Your Network Is in a Real ‘State’.”
The talk focused on a multimod-
al approach to transit network
design for Gauteng Province in
South Africa. After Joubert’s pre-
sentation, he engaged in discus-
sion about this work with several
interested ORPA 4 participants.
While the OR/statistics applica-
tions may be more obvious in
this case, the outcome of Joubert’s
participation in ORPA 4 is still
important—he and several con-
ference participants are now dis-
cussing the potential use of statis-
tical techniques from marketing
Members of the ORPA audience listen.
to select the terminals, routes,
and stops wanted by the potential
fatalistic village leader as respond- In another example, Kristen
users of the system.
ing, “We have only two choices. Downs, Stefanie Falconi, and
Ittmann discussed simi-
We can either die now of thirst Etienne Toussaint—graduate stu-
lar issues in “Perspectives on
or risk dying later from uranium dents from The Johns Hopkins
Urban Transport in South Africa
poisoning.”) University Department of
With Specific Reference to OR
Riley was interested in learn- Geography and Environmental
Applications.” He provided a
ing about the work by Rice Engineering—explained their
high-level overview of problems
University’s Colvin Group (see efforts to promote sustainable
faced in the urban transport arena
http://nanonet.rice.edu). J. T. agriculture in the KwaZulu-
in South Africa. He further high-
Mayo from Rice University, Natal (KZN) province of South
lighted and explained BESTUFS,
whose research focuses on devel- Africa. They are attempting this
a project funded by the European
opment and use of nanoscale through the introduction of a
Union with the primary focus of
materials for water purification, locally developed “ram-pump”
sharing best practices in the urban
explained how magnetic nano- irrigation system. In their talk,
freight transport environment.
scale particles (iron oxides such as “Sustainable Irrigation Project for
Serigne Gueye, associate
magnetite) could be used for the Rural Communities in KwaZulu-
professor in the Laboratoire de
absorption and removal of heavy Natal, South Africa,” the students
Mathématiques Appliquées du
metals from water. This work explained the partnership they
Havre at Université du Havre,
has led to advanced methods and other students forged with
discussed issues that have arisen
for inexpensive synthesis of nano- partners in KZN through the
regarding easing traffic con-
scale magnetite. university’s chapter of Engineers
gestion and reducing automo-
The geographic focus of Without Borders. The partner-
bile pollution in his presenta-
researchers with the Colvin ship has resulted in the intro-
tion, “ORTRANS Project:
Group has been Latin America, duction of this irrigation system
A Transportation Network
but through Riley’s presentation to multiple communities since
Equilibrium Study of Dakar
on the Nuba Water Project, they January 2006, enabling many
Agglomeration.” He also shared
have become aware of the need farmers in KZN to overcome the
his experiences working in part-
for their technology in Sudan. challenges of water transportation
nership with the faculty at the
Through Mayo’s presenta- in a sustainable manner. They
University of Dakar.
tion, “Clean Water from Small are now exploring potential col-
To read about other presen-
Materials: Nanotechnology laboration with the Council for
tations given at ORPA 4 and
in the Environment,” Riley Scientific and Industrial Research
projects involved in operational
learned of the Colvin Group’s (CSIR) in South Africa through
research in Africa, visit the ORPA
work on affordable and poten- another ORPA 4 presenter, CSIR
web site at
www.orpagroup.net.
tially sustainable techniques for executive director Hans Ittmann.
Planning has begun for ORPA
filtering heavy metals from well Johan Joubert of the University
5, which will take place in Dakar
water. Not surprisingly, the two of Pretoria presented “Network
in August. Dakar University –
groups are now exploring col- Design and Evaluation: Only the
Senegal will serve as host. ■
laborative efforts. State of the Art Will Do When
42 AMSTAT NEWS MARCH 2009
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