Qualifications

    • 2006-2008: Master of Science in Bioinformatics at University of Cape Town
    • 2005: Bachelor of Science Honours from University of Cape Town, first class, in Applied Mathematics
    • 2002-2004: Bachelor of Science from University of Cape Town, with distinction, majoring with distinction in Physics, Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, at
    • 1997-2001: Matric Exemption from Durban High School with distinction in Physical Science, Computer Studies, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Accounting, History, English 1st Language, Afrikaans 2nd Language and Latin 3rd Language.  

    Family

    My father is a telecommunications technician in Telkom's microwave section. My mother left librarianship to raise our family, and is active in church, community and political groups. My two younger brothers studied at Durban Institute of Technology, the elder in electronics and the younger in architecture.

    In The News

    UCT Monday Paper: Computer Boffins off to Mexico (2006 article, when I was deputy coach for the IOI team)

    UCT Monday Paper: High achievers collect quiver of credits (2005 article about myself and Shen Tian) 

    UCT Monday Paper: Computer boffs train younsters (2003 article, when I was on the team to the International Olympiad in Informatics)

    IOL: KZN matric results jump 5 percent over 2000 (2001 article, mentions that I got 9 distinctions).

    Interests and activities

    Thanks to the UCT Mountain & Ski Club I have been skiing in Zuurberg (near Ceres in the Western Cape), climbed ice cliffs at Giant's Castle in the Drakensberg near the Lesotho border, jumped 14 meters into a freezing river at Suicide Gorge, and explored the Kalk Bay cave systems.   I developed the UCT Mountain & Ski Club website in 2004, which included photos of various adventures.

    From time to time I play in a Live Action Role-Playing game with the Cape Legion of Adventurers and Wargamers: it's like improvised theatre without an audience and the plot evolves from the interaction of characters.

     The peak of my running career was in March 2005 when I won a bronze medal at the Two Oceans half-marathon (21.1km) with a time of 1:41:35.