Wits University honours Prof Fred Cawood

Prof Musingwini handing over the Miner to Prof Cawood

Prof Cawood remains in the School as the Professor of Mine Surveying and leader of the school's digital mine project.

Prof Ian Jandrell, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, commended the bold emphasis on technology promoted by Prof Cawood, in the interests of safer mining. "Prof Cawood made a profound contribution by championing the digital mine project to assist the mining industry in addressing the target of achieving zero harm," said Prof Jandrell. "He recognised at the outset that this was a game-changing direction to take, and worked closely with industry stakeholders to ensure active collaboration."

New Head of School

Taking over the role as Head of School is Prof Cuthbert Musingwini, who said Prof Cawood made an indelible mark on the strength and direction of the School during his term as head. "The School has grown substantially in terms of student numbers and special projects, while building its profile and network of industry partnerships.

"During his five-year tenure as Head of School, he has distinguished himself as a visionary academic leader with a strong passion for future digital mining," said Prof Musingwini.

An accomplished academic and prolific researcher, Prof Cawood has lectured various levels of study and supervised PhD and MSc students while being actively engaged in his own research across a range of fields from mine economics and mineral rights, taxation and rent, to the development and application of digital technologies in mines. He is also a C1 NRF-rated scientist.

Academic articles

"In the last five years alone, Prof Cawood has produced 44 academic articles published in accredited journals or in conference proceedings, mining magazines, research reports, symposium addresses, seminars and lead editorials," noted Prof Musingwini. "In his 17 years at Wits, he has generated 50 publications, 44 conference papers and 24 research reports to his name - a truly outstanding record of academic achievement."

Prof Cawood started his career as a mine surveyor with Goldfields, and then became a mine surveying inspector for the Department Minerals and Energy, before moving into teaching at Technikon SA in 1996. He joined Wits University three years later.