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11 January 2018 Photo Charl Devenish
UFS researcher publishes the highest-cited Maths paper in the world in 2017
An article by Prof Abdon Atangana from the University of the Free State’s Institute for Groundwater Studies received New Hot Paper status from Clarivate Analytics.
An article on Applied Mathematics, published by Prof Abdon Atangana from the University of the Free State’s Institute for Groundwater Studies in 2017, was recently named New Hot Paper by Clarivate Analytics.

Hot paper status
Essential Science Indicators (ESI) is a unique and comprehensive compilation of science performance statistics and science trends. Data is based on journal article publication counts and citation data from Clarivate Analytics that enables researchers to conduct ongoing, quantitative analyses of research performance and track trends in science. Covering a multidisciplinary selection of 1 2000+ journals from around the world, this in-depth analytical tool offers data for ranking papers, scientists, institutions, countries, and journals. 

ESI from Clarivate Analytics is updated every two months. The New Hot Papers, which are papers published in the past two years, are in the top one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) for their field and publication period. Prof Atangana’s paper had the highest cite count in the field of Mathematics. 

His article that received the New Hot Paper status is titled: “The new fractional derivative and application to nonlinear Fisher’s reaction-diffusion equation”.

The concept of fractional differential operators with non-singular kernel has captured the minds of several researchers in the past year due to their wider applicability in almost all fields of science, engineering and technology. The new fractional differential operators have opened new windows to model complex real-world problems that could not be modelled using the Newtonian and the well-known Riemann-Liouville fractional differential operators. 

“These operators are the way forward in modelling real-world problems in all disciplines, as they are able to include into mathematical formulation the effect of memory,” Prof Atangana said.

The Atangana-Baleanu fractional derivative
The professor developed a new fractional differential operator, called the Atangana-Baleanu fractional derivative. This derivative is able to describe real-world problems with different scales or problems that change their properties during time and space, for instance, the spread of cancer; the flow of water within heterogeneous aquifers, movement of pollution within fractured aquifers and many others.”

News Archive

Regional winner designing her way to Architectural Student of the Year Award
2016-03-09

Description: Corobrik award Tags: Corobrik award

Musa Shangase, Corobrik Commercial and Marketing Director, and Nilene van Niekerk.

For 29 years, Corobrik has been celebrating the most outstanding architectural talent in South Africa. This year, Nilene van Niekerk – a master’s graduate of the University of the Free State (UFS) Department of Architecture – features as one of the regional winners.

Deciding on a dissertation topic, Nilene contemplated how she could use architecture as a tool to address a non-architectural contemporary problem specific to post-apartheid democratic South Africa. Her answer was born from her passion for freedom of speech. “Freedom of speech and the intimidation of journalists by the controversial Secrecy Bill were at the forefront these past few years,” Nilene says. “Although freedom of expression are generally protected practices in South Africa’s constitution, the persistent role of the government to protect state information is a substantial threat to citizens’ constitutional right of freedom of expression.”

This resulted in Nilene’s dissertation topic, Freedom of Expression Forum. This architectural concept envision a building, in the vicinity of Constitutional Hill, that symbolises protest against the Secrecy Bill. The building will provide “protection to journalists and become a pivotal point where classified information can be sent and archived. It will also establish a public space that encourages communication – all in the name of fostering the right of freedom of expression within this human rights precinct,” Nilene says.

Nilene will now go on to compete for the national title at the Corobrik Student Architect of the Year Awards in Johannesburg in May 2016.

“The project also rethinks the idea of sustainability as it focuses on how to contribute to a sustainable political future in South Africa. I believe that we as architects, especially in a third world country, should think beyond the normative boundaries of sustainability,” Nilene says.

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