Research@UWC and the UN SDGs 2019 Research Week Presentation.

Science@UWC

Research that makes a difference!



Registered and graduated MScs 2014-2018

600 535 529
510
481
500 469

400

300
200 125 129 107 143 123
100

0 2015 2016 2017 2018
2014

Registered MSc Graduated MSc

Registered and Graduated PhDs 2014-2018

343
350 306 319

300 272
248

250

200

150

100 43 32 39 40 41
50

0 2015 2016 2017 2018
2014

Registered PhD Graduated PhD

Computer and

Agriculture Astronomy Mathematical
Sciences
African
biodiversity Drug discovery

Water Infectious
diseases

Ocean science Genomics
Nanoscience
Energy Nuclear science

SCIENCE@UWC RESEARCH THEMES

Prof Alan Christoffels
South African Research Chair

Medical Bioinformatics
Human Genome Organisation

2015 award for Africa

UWC Runner-up Innovation Prize for Africa 2016

Bioinformatics and personalized medicine A new
frontier at UWC!

Professor Marla Tindade (SARChI Research Chair -
Microbial Genomics)

2015 DST Distinguished Woman in Science
Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics

University of the Western Cape

The discovery of new
pharmaceuticals from

marine microbes

Professor Admire Dube Dr Marique Aucamp
School of Pharmacy School of Pharmacy
UK Royal Society Future
United States National Leader African Innovation
Institutes of Health (NIH) and Research (FLAIR)
‘Emerging Global Leader’
awardee
grant awardee.

From this to……

This! ….nanomedicines

Professor Mervin Meyer Professor Emmanuel Iwuoha
DST/ MINTEK Nanotechnology (SARChI Research Chair –
Nanoelectrochemistry)
Innovation Centre 2015 and 2017 UWC Vice
Biosensors
Chancellor’s Senior Distinguished
Researcher Award

Department of Chemistry
University of the Western Cape

Silver nanoparticles Solid state nuclear
magnetic resonance
spectoscopy





Prof Priscilla Baker Professor Leslie Petrik

SARChI Research Chair for Analytical Systems and 2012 DST Distinguished Woman
Processes for Priority and Emerging Pollutants Scientist Award
2014 DST Distinguished Woman
Scientist Award 2012 UWC Vice Chancellor’s
2015 UWC Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Researcher Award
Distinguished Young Researcher Award

Professor Yongxin Xu
UNESCO Chair Geohydrology
Department of Earth Sciences

Professor Dominic Mazvimavi
Director Institute for Water Studies

Professor Mark Gibbons
(2014 Gilchrist Medal Winner)

Department of Biodiversity
and Conservation Biology

Professor Stephen Boatwright
Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Dr Bryan Maritz
Department of Biodiversity and

Conservation Biology



Zenzeleni Project
Rural Telephony in the

Eastern Cape

FORENSIC DNA RESEARCH

<2008 No astrophysics at UWC

2008 SKA joint-funds a lectureship

2009–2019 Astrophysics Group at UWC grows from a tiny

group to become a major player:

• 15 postdoctoral researchers + 15 postgraduate

students

• 2.5 SARAO/SARChI Chairs + 2 lecturers (+ 2

SARAO Visiting Professors + 3 affiliated

professors)

• Centre for Radio Cosmology (CRC) – SARAO-

funded

• Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive

Astronomy (IDIA)

R35 million GAMKA gamma ray detector
Array of LaBr3:Ce detectors for nuclear
research

The Future - 4IR @UWC

Data science Computer science

• Internet of Things
• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Cyber security
• Immersive technologies

2020 applications 59 Hons 36 MSc!

Science @UWC Rising stars!

https://www.uwc.ac.za/Faculties/NS/Pages/Home.aspx