Difference between revisions of "Legendary PMC Members"

Latest revision as of 12:04, 14 March 2012

Mark Transell

PC used: Mjollnir

Masters Work: Bioinformatics techniques used for process time-series trend matching.
This Sasol bursar, expert time-waster and habitual coffee-drinker, started work on his Masters in 2012.

David Phillpotts

PC used: Sigurd (later Ymir and Agnar) and importantly the famed portable PC Tiger.
Rig worked on: Re-built The Temperature Rig

Masters Work: Fault Detection and Diagnosis using Kernel Based Techniques applied to a Pilot Distillation Column. Completed in May 2007. He now works in the Measurement and Control division of Mintek in Randburg as an extreme control engineer.

Stephen Fourie

Masters Title: Advanced Process Monitoring using Wavelets and Non-Linear Principal Component Analysis.

Finished in April 2000. Now working for SASOL - SASTech.

Carl Sandrock

Still at the department, Carl started his studies in the Process Control Laboratories and was jointly responsible (with Lourens du Plessis) for the current Opto-22 based control system in the lab. A significant fraction of the wiring and the Opto box was done by this dynamic duo. Carl and Lourens are also responsible for the convention of using Norse mythology for the computer names in the labs.

Lourens du Plessis Lourens is currently working for Sasol and was jointly responsible (with Carl Sandrock) for the current Opto-22 based control system. His masters project was on the automated startup and shutdown of processes, with an application on a gasifier model.

Ivan Eggberry

PC used: Agnar (named) and later Alf (named)
Rig worked on: Re-built Tthe Temperature Rig

Ivan completed his masters on Performance Monitoring in 2007. He now works for Sasol at Sastech in Secunda.

Jaco Labuschagne

PC used: Ymir
Rig worked on: Worked on the dramatic recommissioning of the main distillation column.

Jay was a full time student during 2004 and 2005. It is anticipated that he will complete his masters on benchmarking Startup and Shutdown applied to the distillation column in 2008. He works for TWP at Angloa Platinum and various platinum mines.

Ruan du Toit

PC used: Beowulf

Ruan completed his masters in performance monitoring in 2006. He now works for Fluor in Sunninghill.

Ruanne Delport

PC used: Sigurd

Nkanyezi Mqadi

PC used: Alvis (named)

Hernan Guidi Figueroa

PC used: Alvis

André Campher

PC used: Mimir
Masters title: A Systematic Approach to Model Predictive Controller Constraint Handling: Rigorous Geometric Methods.

Replaced the old server, Groa, with Ragnarok. He now works for LONMIN Plc. (Precious Metals Refinery, Brakpan).