Welcome to the University of Cape Town News
Wamkelekile, Welkom
Wamkelekile, Welkom
Media reports on crimes against children focus on emotion rather than facts – study
Acknowledging that the advent of mass media has been one of the most significant developments in shaping the world as we know it today, recent University of Cape Town (UCT) PhD graduate Dr Sisanda Nkoala wanted to understand how that shaping occurs and what it persuades us of.
29 Jul 2022
UCT researcher receives two international awards for work in HIV associated lymphoma
University of Cape Town (UCT) researcher Dr Katherine Antel has been selected by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) to receive the 2022 ASH Global Research Award to support her work in HIV associated lymphoma (a type of cancer). Antel is one of 13 talented early-career investigators selected for this honour.
28 Jul 2022
Exceptional KwaZulu-Natal physics teacher wins UCT 2022 Stella Clark Award
Using tangible examples to teach a complex subject like physics – in a resource-constrained school to a class of matric learners who have continuously underperformed in the subject – is no simple task. But for Nonkululeko Sibisi, the recipient of the 2022 Stella Clark Teachers’ Award, who epitomises servant leadership, compassion and patience, this unique teaching methodology is second nature.
27 Jul 2022
Artwork showcasing reimagined UCT Jagger Library goes on display
The process of reimagining the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Jagger Library that required input from various stakeholders, including members of the public, has now been concluded. The work will be on display in the Molly Blackburn Hall on UCT’s upper campus on Thursday, 28 July. The display will take place between 13:00 and 14:30, members of the public are welcome to attend.
27 Jul 2022
Boys in poorest study environments more anxious about mathematics - study
New research by a PhD graduate at the University of Cape Town (UCT) found boys in the poorest study environments to have higher mathematics anxiety and poorer mathematics performance than boys in more stable study environments.
26 Jul 2022
Regulatory challenges on cross-border mopane worm trade affects livelihoods in southern Africa
Until now, not much has been known about the importation of mopane worms ( Masonja ) into South Africa as a massive business which attracts many harvesters and exporters across many communities in Botswana and Zimbabwe.
25 Jul 2022
Study explores waste-stream impact on human missions to Mars and beyond
With the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA) planning to send humans further into the solar system by the 2030s, research from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) SpaceLab suggests that new strategies must be developed to address the challenges of waste management during long-duration human spaceflight missions, most especially on the surface of Mars.
25 Jul 2022
A model for drug discovery and development in Africa
The COVID-19 pandemic has simultaneously highlighted global inequalities, underscored the importance of building local infrastructure and capacity for health innovation, and provided evidence that African institutions and scientists have the scientific capability to make important contributions to global health solutions.
25 Jul 2022
UCT VC hosts sessions on using science to tackle social injustices and realise intergenerational justice
University of Cape Town Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng will host the last two virtual sessions, under the theme “Using the science of the future to shape our present”, on 24 and 31 July.
21 Jul 2022
Loss of loved ones spur PhD graduand to excel and produce outstanding research
In September 2021, as Maxine Höft was nearing the end of the fourth year of her PhD, the unthinkable happened. Her dad – her hero, number one supporter and best friend – passed away. As she battled to come to terms with his death, three months later, she lost her grandmother, and her world as she knew it came tumbling down.
21 Jul 2022
Fighting imposter syndrome to break glass ceilings as women mechanical engineers
Sherlyn Gabriel’s PhD journey was rough; it was very rough. “I suffered from a bad case of imposter syndrome and even to this day, I catch myself feeling like I am not smart enough to get this degree. I mean, I forget concepts related to my work that I really should know,” she said.
21 Jul 2022
UCT joins global network of leading universities to reach the most marginalised communities
The University of Cape Town (UCT) is one of the first two African institutions of higher learning to sign up as partners in the Reach Alliance . This global initiative brings together students and practitioners from across disciplines and around the world to accelerate the achievement of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.
20 Jul 2022
New findings on managing phantom limb pain for amputees
A University of Cape Town (UCT) doctoral study by Katleho Limakatso has broken new ground on pain management for amputees experiencing phantom limb pain. Katleho completed his doctorate in only three years. And when he is capped on 22 July, he will become UCT’s first black PhD in Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine.
18 Jul 2022
Study reveals factors behind rise in obesity in SA women of childbearing age
The rising trend of overweight and obesity in South Africa's women of childbearing age is due to a lack of physical activity and increased consumption of unhealthy food, according to a study by University of Cape Town's (UCT) doctoral student Mweete Debra Nglazi, who will graduate later this month.
15 Jul 2022
First cryo-EM structures of angiotensin-converting enzyme pave the way for better drugs to treat heart disease
The first full-length structures of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) have been determined by researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). ACE is a blood pressure-regulating protein that is critical for heart health.
12 Jul 2022