Listen to the news | UCT News

Listen to the news

A selection of our stories now include an audio recording of the content for your listening convenience.

In the news

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When a moment becomes a movement

Social media is a powerful tool for effecting social justice, but who holds the power of media and its ability to shape important narratives? 02 Jul 2020 - 10 min read

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UCT pays homage to COVID-19 frontline workers

The UCT Choir’s rendition of the traditional Zulu hymn “Thuma Mina” pays tribute to all frontline workers at the coalface of the COVID-19 pandemic. 29 Jun 2020 - 4 min read

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Student-led business innovates to accommodate beauty stylists

Fleeker, an online business platform headed by four UCT students, was forced to innovate to ensure its clients could operate safely once lockdown restrictions were eased. 23 Jun 2020 - 4 min read

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Don’t ignore anti-establishment flag

The anti-establishment groundswell is gaining momentum around the globe, a flag governments ignore at their peril, say futurists. People are demanding change. Now. 18 Jun 2020 - 10 min read

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HIV and TB testing sites start COVID-19 research

The Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation has committed to incorporating COVID-19 research at its sites in Cape Town, while continuing its HIV and TB research and trials. 17 Jun 2020 - 5 min read

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Alum helping learners excel in mathematics

Through the Numeric organisation, a group of UCT alumni are helping primary school learners excel in mathematics while also training and equipping teachers. 12 Jun 2020 - 5 min read

Research and innovation

When crisis cultivates collaboration

Associate Professor Sudesh Sivarasu and an array of collaborators are developing low-cost tech – including a DIY face shield – to help Africa manage the novel coronavirus. 10 Jun 2020 - 10 min read

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Epigenetic autism study breaks new ground

Dr Colleen O’Ryan embarked on a project to research genes associated with autism spectrum disorder – and it led her right back to UCT. 04 Jun 2020 - 9 min read

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Dual honours for UCT’s Wasserman

The Centre for Film and Media Studies’ Professor Herman Wasserman has received two honours from the International Communication Association. 03 Jun 2020 - 6 min read

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Death to burial – COVID-19 risks live on

Dr Marise Heyns has been travelling the length and breadth of the Western Cape province, training organisations on how to manage human remains in the context of COVID-19. 29 May 2020 - 8 min read

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Special COVID-19 app to screen SA’s workforce

A partnership between UCT and the University of KwaZulu-Natal has delivered a special application that screens public and private sector employees’ readiness to attend work. 29 May 2020 - 5 min read

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COVID-19 and the value of care work

Those working from home may find themselves catching up with paid work late at night or when their children have so-called screen time, writes UCT’s Associate Professor Ameeta Jaga. 22 May 2020 - 6 min read Republished

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WOOP app now in isiXhosa, first African translation

In Africa Month comes news that the WOOP app has been translated into isiXhosa, the first African vernacular language, thanks to a collaboration with UCT. 19 May 2020 - 3 min read

Research and innovation

Four of UCT’s best now 2020 FLAIR fellows

Four young UCT researchers have been selected as 2020 Future Leaders – African Independent Research Fellows, recognising them as potential future leaders in their fields. 11 May 2020 - 9 min read

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My bittersweet Ramadan

Niemah Davids, a writer in UCT’s Communication and Marketing Department, shares her Ramadan experience in the time of COVID-19. 11 May 2020 - 5 min read

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Art, my creative response to a pandemic

Dr Catriona Towriss shares her response to the deep need of her community during lockdown with a sequence of four artworks that echo their voices. 07 May 2020 - 4 min read

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‘Recorded alone, but singing together’

“Recorded alone but singing together” is how UCT alumni-led choral group VOX Cape Town got around lockdown for a special Freedom Day performance. 05 May 2020 - 10 min read

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COVID-19: Help a click away for struggling young moms

Isolation in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown further burdens under-resourced and vulnerable mothers. But mental and physical resources are at hand, thanks to Messages4Mothers. 04 May 2020 - 7 min read

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Leaders needed to ‘step into this chaos’

Athol Williams, an ethical leadership expert at UCT, comments on the type of leaders needed during the COVID-19 pandemic and for life thereafter. 29 Apr 2020 - 7 min read

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‘Fake news’ and COVID-19: How have we performed?

UCT’s Professor Herman Wasserman assesses the media, government and the public’s performance when it comes to reporting and sharing the facts on COVID-19. 23 Apr 2020 - >10 min read

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50th International Earth Day – ‘It takes a crisis’

The founders of Earth Day could never have guessed its significance as a social movement, with huge implications for a post-COVID-19 world, writes UCT’s Dr Kevin Winter. 22 Apr 2020 - 8 min read

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Kenyan village boy’s boarding pass to cum laude degree

From a small Kenyan village to a degree cum laude at UCT, graduate Willie Macharia proved that resistance is no match for resilience. 09 Apr 2020 - 9 min read

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Women take top spots in civil engineering

Women have taken four of the five top spots in the final-year civil engineering class, a salute to excellence and a spur to equality. 09 Apr 2020 - >10 min read

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Potential harm in acting before there’s ‘good science’

UCT’s Dr Kate Webb has co-authored an international response to a study on hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 that may be ‘a rush to judgement’. 09 Apr 2020 - 6 min read

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Landmark ruling celebrated with Philippi Horticultural Area

Following a landmark court ruling in favour of the PHA Food and Farming Campaign, staff and students from UCT’s Social Infrastructures course celebrated in Philippi. 05 Mar 2020 - 7 min read

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Stories shared in moving re-memorisation project

The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital Foyer Re-memorisation Project relays the experiences and stories of staff members through photographs and words. 02 Mar 2020 - 7 min read

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Human waste on world innovation stage

Master’s candidate Vukheta Mukhari was among the young innovators who presented their work at Design Indaba 2020. He talked about extracting value from human waste. 27 Feb 2020 - 7 min read

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Trains least safe public transport for women

A new paper shows that South African women feel most vulnerable commuting by train and more gender-sensitive transport planning, networks and services are needed. 26 Feb 2020 - 9 min read

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Cool science behind CSI, global warming and gene editing

Mini Summer School extends a wealth of knowledge to learners in UCT’s 100-UP programme for promising students in under-resourced areas. 18 Feb 2020 - 8 min read

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‘We can see change and be proud’

As Associate Professor Gonda Perez prepares to hang up her boots as deputy dean of undergraduate education at UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences, she says retirement comes at the right time. 18 Feb 2020 - 7 min read

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The ‘two faces’ of UCT

The author of UCT Under Apartheid, Emeritus Professor Howard Phillips, says the book aims to provide a 360-degree perspective of UCT between 1948 and 1968. 07 Feb 2020 - 7 min read

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Making waves at gravitational summer school

From 20 to 29 January, UCT hosted leading and upcoming experts in the field of gravitational wave science at the 31st Chris Engelbrecht Summer School. 31 Jan 2020 - 5 min read

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The thesis corrections that almost got away

Handing in final thesis corrections can be a fraught time, especially on a bicycle in rural Africa, without Wi-Fi, only hours from deadline. 30 Jan 2020 - 4 min read

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‘Lift as you rise’: honouring Bongani Mayosi

On the anniversary of his birthday, UCT colleagues, family and friends honoured Professor Bongani Mayosi with a renaming, renovations, a bibliography and an inaugural lecture. 29 Jan 2020 - 7 min read

Research and innovation

Podcast: how climate change threatens our farms

In a podcast, Peter Johnston, a UCT climate scientist and researcher, discusses how climate change might affect farming in South Africa and what can be done about it. 23 Jan 2020 - 5 min read Republished

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Ben Kies: The Cape radical

South African political theorist and activist Ben Kies was remembered and analysed in a recent UCT Summer School lecture. 22 Jan 2020 - >10 min read

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Measuring the success of the Cape Flats army deployment

At his UCT Summer School lecture, Dr Irvin Kinnes provided indicators for evaluating the success of the army’s deployment on the Cape Flats. 16 Jan 2020 - >10 min read

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Body of work: reflections of an anatomist

Professor Graham Louw reflects on 31 years of teaching fledgling doctors at UCT to map the human body – step one in patient care. 15 Jan 2020 - >10 min read

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A joyous communal celebration of staff

The UCT Annual Awards 2019 celebrated the achievements and milestones of a multitude of UCT staff at a scintillating function held on 28 November. 02 Dec 2019 - 5 min read

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Sustainability key for new SRC

The newly elected SRC for 2019/2020 is committed to creating and implementing sustainable programmes that will outlive their term of office. 28 Nov 2019 - 7 min read

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The dead teach in a universal language

Dissection is core to teaching anatomy but how do UCT’s second-year medical students prepare for their first clinical encounter with the dead? 21 Nov 2019 - >10 min read

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UCT prof leads ground-breaking pollen monitoring campaign

The Division of Allergology and Immunology at UCT’s Lung Institute is leading a multidisciplinary project that examines the levels of pollen across South Africa. 20 Nov 2019 - 7 min read

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Tackling HIV: one haircut at a time

In collaboration with Legends Barbershop, the Amajita Tutu Truck gave 50 men free HIV tests and complimentary haircuts on International Men’s Day on 19 November. 20 Nov 2019 - 3 min read

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PET-CT scanner heralds new era in TB research

CUBIC has launched its Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography Core Research Facility, increasing capacity in cutting-edge medical research on TB and other diseases. 14 Nov 2019 - 9 min read

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Gold medal for leading cervical cancer researcher

Professor Lynette Denny’s 25-year body of research on cervical cancer, the magnitude of which is significantly higher among black women in South Africa, has won her a prestigious gold medal. 08 Nov 2019 - 5 min read

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Sutherland project will shape historic reburials policy

The Sutherland Reburials Project involving nine unethically obtained San and Khoe skeletons from the Roggeveld was a mammoth scientific endeavour coupled with strong community collaboration. 05 Nov 2019 - 10 min read

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Stay-at-home dad’s curious mating rituals

The steentjie, or sea bream, changes from female to male as it grows, undergoing a dramatic metamorphosis in breeding season – but don’t try your luck at his nesting site. 04 Nov 2019 - >10 min read

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Community justice through science

Dr Victoria Gibbon, curator of UCT’s skeletal collection, discusses one of the most extensive, significant and fulfilling projects of her career. 04 Nov 2019 - 8 min read

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Rewriting a piece of history

Professor Judith Sealy’s research revealed fascinating aspects of the life histories of nine people whose skeletons were obtained unethically by the university between 1925 and 1931. 04 Nov 2019 - 6 min read

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Encoding the values of transformation

Dr Tinashe Mutsvangwa from UCTʼs Division of Biomedical Engineering played an integral part in restoring the dignity and identity of the Sutherland skeletal remains. 04 Nov 2019 - 6 min read

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Using archaeology to correct injustice

UCT archaeologist Emeritus Associate Professor Simon Hall reflects on his contribution to the repatriation, reburial and restorative justice work done at Kruisrivier. 04 Nov 2019 - 8 min read

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Restoring dignity through forensic art

Kathryn Smith, a South African pursuing a PhD in forensic art in the UK, added her facial reconstruction expertise to the multidisciplinary Sutherland project team. 04 Nov 2019 - 8 min read

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‘We knew their names’

Ancient DNA analyses have identified nine sets of unethically sourced San and Khoe skeletal remains found in UCT’s archive, paving the way for their repatriation to Sutherland. 04 Nov 2019 - 7 min read

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Breathing life into history

Professor Nigel Pennʼs expertise in the blood-soaked history of the Northern Cape made him a critical roleplayer in a restitution project of historical relevance. 04 Nov 2019 - 8 min read

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Preparing for life on Mars

Aspirant astronaut and UCT PhD candidate Adriana Marais shares her preparation for life on Mars – and how this can benefit the Earth. 24 Oct 2019 - 9 min read

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UCT Law on the brink of a new frontier

UCT Law has plans to establish a multidisciplinary centre to pilot research and teaching and learning from the perspective of law and technology. 18 Oct 2019 - 5 min read

Research and innovation

Breaking barriers to a cure for HIV

Research has shed light on a barrier to developing an HIV cure: the latent viral reservoir that persists indefinitely in people on antiretroviral treatment. 15 Oct 2019 - 7 min read

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Queerness and religion in conversation

Reconciling faith and queer identity can be difficult for those who do not subscribe to the heteronormative expectations of many religious communities. 14 Oct 2019 - 7 min read

Research and innovation

How to manage Cape Town’s fires

A team of scientists suggest how Cape Town can best mitigate the danger the region faces from the upcoming fire season. 14 Oct 2019 - 10 min read Republished

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The unusual Henry de Bruyn

Three historical letters tell the story of UCT’s first “non-European” worker, who went from cleaner to laboratory attendant, and whose legacy still lives on at the university. 10 Oct 2019 - >10 min read

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Status epilepticus: New research on failing meds

First-line medication for unrelenting epileptic seizures works in fewer than half of all cases, and now new research has unravelled the mechanisms of this failure. 09 Oct 2019 - 7 min read

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UCT’s specialised sexual offences tribunal

At the International Alliance of Research Universitiesʼ annual gender diversity group meeting, UCT presented its progress in establishing a specialised tribunal for sexual offences. 01 Oct 2019 - >10 min read

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Best little (sustainable) house in Africa

A solar-powered house designed and built by staff and students of UCT and Stellenbosch University has been recognised at Solar Decathlon Africa 2019. 01 Oct 2019 - 8 min read

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Harsher penalties no panacea for high crime – Cameron

Public demand for harsher penalties is growing in the wake of high crime rates. But these will not curb crime, says retired Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron. 13 Sep 2019 - 10 min read

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Touch down for SA’s banking Siri

Four UCT students have developed a one-stop banking shop that performs banking transactions, monitors account activity and speaks four South African languages. 12 Sep 2019 - 5 min read

Research and innovation

Helping Africa prepare for 5G

A first-of-its-kind 5G testbed at UCT offers African researchers a platform to validate 5G applications – for the benefit of the continent. 09 Sep 2019 - 10 min read

Research and innovation

First-of-its-kind wound healing research unit

UCT has been awarded a new research unit devoted to wound healing and scarring, with a focus on diseases that particularly affect Africans. 05 Sep 2019 - 8 min read

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‘I am at peace with myself’

PASS staffer Maura Sanderoff reflects on her story of trauma, triumph and her personal journey to loving herself – often a journey through water. 02 Sep 2019 - 10 min read

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Conflict leaves children traumatised, anxious – for life

It’s critical to intervene early in cases of trauma in children, UCTʼs Professor Shanaaz Mathews told delegates to The African Regional Child Trauma Conference 2019. 26 Aug 2019 - 7 min read

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UCT victorious at Entrepreneurship Intervarsity regionals

Five teams of innovative UCT “studentpreneurs” have been selected to go through to the national finals of the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity. 23 Aug 2019 - 7 min read

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‘Education was my secret weapon’

Dr Rachael Dangarembizi, a UCT postdoctoral research fellow, says becoming the head of her family as a teen was difficult, but that faith carried her through. 21 Aug 2019 - 8 min read

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‘Lady Imam’ on 25 years of the Gender Jihad

Islamic feminist and philosopher Professor Amina Wadud reflects on 25 years of championing Muslim women’s religious authority. 20 Aug 2019 - 8 min read

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Teaching al fresco saves the day

Teaching and learning often means thinking on – or with – your feet, even if that requires lecturing on the university steps under an African sky. 07 Aug 2019 - 5 min read

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Healing hearts is top priority for Mayosi protégé

UCT Associate Professor Liesl Zühlke credits Professor Bongani Mayosi for developing her into an award-winning scientist who uses her passion and expertise to heal hearts. 07 Aug 2019 - 6 min read

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Help, hope for amputees with phantom limb pain

Phantom limb pain is a debilitating condition that affects amputees, but a new UCT research trial has shown there is affordable and effective treatment available. 02 Aug 2019 - 7 min read

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Student designs reimagine District Six

An exhibition that reflects the work of architecture honours students explored ways of redeveloping the landscape and community of District Six by merging the old with the new. 25 Jul 2019 - 8 min read

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The boy who would build a nation

While Denis Goldberg never built SA’s own Suez Canal, the UCT honorary doctorate recipient certainly became one of the country’s finest nation-builders. 11 Jul 2019 - >10 min read

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Digital technologies a cultural lifeline for Somali diaspora

It was PhD graduand Ingrid Brudvig’s quest to understand her own place in the world that sparked her interest in anthropology. 09 Jul 2019 - 7 min read

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Toilet flushing guidelines during drought

Using grey water to flush toilets saves water but solid build-up could harm the pipes. A new paper by UCT scholars offers some practical solutions for water savers. 08 Jul 2019 - 7 min read

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‘Wunderkind’ Manono speeds through his PhD

With support, sacrifices and clear goals, Malibongwe Manono defeated the odds, and wasted no time in completing his PhD. 08 Jul 2019 - 10 min read

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Chocolate, humour help the medicine go down

Retiring academic Mike Meadows is renowned for his approachability, humour and the occasional bribery (all legit) that lured students to his Friday lectures. 02 Jul 2019 - 10 min read

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Multimillion rand boost for Africa medicines research

Alumnus Neville Isdell has donated R18 million for research into the discovery of new medicines for infectious diseases at UCT’s Drug Discovery and Development Centre. 26 Jun 2019 - 7 min read

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‘Teaching swept me off my feet’

Despite the challenges, Anneliese Schauerte – a recipient of UCT’s Distinguished Teacher Award for 2018 – says she’s right where she’s meant to be. 19 Jun 2019 - 6 min read

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‘No stupid questions’ in Distinguished Teacher’s classes

Curiosity, responding to change, technology and empathy are what 2018 Distinguished Teacher Award recipient Jeff Murugan says make an excellent teacher. 19 Jun 2019 - 7 min read

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New ‘fully funded’ scholarship for top young researchers

UCT's new Vice-Chancellor Research Scholarship will support and develop the university's top young researchers as they tackle society's most pressing challenges. 06 Jun 2019 - 9 min read

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Transformation is heart work

A panel discussion held as part of the GSBʼs Africa Month events examined the challenges and successes of attempting to create a truly welcoming environment on campus. 24 May 2019 - 8 min read

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#MustFall movements were ‘an act of love’

Political commentator and author Rekgotsofetse Chikane used the occasion of a book discussion at the GSB to provide some insight into higher education’s #MustFall movements. 23 May 2019 - 6 min read

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First aider doesn’t dwell on ‘what-ifs’

Esna Vermeulen, an Interclub Wheelchair Rugby Tournament first-aid officer with a rare muscle condition, believes in making the most of life, regardless of her circumstances. 16 May 2019 - 5 min read

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Fostering multilingualism on campus

Multilingualism is a form of development and empowerment at a time when some of the world’s languages are in danger of extinction, language short-course graduates have heard. 15 May 2019 - 4 min read

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Rat poison threat to city’s peri-urban wildlife

Wildlife on Cape Town’s periphery, such as caracal, mongoose, otters and owls, is increasingly falling prey to lethal rat poisons. 14 May 2019 - 7 min read

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The student/mother juggling act

A research paper by a philosophy master’s student examines UCT’s on-campus environment and looks at how inclusive it is for young student mothers. 09 May 2019 - 7 min read

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The road to spatial transformation

Research provides a window into the obstacles and prospects for spatial transformation along the strategic Voortrekker Road Corridor in Cape Townʼs northern suburbs. 30 Apr 2019 - 10 min read

Research and innovation

Small-scale farming and agroecology

Rachel Wynberg, the bio-economy research chair at UCT, and Laura Pereira, a researcher at Stellenbosch University, discuss agroecology and how it can make a difference. 30 Apr 2019 - 7 min read Republished

Research and innovation

UCT researcher awarded Global Professorship

Professor Shadreck Chirikure is one of 10 scholars from around the world awarded a Global Professorship by the British Academy. 23 Apr 2019 - 9 min read

Research and innovation

Gary Maartens awarded NRF A-rating

Professor Gary Maartens, head of clinical pharmacology at the University of Cape Town, has been awarded a prestigious A-rating by the National Research Foundation. 18 Apr 2019 - 8 min read

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‘Imposter’ graduates with full suite of distinctions

Severely burnt in a gas explosion 15 years ago, 24-year-old Aniek Nieuwenhuis has found new meaning in her life, defying the odds stacked against her. 04 Apr 2019 - 7 min read

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Out-of-the-box thinker wins a Premier’s Award

UCT alumnus and Next Generation Professoriate member Dr Mosedi Namane was named the bronze winner in her category at the 2018 Western Cape Premier’s Service Excellence Awards. 14 Mar 2019 - 6 min read

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Student’s 3D-printer plan to change education

UCT student Denislav Marinov has big plans for democratising quality education in South Africa, one 3D printer at a time. 13 Mar 2019 - 6 min read

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Letter reveals truth about family tragedy

A Jewish mother’s letter to her children reveals the truth about a family tragedy in the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution – and inspires a groundbreaking documentary. 01 Mar 2019 - >10 min read

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