The University of Pretoria (UP) conferred an honorary doctorate on Dr Sebastiaan Christo van As, at the recently held Autumn Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (EBIT) graduation ceremony. Dr van As has established himself as a highly respected academic, researcher and practitioner in traffic engineering, and has consolidated this standard throughout his professional career. He excelled as one of the leading post-graduate students in his field in South Africa, and, after completing his PhD at the University of Southampton, joined the National Transportation Commission (NTC) Chair in Transportation Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at UP.

“Dr van As is the South African pioneer in applying statistical analysis and computer simulation to the discipline of traffic engineering,” said Professor Wynand Steyn, Dean of the EBIT Faculty at UP. “He was the leading contributor to the body of knowledge in various aspects of traffic engineering, developing curricula and procedures, techniques and methodologies, and manuals for applying theory in this field, and has elevated the standard of teaching in traffic engineering to the best international practice.

“He contributed significantly to developing transportation professionals at the post-graduate level, including mentoring engineering professionals as a study leader at the master’s and PhD levels. Through his intellectual capacity, analytical and computing skills, work ethic and understanding of the theory of statistics and traffic engineering, Dr van As has distinguished himself as the leading South African professional in the discipline of traffic engineering. His contribution covers the academic field, research, and the development of manuals used daily by professional engineers in South Africa, such as in the traffic and transportation engineering field. Transport authorities, academics and professionals in consulting engineering practices highly respect and acknowledge Dr van As’ expertise and authority,” Prof Steyn said.

Dr van As has had a relationship with UP’s Faculty of Engineering since his enrolment as a first-year student in 1966. In 1981, he returned as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering. He was appointed as Professor in 1988 and, during this time, was the Executive Director of the VIAED, the first Centre of Excellence in Transportation Engineering in South Africa, which was established by the National Department of Transport at the University of Pretoria. Between 1995 and 2006, he continued to serve part-time as an extraordinary Professor. As part of his teaching career at the University of Pretoria, Dr van As developed two textbooks that are still used at post-graduate level by the university as well as the University of Stellenbosch, Traffic Flow Theory and Applied Statistics for Civil Engineers.

“It gives me great pleasure for Dr van As to be awarded this honorary doctorate, as the University of Pretoria acknowledges not only his technical mastery, but also his unwavering dedication to building and sharing knowledge within the field,” said Prof Steyn. “We are proud to honour a trailblazer whose influence can be seen not only here at UP but in the very fabric of our transport infrastructure.”

The graduation ceremony saw a total of 268 students graduate from across all undergraduate and postgraduate fields of study in the Department of Civil Engineering and from all postgraduate fields of study from the Graduate School of Technology Management in the Department of Engineering and Technology Management. Five graduates received their PhDs.

Watch Dr van As’s graduation speech here.