczyk, National University Singapore, Singapore
  • Gift Mehlana, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
  • Nina Kann, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
  • Markku Leskelä, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Never Tshabang, University of Botswana, Botswana
  • G. Bojase Moleta, University of Botwana, Botswana
  • Banothile Makhubela, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Milan Drabik, University Bratislava, Slovakia
  • Emmanuel N. Nfor, University of Buea, Cameroon
  • Henrik Sundén, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
  • Nicholas Musyoka, CSIR, South Africa

Local Organising Committee

  • Ishmael Masesane, University of Botswana
  • Olayinka Oyetunji, University of Botswana
  • Never Tshabang, University of Botswana
  • Gopendra Kumar, University of Botswana
  • James Darkwa, Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation 
  • Gomotsang Bojase, University of Botswana
  • Florence Nareetsile, University of Botswana
  • Daphne Mapolelo, University of Botswana

International Advising Committee 

  • Susan Bourne, University of Cape Town, South Africa
  • Gift Mehlana, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
  • Lars Öhrström, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden & IUPAC
  • Kyle Cordova, University of California, Berkeley & Berkeley Global Science Institute