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About Prof Paul Philip Coetzee
Personal Details
Date of Birth: 8 February 1947
Place of Birth: Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa
Marital Status: Married, 1972; 2 children
Qualifications
1964
Senior Certificate
Groote Schuur High School, Cape Town
Dux Scholar Prize (1964)
1967
BSc(Chemistry III, Mathematics III, Physics II,
Applied Mathematics I, Psychology I,
Philosophy I, English I, German I)
University of Stellenbosch
1968
BSc Hons(Chemistry)
University of Stellenbosch
1970
MSc(Nuclear Chemistry)
Thesis: “Deuteron Activation of the First Transition Series”
University of Stellenbosch. Supervisor: Dr Max Peisach
1974
PhD(Nuclear Chemistry)
Thesis: “Some Studies on Elemental and Isotopic Analysis by Spectrometry of Coincident Nuclear Reaction Products”
University of Stellenbosch. Promotor: Dr Max Peisach, Co-promotor: Prof René Pretorius
Awards and Bursaries
1965
Elise Visser Award of Merit
1967-1968
ISCOR-Bursary
1969
CSIR-Bursary for the M.Sc. study
Professinal Bodies
South African Chemical Institute Member 1971 to date; member of organising committee for Southern Transvaal Section for 1983/84
Association of Official Analytical Chemists (USA); international member (1994-2000)
Employment
1970-1980
Lecturer Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Stellenbosch.
1980-1987
Senior Lecturer Analytical Chemistry, Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg.
1988-2004
Professor of Chemistry, Rand Afrikaans University.
2005 to date
Professor of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg (Former RAU).
Teaching
Chemistry I
General Chemistry, Chemistry for the Health Sciences, Chemistry for Engineering students, Chemistry for Medical students.
Chemistry II
Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry.
Chemistry III
Radiochemistry
Chemistry Honours
Analytical Chemistry (mainly instrumental methods of analysis: AAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, theory of atomic spectroscopy, electrochemistry, chemical speciation, chromatography)
Nuclear and Radio Chemistry, Radioanalytical chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry (chemistry of aqueous solutions, Group Theory and spectroscopy of transition metal complexes)
MSc (Instrumental Analysis)
Specialised courses in Nuclear and Radiochemistry
Training of Postgraduate Students
Supervisor/promotor for 28 MSc and PhDcandididates
Research
Field of research
The chemistry, analytical chemistry and speciation of trace elements.
Keywords
Atomic spectroscopy, AAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, X-ray fluorescence, HPLC, -Spectrometry, ion selective electrodes, ion chromatography, metal recovery, ion exchange, environmental pollution, sequential extraction, physical water treatment, defluoridation, authentication of agricultural products, provenance studies.
Publications
76 research papers in international journals
Conference
53 contributions at national and Contributions international conferences
Research Grants and Prizes
1969-1974
Postgraduate research grant at Nuclear Institute of the Southern Universities, Faure.
1976
Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, Kern-forschungszentrum, Karlsruhe, West Germany.
1984-1985
Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, West Germany.
1987
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Grant. Research visit (Sept 1987) to Eduard-Zintl Institüt für Anorganische Chemie University of Darmstadt
1988
Atomic Energy Corporation Research Grant
1989
SASOL – Research Grant.
1989-1990
FRD-Research Grant, Visiting professor, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
1989-1990
Research Consultant at West-Paine Laboratories, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
1991
AECI-GOLD MEDAL: Awarded by the S.A. Chemical Institute for the best paper published in the S.A. Journal of Chemistry for the period 1986-1990.
1994-1996
Water Research Commission– Research Grant.
Reduction of scaling in industrial water cooling circuits by means of magnetic and electrostatic treatment.
1995
Foundation for Research and Development – Capital grant for ICP-AES Spectrometer
1997
EPSRC Research Fellowship (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council), School of Water Sciences, University of Cranfield, UK. Alternative methods of calcium carbonate scale mitigation.
1997
De Beers Research Grant, Physical Water Treatment
1998-2000
Water Research Commission– Research Grant
Evaluation and development of physical water treatment process for the reduction of CaCO3 scale
2001-2003
Water Research Commission– Research Grant
Removal of fluoride from drinking water with clay-based defluoridators
1987-2004
NRF – Core Programme Research Grant.
2004-2007
NRF- Flemish Government Bilateral Scientific and Technological Cooperation, Research Grant, Ghent University, Belgium. Development of specialised ICP-MS techniques
2004-2007
WINETECH Research Grant (WW08/28), Project Provenance determination of selected South African wines.
2008
MERCK Prize: Awarded by the S.A. Chemical Institute for the best paper published in the S.A. Journal of Chemistry for the period 2002-2007
Professional Involvement
- External examiner for dissertations from University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University ( Port Elizabeth), WITS, and North West University (Potchefstroom).
- Referee for research proposals and peer evaluation applications for NRF grants.
- Member of Award Committee for South African Chemical Institute (AECI Gold Medal Award for Analytical Chemistry).
- Referee for research papers in: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, Analytica Chimica Acta, J of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, S. Afr. J. of Chemistry, S.A. Journal for Science, Water S.A. and others
- Member WRC Steering Committees
- Technical assessor for SANAS (South African National Accreditation System)
Administrative and Managerial Activities
1980-2007
Responsible person for radio active sources and radio laboratories at RAU and UJ.
1992-1994
1998-2003
Chairman Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, RAU
2005-2007
Chairman Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg
1990-2007
Member of various Faculty of Science committees: Dean’s Committee, Faculty Research Committee, Faculty Post-Graduate Committee, Chairman
Spectrau
Management Committee, Member of Faculty Selection Committee for the appointment of a dean, member of selection committees.