Research Profile
A list of my publications and conference presentations is attached. In addition, I have 1918 citations, mostly international, to my publications (these are not included here for brevity), and my h-index is 22 (google scholar, 25 May 2020). Several students have completed their masters and doctoral degrees under my supervision. I have received several awards: CSIR doctoral bursary in 1985, the University of Zululand Council & Senate Research grants in 1992, Council Travel grant in 1995 and the Council Research grant in 1999 for research overseas. I have served on the panel of the NRF that deals with the allocation of research grants in the mathematical sciences, as well as the panel for the allocation of masters bursaries.
Membership of Scientific societies: International Society of general relativity & gravitation, Australasian society of general relativity & gravitation, Indian Association of general relativity & gravitation (all 3 life membership), South African Institute of Physics, Royal Astronomical society of London, South African Gravity society (past President). I served as an Executive member of the South African National Committee for the International Astronomical Union. I served as a member of our University Research Committee for several years.
I was appointed as Honorary Professor in the School of Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, Durban for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2018, and this has been extended for a further 3 years for the period 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2021. I am currently rated C2 by the NRF, and I have refereed articles for several prestigious international journals.
Administrative & managerial experience
In 1990, I was appointed Professor & Head of the then Department of Applied Mathematics. I oversaw the introduction of Computer Science, first as part of the Department of Applied Mathematics, and then evolving into a separate department as from 1999. In the meantime, the Departments of Applied Mathematics, Mathematics & Statistics have joined to form the Department of Mathematical Sciences, of which I served as Head from 1990 to 2004, and then again from 1 January 2008. For the period 1 October 1997 to 31 December 2006, I have served as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Science & Agriculture, and have acted as Dean in his absence. I have served on numerous sub-committees of Senate, Council and Faculty Board. As from 1 January 1999, I was promoted to Senior Professor. I formally retired as at the end of July 2018. Currently, I am a research fellow at the University of Zululand, and Research Professor at Mangosuthu University of Technology, South Africa.
Teaching experience
I have taught at all levels in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics from first year up to Hons, and I have indicated postgraduate training above. In addition, I act as external examiner for several universities, and also examine masters and doctoral theses in relativity.