Professor Herman Vermaak, outgoing Dean of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology says goodbye after serving the university for 28 years.

The Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology bid farewell to the faculty Dean after 28 years and nine months of service. Prof. Herman Vermaak’s journey started in the former Technikon OFS and Technikon FS era. Prof. Vermaak started as Lecturer in 1995 and is currently a full-professor and Dean of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology.

Prof. Herman Vermaak (middle) and his executive team at the luncheon celebration.

He obtained his PhD in Electronic Engineering at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. He has industrial experience in the manufacturing and assembly industry. He holds a professorship in Electronic and Computer Engineering, has supervised more than 50 completed post-graduate studies and has authored/co-authored more than 120 international publications.  

He is a Senior member of the IEEE and was part of several International and national engineering programme review panels. In 2018 he received the DAAD Visiting Professor Scholarship at the Applied Technical University of Ulm in Germany, and he is a NRF rated researcher. His research interests include Digital & Flexible SMART Manufacturing and Assembly Systems, Automated Systems & Robotics as well as Renewable Energy Technologies.

The bittersweet moment at his last Faculty board meeting where he appreciated all his staff members. In his closing remarks at the Faculty Board meeting, Prof. Vermaak said that his colleagues made it easy for him to serve as the Dean of Faculty. He encouraged them to continue working hard towards growing the faculty to reach its glorious goals. “Remain loyal and committed to the incoming dean and provide them with all your support like you did with me.”