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M U T S P I R I T / / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0
MUT scientist flies the MUT flag in BBC discussion on
COVID-19
Dr Maryam Amra Jordaan
June 23, 2020 was the day that one of the University
staff members made history! Dr Maryam Jordaan,
NRF Administrator at the MUT’s Research Directorate,
joined scientists from around the world in a BBC
discussion to explore and inspire worldwide innovation
to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During the meeting we had the opportunity to make
comments and ask questions directly with an expert
panel of four world-class engineers involved in the
COVID-19 response. BBC presenter Kevin Fong
hosted this exciting global conversation to explore
and inspire innovation worldwide,” said Dr Jordaan.
Dr Jordaan was part of an audience representing six
continents.
Dr Jordaan believes a world effort is required to deal
with COVID-19. “In order to combat the coronavirus,
a combined global effort is needed; the BBC World
Service and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition
of 1851 created a special online forum which took
place on 23 June 2020,” said Dr Jordaan.
Dr Jordaan and her colleagues at the University, Dr
Oluwakemi Ebenezer, Dr Nkululeko Damoyi and
Dr Michael Shapi, have already written a paper
on COVID-19. The paper, titled “Virtual screening,
physicochemical properties and molecular docking
study of FDA approved compounds similar to ARV
efavirenz, targeting COVID-19” was accepted by
Heliyon, an open access journal. The team has also
submitted another paper for review. The preprint for
this paper is available at
Dr Jordaan is one of the University’s annual Research
Award winners. She has also been acknowledged
by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) for her
innovative ideas. She won the TIA’s Global Cleantech
Innovation Programme Award (GCIP-TIA) for the best
women-led team, and was the TIA female investees
winner for the best social impact innovation in 2019.
“TIA has further invested in my business development
skills through the Leaders in Innovation Fellowships
(LIF) programme facilitated by the Royal Academy
of Engineering, from which I won first place at the
pitching event in London in January 2020,” said Dr
Jordaan.
The participation of Dr Jordaan in the BBC discussion
was highly applauded by the Research Directorate,
under which Dr Jordaan works. “Everybody in the
Research Office is filled with excitement. We cannot
be more proud of Dr Jordaan,” said Dr Anette Mienie,
Director, Research.