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UFS celebrates excellence through its research hubs
The university considers its research chairs and the possibility of future chairs as an integral and strategic initiative to increase its national and international standing through excellent academic and research leadership.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud of its research leaders. As of 2018 the UFS has 156 NRF-rated researchers and five Sarchi Research Chairs. These chairs are designed to attract and retain excellence in research and innovation at South African public universities.

Getting the better of vector borne and zoonotic viruses

Prof Felicity Burt leads the Vector Borne and Zoonotic Virus Research Group in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology at the UFS. She was awarded a Research Chair to, among others, investigate medically significant vector-borne and zoonotic viruses currently circulating - mainly viruses transmitted by mosquitos and ticks, and viruses transmitted from animals to humans. 

“Years ago, no one knew what Ebola was. One outbreak later, backed by many media reports, and it is almost a household name. The same goes for the recent Zika virus outbreak in South America,” she explains the public’s interest and fears. To prevent the spread of vector-borne viruses to new areas, surveillance and awareness is important. Here in Bloemfontein, Prof Burt and her team are establishing surveillance programmes.

Why research on fungal infections?

“Many diseases no longer pose a threat to humans and life expectancy is prolonged. However, this has also caused an increase in various opportunistic infections, and most of all, fungal infections,” says Prof Carlien Pohl-Albertyn, who is heading the Research Chair for Pathogenic Yeasts in the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology. And the rise in resistance to antifungal treatments requires research into pathobiology, including new drug and treatment options. 

Activities of the Research Chair in Pathogenic Yeasts builds on existing research strengths and will contribute towards understanding pathobiology of medically significant pathogenic yeasts belonging to the genera Candida and Cryptococcus. 

Understanding higher education for more equality and justice

Prof Melanie Walker, from the Centre for Research on Higher Education and Development (CRHED) does research on higher education, inequalities and social justice, and how, or if, universities foster the human capabilities and aspirations of students. Does higher education make a difference to the lives of students, their families and communities? 

Prof Walker says the Research Chair on Higher Education and Human Development looks at issues of access, participation and transitions into work, as well as gender, race and social class. They use both quantitative and qualitative methods and includes a strand of participatory research projects with students. Ultimately, the research must contribute to debates, policy and practices in higher education, and a scholarly knowledge base.

Reduced emissions make for a better world

Prof Hendrik Swart chairs the research project that looks into low-energy lighting, using phosphor materials for light emitting diodes (LEDs). The Research Chair on Solid State Luminescent and Advanced Materials is situated at the Department of Physics

The research mainly focuses on better light emission of phosphor powers in LEDs.  According to Prof Swart, the long-term benefit of the research will result in more environmentally friendly devices which use less energy, are brighter and give a wider viewing field. Over the next five years they will develop and produce devices that emit better light using the substances already developed. “We need to make small devices to see if they are better than those we already have,” he says. 

Solutions to food insecurity
 

The Department of Plant Sciences’s research project dives into disease resistance and quality in field crops. Heading this Research Chair is Prof Maryke Labuschagne who focuses on crop quality breeding and disease resistance in field crops. 

Her, and her students’ research focuses on the genetic improvement of food security crops in Africa, including such staples as maize and cassava. “These crops are genetically improved for yield, drought tolerance, disease, and insect resistance, as well nutritional value,” she says. Her disease resistance research will focus on crop protein quantity and quality as well as iron, zinc, and beta-carotene biofortification of staple crops such as wheat, maize and cassava. The disease resistance-breeding project will be a continuation of the internationally acclaimed wheat rust research. 

The university considers the research chairs and the possibility of future chairs as an integral and strategic initiative to increase its national and international standing through excellent academic and research leadership. 

Microbiology from University of the Free State on Vimeo.

News Archive

Third NRF A-rated researcher for UFS
2017-02-03

Description: Prof Jansen, NRF A-rated researcher  Tags: Prof Jansen, NRF A-rated researcher

Prof Jonathan Jansen, senior researcher at the UFS
Faculty of Education, recently joined two other
UFS researchers as NRF A-rated researchers.
They from the left are: Profs Melanie Walker, Maxim Finkelstein
and Jansen.
Photo: Charl Devenish

The University of the Free State received its third A-rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF) when Prof Jonathan Jansen was awarded an A2-rating.

Prof Jansen is a Senior Research Professor in Education secondary research field and field of specialisation: Development education and Curriculum theory at the UFS Faculty of Education and Fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies at Stanford University in the US.

Prof Jansen’s rating follows P-rating
Prof Jansen’s rating also adds to the recent P-rating awarded to Dr Daniel Spence, a postdoctoral Research Fellow at the International Studies Group. In receiving the rating, the UFS became the only university in South Africa with a P-rated researcher in History.

P-ratings are given to young researchers, usually under the age of 35, who have the potential to become leaders in their field. Researchers in this group are recognised by all, or the overwhelming majority of, reviewers, as having demonstrated the potential to become future international leaders. 

“Obtaining another A-rating is indicative of the university’s drive to enhance its research profile – nationally as well as internationally. I am thankful to our scholars for their commitment to the rating process and look forward to receive the results of this year’s ratings,” said Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research at the UFS.   

Total number of researchers increased
The UFS has also upped the ante with regards to its total number of NRF-rated researchers during the latest rating and evaluation with an increase from 127 in 2015 to 149 rated researchers in 2016.

In 2015, Prof Maxim Finkelstein from the Department of Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Science, and Prof Melanie Walker, Senior Research Professor and Director of the Centre for Research on Higher Education and Development, were given A-ratings.

Prof Finkelstein’s rating then made him the only A-rated researcher in ‘Probability and Statistics’ regarding Mathematical Sciences in the country. Prof Walker was evaluated and graded in the division for Research, Innovation Support and Advancement.

According to the NRF, A-rated researchers are “unequivocally recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their field for the high quality and impact of their recent research outputs”.

 

The rating of individuals is based primarily on the quality and impact of their research over the past eight years.

 

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