Rhodes Front Cover 3/7/11 2:26 PM Page 1 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Research Office Rhodes University www.ru.ac.za [email protected] Telephone: +27 (0) 46 603 8936 Composite Rhodes - Intro 4/3/11 8:59 AM Page 1 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Research Report 2009 Composite Rhodes - Intro 4/3/11 8:59 AM Page 2 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K table of contents Foreword from the Vice-Chancellor - Dr Saleem Badat 5 Introduction from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Development - Dr Peter Clayton 7 The Vice-Chancellor’s Research Awards - Remarkable young scholar honoured for her research in African Art Professor Ruth Simbao 8 - Second Distinguished Research Award for Top Scientist Professor William Froneman 12 - Distinguished Researcher Medal for leading literary scholar Professor Laurence Wright 16 - Book Award winner offers a fresh perspective on violence Professor Leonhard Praeg 20 A few snapshots of Research at Rhodes - Theoretical research into iconospheric models has significant real world impact 24 - In conversation with Professor Tebello Nyokong’s students 28 - BioBRU launches and soars 32 - Biodiversity high on the Rhodes research agenda 36 - Adolescent sexual and reproductive health research 40 Top Researchers: Acknowledgements 44 Publications from the Vice Chancellorate 45 Departmental Index Accounting 47 Anthropology 51 Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology 57 Botany 69 Chemistry 77 Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching & Learning (CHERTL) 91 Computer Science 97 Drama 107 Economics 113 Education 119 Electron Microscopy Unit 129 English 131 English Language and Linguistics 135 Environmental Biotechnology 139 Environmental Science 143 Fine Art 149 Geography 157 Geology 165 Composite Rhodes - Intro 4/3/11 8:59 AM Page 3 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K History 173 Human Kinetics and Ergonomics 177 Ichthyology and Fiheries Science 183 Information Systems 191 Institute for the Study of English in Africa (ISEA) 197 Institute for Water Research (IWR) 203 Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) 209 Journalism and Media Studies 215 Law 225 Library Services 231 Management 235 Mathematics 241 Music and International Library of African Music (ILAM) 245 Pharmacy 253 Philosophy 263 Physics 269 Political and International Studies 277 Psychology 285 Rhodes Investec Business School 291 Rhodes University Maths Education Programme (RUMEP) 295 School of Languages 299 Sociology 307 Statistics 311 Zoology and Entomology 315 Composite Rhodes - Intro 4/3/11 8:59 AM Page 4 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K learning elevated Dr Saleem Badat Vice-Chancellor, in the new Library. Composite Rhodes - Intro 4/3/11 8:59 AM Page 5 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K foreword Rhodes University principally exists to serve three fundamental purposes. The first is to produce knowledge, so that we can advance understanding of our natural and social worlds and enrich our accumulated scientific and cultural heritage. This means that we “test the inherited knowledge of earlier generations”, we dismantle the mumbo jumbo that masquerades for knowledge, we “reinvigorate” knowledge and we share our findings with others. We undertake research into the most arcane and abstract issues and the “most theoretical and intractable uncertainties of knowledge”. At the same time we also strive to apply our discoveries for the benefit of humankind. We “operate on both the short and the long horizon”. On the one hand, we grapple with urgent and “contemporary problems” and seek solutions to these. On the other hand, we “forage” into issues and undertake enquiries “that may not appear immediately relevant to others, but have the proven potential to yield great future benefit”.1 As a university our second purpose is to disseminate knowledge and to cultivate minds. Our goal is to ensure that our students can think imaginatively, “effectively and critically”; that they “achieve depth in some field of knowledge”; that they can critique and construct alternatives, that they can communicate cogently, orally and in writing, and that they have a “critical appreciation of the ways in which we gain knowledge and understanding of the universe, of society, and of ourselves”. At the same time, we also seek that our students should have “a broad knowledge of other cultures and other times”; should be “able to make decisions based on reference to the wider world and to the historical forces that have shaped it”, and that they should have “some understanding of and experience in thinking systematically about moral and ethical problems”.2 Our final purpose as a university is to undertake community engagement. On the one hand this involves our students’ voluntary participation in community projects undertaken through our Community Engagement office. On the other hand, it involves service-learning, in which through academic courses our students and academics take part “in activities where both the community” and we benefit, “and where the goals are to provide a service to the community and, equally, to enhance our learning through rendering this service”.3 This report outlines primarily the knowledge production achievements of the University for 2009, although the other purposes are inherently intertwined with this one. I take pride in hearing Rhodes referred to as a University of Scholars, a reputation which is strengthened by our position as one of the institutions with the highest per capita research output in South Africa. 1 Boulton, G and Lucas, C. (2008) What are Universities For? Leuven: League of European research Universities 2 The Task Force on Higher Education and Society (2000) Higher Education in Developing Countries: Peril and Promise. Washington: The World Bank 3 Council on Higher Education (2006) A Good Practice Guide and Self-evaluation Instruments for Managing the Quality of Service-Learning. Pretoria: Council on Higher Education/Joint Education Trust Rhodes University | Research Report 2009 05 Composite Rhodes - Intro 4/3/11 8:59 AM Page 6 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Many of Rhodes University’s academics, awarded the African Union’s Science, departments, institutes, centres, and units are Technology and Innovation Sector Prize for at the leading edge of research, and are actively Women in the Southern African Region. advancing knowledge in a range of disciplines and fields. Our women researchers did For the national and international impact of especially well in 2009 in terms of external their scholarly activities over a sustained period, recognition. Prof Tebello Nyokong is often the winners of the Vice-Chancellor's deservedly in the national and international Distinguished Senior Research Award for 2009 media, as the well-recognized DST/NRF were Professor William Froneman of the Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Department of Zoology & Entomology and Nanotechnology at Rhodes University, and Professor Laurence Wright, of the Institute for the Study of English in Africa. The Vice- Director of the DST/Mintek Nanotechnology Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award Innovation Centre (Sensors). What she has (40 and below in age) for 2009 was awarded achieved is quite extraordinary. In May 2009 to Dr Ruth Simbao of the Department of Fine in Paris, Art, for the international acknowledgement of Professor Nyokong was honoured as her work to date. The recipient of the Vice- UNESCO-L’Oreal Laureate for 2009 – Africa Chancellor's Book Award for 2009 was Dr and the Arab States, for her contributions to Leonhard Praeg of the Department of Political harnessing light for cancer therapy and for and International Studies for The Geometry of environmental clean-up. This was a fitting Violence (SUN Press, 2007).Rhodes tribute to a woman who has given so much postgraduate students continue to excel in to the production and dissemination of winning prestigious international and local knowledge, and to the public application and scholarships, including the Rhodes (Oxford), understanding of her work. Later in the year, Mandela Rhodes, Flanagan, Commonwealth, she was named the Most Influential Woman and Fulbright. in Education and Training as part of CEO A new position of Director: Research Office Communication’s Most Influential Women in was established in 2009 to enhance the quality business and government (MIW) awards. Soon of coordination and support to researchers after, she received the inaugural NRF and research partners. The university was President’s award of Champion in fortunate in attracting Ms Jaine Roberts to this Transformation in Research. The year ended position, who came with a strong track record with a motion being passed and recorded in of research management in the health sector, the National Assembly congratulating Prof. as well as extensive experience in Journalism Nyokong on her achievements. and Social Development. At the DST Woman in Science Awards in I extend my congratulations to all our August 2009, Dr Michelle Cox of the Institute researchers for making 2009 a year in which for Social and Economic Research was joint research at Rhodes University continued to winner of the Achiever Award for a Woman flourish. Your expertise, rigour and dedication Researcher in the area of Indigenous make Rhodes University the vibrant, rich and Knowledge, and the runner-up in the Best distinctive intellectual space that it is. I also Young Women Scientist Award category was thank all our collaborators, donors, partners Dr Kim Bernard, an outstanding young Marine and supporters for their generosity in facilitating Biologist. In September 2009 at a ceremony our research endeavours. at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell, a Space Physicist attached to Rhodes and working at Dr Saleem Badat the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, was Vice-Chancellor 06 Rhodes University | Research Report 2009 Composite Rhodes - Intro 4/3/11 8:59 AM Page 7 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K introduction Rhodes University maintained and improved its track record of research performance in 2009, a very pleasing trend given that it came directly after a large increase of accredited publication outputs in 2008 of 20.3%, and a flattening of the growth curve was expected.