University of Goroka upgrades laboratory facilities
The School of Science and Technology at the University of Goroka has added new high technology equipment worth approximately K0.5 million to their Research Laboratory for students to use.
The high technology equipment includes a Rotary Evaporator, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), a Real Time PCR DNA Analyzer and an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), which would upgrade the School’s research capacities.
During an inaugural viewing of the newly arrived scientific equipment today at the School of Science and Technology’s Research Laboratory, UOG Pro Vice Chancellor - Planning and Development, Dr James Yoko, thanked the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) (former Office of Higher Education) for providing funds to purchase the scientific equipment.
He said the equipment would be used for training undergraduates and will also be used by researchers of the Centre for Natural Resources, Research and Development (CNRRD) at UOG.
The Executive Dean of the School of Science and Technology, Associate Professor Basil Marasinghe said the School of Science and Technology conducts Bachelor degree courses in Agriculture, Biology and Environmental Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics and Physics, and the high tech equipment would greatly assist students to carry out cutting edge research projects.
“The former Office of Higher Education has accredited all of the School’s courses and this year 220 scholarships were offered by the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology for first year students entering the School of Science and Technology. The School also conducts Diploma courses in Health Sciences and Degree courses in Midwifery, which are accredited by the National Department of Health. Students taking up these courses will greatly benefit from using these equipment,” he said.
Dr Marasinghe added that during the last 12 months, the School has recruited a number of highly qualified academic staff from Papua New Guinea and overseas to teach at the School and he called upon grade 12 school leavers to put UOG Agriculture, Mathematics and Sciences courses as preferred courses when applying for university entry.
Professor Marasinghe also pointed out that for the past two years, the School’s CNRRD has published 40 research papers in international and national scientific journals and research activities of the Centre have increased considerably and the new equipment would greatly increase the CNRRD’s activities.
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