- 1Contents Research-Intensive University ........................................................ 2 Top 20 Research Fields .................................................................... 4 First Nine Research Strengths ..................................................... 6 Next Ten Research Strengths ..................................................... 7 Areas of Research Excellence (in Alphabetical Order)............. 8 Recognised Research Entities by Faculty ................................. 13 Contact Information ...................................................................... 18
RESEARCH
Wits University is a 100-year-old university that grew out of a mining school and blossomed into a researchintensive university with a wide range of research strengths and, particularly, a strong social consciousness
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INTENSIVE
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- 4TOP 20 RESEARCH FIELDS SOCIAL SCIENCES, GENERAL 1 PHYSICS 3 CLINICAL MEDICINE 2 IMMUNOLOGY 4 12 MATERIALS SCIENCE 11 ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY 9 ENGINEERING 10 CHEMISTRY 6 GEOSCIENCES 5 MATHEMATICS 8 PLANT & ANIMAL SCIENCES 7
top 20 research fields, as defined by the Essential Science Indicators, in order of decreasing number of research publications produced over ten years (2010–2019)
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Humanities Engineering & The Built Environment Health Sciences Science Commerce,
Management LEGEND: FACULTY COLOURS PSYCHIATRY/ PSYCHOLOGY 13 ECONOMICS & BUSINESS 14 NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOUR 15 MICROBIOLOGY 16 PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY 17 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS 18 SPACE SCIENCE 19 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES 20 TOP 20 RESEARCH FIELDS
Law &
FIRST NINE RESEARCH STRENGTHS
Figure 1: Research fields with number of publications
GROUP AVERAGE
GROUP AVERAGE
WEB OF SCIENCE
Social Sciences, general Clinical Medicine Physics Immunology Geosciences Chemistry Plant & Animal Science Mathematics Environment/Ecology
Indicators: Web of Science Documents, Category Normalised Citation Impact, % Documents Cited Schema: essential science indicators Research Area: not computer science
Organisation Name: University of the Witwatersrand
Document Type: article, book, book chapter, proceedings paper
Time Period: 2010-2019
InCites dataset updated April 28, 2020. Includes Web of Science content indexed through March 31, 2020 Export Date: May 10, 2020
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DOCUMENTS 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 3 4.5 5 4 3.5 CATEGORY NORMALISED CITATION IMPACT 0 1K 2K 3K 4K
NEXT 10 RESEARCH STRENGTHS
Figure 2: Research fields with number of publications
2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0
GROUP AVERAGE
GROUP AVERAGE
3 CATEGORY NORMALISED CITATION IMPACT 0 200 300 400 500 600 700
WEB OF SCIENCE DOCUMENTS
Engineering Materials Science Biology & Biochemistry Psychiatry/Psychology Economics & Business Neuroscience & Behaviour Microbiology Pharmacology & Toxicology Molecular Biology & Genetics Space Science
Indicators: Web of Science Documents, Category Normalised Citation Impact, % Documents Cited Schema: essential science indicators
Research Area: not social sciences, general, not geosciences, not environment/ecology, not mathematics, not plant & animal science, not physics, not clinical medicine, not chemistry, not immunology Organisation Name: University of the Witwatersrand Document Type: article, book, book chapter, proceedings paper Time Period: 2010-2019
InCites dataset updated April 28, 2020. Includes Web of Science content indexed through March 31, 2020 Export Date: May 10, 2020
Figures 1 and 2 are plots of these research fields with number of publications on the x-axis (quantity indicator), the Category Normalised Citation Impact (CNCI) score on the y-axis – 1 being the global average – (quality indicator) and with the size of the bubble representing the percentage of publications that have been cited (quality indicator).
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AREAS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
AFRICAN ART
The Wits Art Museum houses one of the world’s finest collections of African art and is a rich resource for research and teaching.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The fundamental study of large data sets and neural networks to process them using cutting edge algorithms is at the heart of Wits’ research into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.
ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY
Using the Square Kilometre Array, Meerkat and Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory facilities, Wits scientists investigate the big questions about the origins of the universe.
CITIES
Researchers study the impact of urban morphology on transport and service provision, lifestyles that underpin informal settlements, employment patterns, changing suburban ethnicities, inner-city rejuvenation.
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AREAS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
SARS, HIV, hepatitis and TB produce major health threats in South Africa and are the subject of sustained research into causes, transmission and control. Vaccine development is the focus area.
DATA SCIENCE
Using data science techniques to analyse and interpret problems in the worlds of natural science, socials sciences and economics.
DRUG DELIVERY
Investigation, using nanoscience techniques, to investigate novel drug-delivery methods thus ensuring active ingredients are delivered directly to the areas of the human body where they are most needed.
EQUALITY STUDIES IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
Inequality is a major influencing factor in South Africa and indeed in the Global South. The study of this problem using a multidisciplinary approach is an ongoing area of research excellence at Wits.
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AREAS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
GEOSCIENCE AND MINING ENGINEERING
Focusing on digital mining that looks to use technology for the purpose of safety in deep and dangerous mining. This is also supplemented with research in economic geology and petrology and geophysics.
GLOBAL CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY
Studying the effects of climate change on food sustainability, diversity of flora and fauna, water, waste and energy management, pollution control, water supply and ecosystem maintenance.
INDIAN STUDIES
Studying the emerging political and economic alignments in the contemporary world using the Indian Ocean as a privileged vantage point from which to track a changing world order.
MATERIAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
The development of new and stronger materials, with applications in aerospace, mining and manufacturing. Materials studied include composites, ceramics, diamond, thin films, carbides and metallic alloys; with a focus on materials for energy.
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AREAS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
MATHEMATICS AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
Research on mathematics spans the spectrum from primary school teaching of mathematics to innovative research in pure and applied mathematics and statistics.
MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
A burgeoning multi-disciplinary research thrust dedicated to investigating the molecular and genomic aetiology of diseases among African populations.
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Research is being done on obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and malaria. Many of which are associated with a change in lifestyle, especially of our urban populations.
PALAEOANTHROPOLOGY, PALAEONTOLOGY AND PALYNOLOGY
Discoveries uncovering the evolution of modern humans have made worldwide impact in recent years. However, the study of evolution based on our unique and extensive local fossil records is not limited to hominids and include dinosaurs, plants and insects.
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AREAS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
REFUGEE AND MIGRANT STUDIES
A regional research interest is focused on the understanding of human migration by looking at influencing factors such as access to social services, housing, employment, transport and other basic human rights.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND HIV
Focused on research, technical assistance, advocacy, policy development and health systems strengthening, in the areas of HIV, sexual and reproductive health and vaccine preventable diseases.
QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES
Using the access to a 50 cubit quantum computer and related nanotechnologies, research is being conducted into manufacture of quantum circuitry, quantum computing and quantum communication.
WATER RESEARCH
In a water stressed regional environment, research is focused on water systems and the environment, water recovery (recycle re-use and remediate), society for water (citizenship and stewardship) and water education.
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RECOGNISED RESEARCH ENTITIES
Yet another indicator of Wits’ diverse Research Strengths is the examination of the formally recognised research entities (Centres, Groups, Institutes, Platforms and Units) established in the Five Faculties and those that cut across Faculties.
FACULTY OF COMMERCE, LAW & MANAGEMENT
3 CENTRES
Southern Centre for Inequality Studies Centre for Applied Legal Studies Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 6 CENTRES
Centre for High Voltage Centre for Urbanism & Built Environmental Studies Centre in Water Research & Development
National Aerospace Centre
Specialisation Centre for Combustion Engineering
Transnet Matlafatšo, Enterprise Development Centre
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1 RESEARCH UNIT Flow Research Unit 2 INSTITUTES Cities Institute Mining Research Institute
RECOGNISED RESEARCH ENTITIES
FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
1 CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Tuberculosis Research
2 GROUPS
Brain Function Research Group
Wits Sport and Health Group
2 INSTITUTES
Reproductive Health and HIV Research Institute
Research Institute in Malaria
1 PLATFORM
Advanced Drug Delivery Platform
17 RESEARCH UNITS
Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit
Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism Research Unit
Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Genomics Research Unit
Clinical HIV Research Unit
Development Pathways for Health Research Unit
Effective Care Research Unit
Empilweni Services and Research (Cardiology) Unit
Hepatititis Virus Diversity Research Unit
HIV Pathogenesis Research Unit
Human Variation and Identification Research Unit
Maternal, Adolescent and Child Health Research Unit
Perinatal HIV Research Unit
Priority Cost Effective Lessons for Systems Strengthening Unit
Pulmonary Infections Research Unit
Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit
Rural Health in Transition Research Unit
Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Biosciences
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RECOGNISED RESEARCH ENTITIES
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
9 CENTRES
African Centre for Migration and Society
Centre for Diversity Studies
Centre for Ethics
Centre for Indian Studies in Africa
Centre for Language and Hearing Impaired Children
Centre for Researching Education and Labour
Emthonjeni Centre (Multi-disciplinary Community Service and Development Centre)
Learning Information Networking Centre
Marang Centre for Maths and Science Education
3 RESEARCH
Health Communication Research
Social and Economic Research
Society, Work and Development Research
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FACULTY OF SCIENCE
2 CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
Centre of Excellence for Integrated Mineral and Energy Resource Analysis
Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
8 INSTITUTES
Ancient Cognition and Culture in Africa
Economic Geology Research Institute
Evolutionary Studies Institute
Institute for Collider Particle Physics
Mandelstam Institute for Theoretical Physics
Materials Physics Research Institute
Molecular Sciences Institute
Rock Art Research Institute
2 RESEARCH
African Ecology and Conservation Biology Research
Protein Structure-Function Research
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CONTACT US Robin.Drennan@wits.ac.za (Director for Research Development) Mahomed.Moolla@wits.ac.za (Head of Strategic Partnership) www.wits.ac.za/research/
