The second session of the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics ceremony on Friday, 15 July 202, saw two graduates being awarded their Degrees of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Technology at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Celebratory Autumn Graduation ceremony. They graduated at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Durban International Convention Centre.
Dr Caitlin Sam, a high school mathematics teacher at Curro Holdings Ltd, firstly chuckled that she did not want to trip and fall on the stage but says it was a surreal moment.
“I have been waiting for this moment for the past year and a half. Now that it actually happened I want to cry but I don’t want to mess up my makeup. It really has been a wonderful experience,” she beamed.
The title of her thesis is: Intelligent Decision support systems for managing the diffusion of social computing-based Ubiquitous Learning.
“In a technical era, social computing can be utilised in school-based learning to benefit learners. In many schools across the globe, ubiquitous learning has become a conventional learning approach and pedagogy. The aim of this PhD study was to use Intelligent Decision Support Systems to assist instructors and learners manage the diffusion of social computing in school-based ubiquitous learning,” she said.
She indicated that the results showed the most precise, mathematically approved social media applications and devices that can support ubiquitous learning in schools.
Speaking on his PhD thesis was DUT IT lecturer, Dr Oluwasegun Julius Aroba, who excitedly said obtaining his doctorate allowed him to tick off one of his milestones.
The title of his thesis is: Improving node localization and energy efficiency for wireless sensor networks using hyper-heuristic optimization algorithms.
“I feel very excited to have completed my PhD, I’m happy that this is actually allowing me to tick off one of my milestones. I’m on this platform so that I can be able to solve the problems that are intrinsic in the heart of the humanities, which is electricity. I’m hoping that Eskom and everyone in that category can actually come forward so that we can talk on the same table,” he said.
Pictured: Dr Caitlin Sam and Dr Oluwasegun Julius Aroba.
Waheeda Peters