RHODES UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REPORT A publication of the Rhodes University Research Office, compiled and edited by RESEARCH REPORT RHODES UNIVERSITY Jaine Roberts, Jill Macgregor and Thumeka Mantolo. Research Office Director: Jaine Roberts e: [email protected] Tel: +27 (0) 46 603 8756/7572 www.ru.ac.za Front Cover: Professor Justin Jonas on the MeerKAT site. Back Cover: North of the MeerKAT site, near Vanwyksvlei. Photos: Chris Marais Rhodes University Research Report 2019 03 Foreword Dr Peter Clayton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation 05 Introduction Jaine Roberts, Director: Research Office 07 Top 30 Researchers 08 PhD Graduates TABLE OF 15 Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Achievement Award Professor Justin Jonas 25 Vice-Chancellor’s Book Award Professor Sam Naidu 29 Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Senior Research Award Professor Makaiko Chithambo 33 Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award Dr Gladman Thondhlana CONTENTS 37 The Elements of Life Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong 41 Secrets in the Blood Dr Philani Mashazi 45 Postdoctoral Research Fellows beating the weeds Centre for Biological Control 49 A Sea-going Sleuth Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Michelle Caputo 52 In the Company of Carnivores Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Jessica Comley 55 Environments of Learning Distinguished Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka 59 The Scientific Social Sculptor Dr Dylan McGarry 63 Living in a Mediated World Professor Lynette Steenveld 66 A Curious and Tiny World Professor Özlem Tastan Bishop 70 Hook, Line and Sinker Professor Warren Potts 74 The Man behind the Microscope Professor Rod Walker 77 Knowledge-Making: the Centre for Postgraduate Studies Professor Sioux McKenna 81 The Sky is the Limit: Kuyasa Combined School Mr Xolani Mayana 01 Rhodes University Research Report 2019 86 Centre for Higher Education Research, 197 Faculty of Music and Musicology Teaching and Learning (CHERTL) 200 International Library of African Music (ILAM) 89 Community Engagement Division 203 Faculty of Pharmacy 92 Library Services 208 Department of Philosophy 95 Department of Accounting 211 Department of Physics and Electronics 97 Department of Anthropology 217 Department of Physical and International 100 Department of Biochemistry and Studies Microbiology 220 Department of Psychology 105 Department of Biotechnology and The 225 Rhodes Business School Biotechnology Innovation Centre (RUBIC) DEPARTMENTS 227 School of Languages and Literatures 109 Department of Botany 232 Department of Sociology and Industrial 113 Department of Chemistry Sociology 121 Department of Computer Science 237 Department of Statistics 125 Department of Drama 239 Department of Zoology and Entomology 128 Department of Economics and Economic History 248 Albany Museum 130 Department of Education 253 Institute of Environmental Biotechnology 142 Department of English Language and (EBRU) Linguistics 256 Institute for the Study of Englishes of Africa 144 Department of Environment Science (ISEA) 151 Department of Fine Art 259 Institute of Social and Economic Research 157 Department of Geography (ISER) 160 Department of Geology 260 Institute for Water Research (IWR) 164 Department of History 265 Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project (RUMEP) 167 Department of Human Kinetics and Ergonomics 267 South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) 171 Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science 177 Department of Information Systems 180 School of Journalism and Media Studies 184 Faculty of Law 187 Department of Literary Studies in English 191 Department of Management 195 Department of Mathematics (Pure and INSTITUTES & UNITS AFFILIATES, Applied) 02 Rhodes University Research Report 2019 Foreword FOREWORD The Vice-Chancellorate Rhodes University is the only South African research-intensive university located outside a major urban area. Moreover, Rhodes is located in an impoverished region bedevilled with high levels of poverty and unemployment. This unique characteristic has significant implications for the way our mandate as a research- intensive institution is being fulfilled, and will continue to be fulfilled in the future. This unique context of Rhodes University is played out in the nexus between research, teaching and learning, and community engagement. Engaged research is a significant feature of our knowledge production, and we strive to make ourselves simultaneously locally responsive and globally connected. TOTAL GRADUATES 61% WOMEN 50% POSTGRADUATES 82% SOUTH AFRICAN DOCTORAL 130 GRADUATES Dr Sizwe Mabizela, Vice-Chancellor The pages of this report outline the strong research trajectory and international community of scholars, thereby significantly of our institution, and the many facets of our work that give advancing the reputation of the institution, and which is not effect to our context, our local and national partnerships, and adequately recognised by the existing set of VC’s awards. This our collaborations on the African continent and beyond. Rhodes is intended to be a prestigious award of the highest status in University is very fortunate to have outstanding, dedicated and the university, awarded sparingly. The inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s committed academic and support staff who take a deep and Distinguished Achievement Award was made to Professor keen interest in the growth, development and academic success Justin Jonas of the Department of Physics and Electronics, of each and every one of our students, as well as in the social whose accomplishments are featured prominently in this report. and natural environment that surrounds us. The Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award (in the A new category of Vice-Chancellor’s Award was established age group 40 and below) for 2019 was awarded to Dr Gladman to recognise a staff member who has made an extraordinary Thondhlana of the Department of Environmental Science, and distinguished contribution that builds and supports the while the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Senior Research intellectual work of the university, the sector, and the national Award for 2019 went to Professor Makaiko Chithambo of 03 Rhodes University Research Report 2019 Foreword – Rhodes University was chosen to host one of four African Studies Centres as part of the African Cluster Centres Network supported by the German Federal Government in collaboration with Bayreuth University. The other Centres are at the University of Lagos, the Université Ouaga I Joseph Ki-Zerbo in Burkina Faso, and Moi University in Kenya. A multi-disciplinary team of researchers across a range of fields engaged in African studies developed our institution’s proposal, led by Professor Enocent Msindo. – Distinguished Professor Catriona Macleod, was included in the team from the International Women’s Health Coalition who were invited to Washington to report to Congressional representatives on their work on the impact of the Trump Global Gag Rule. – Professor Jen Snowball was an invited speaker on the Creative Economy at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) expert meeting held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr Peter Clayton, – Dr Marcelline Atemkeng received the Kambule Doctoral Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Award at the Deep Learning Indaba 2019 held in Kenya. Research and Innovation The adjudication committee cited his PhD thesis and subsequent Postdoctoral work as embodying the legacy of Thamsanqa Kambule for its strong technical contributions to the field of radio astronomy, and strengthening African the Department of Physics and Electronics. The Vice-Chancellor’s machine learning. Book Award was made to Professor Sam Naidu of the Department of Literary Studies in English. Many other individual academics received widespread national and international acknowledgement of their work. Their fine The results of the 2019 academic year were celebrated during accomplishments are contained within the pages of this report. a virtual graduation ceremony in 2020 due to the global COVID- 19 pandemic, in which a total of 2422 students graduated, We extend our congratulations and thanks to all of our researchers, 50% of whom were postgraduates, 61% were women, and supervisors, collaborators, funders, donors, and partners who 18% were international students. The virtual ceremony included contributed to making 2019 a year in which research at Rhodes a record number of 130 doctoral graduates. University flourished. Your expertise, integrity, dedication, rigour and generosity make Rhodes University the rich and distinctive Many of our outstanding scholars attracted external acclaim. intellectual space that it is. – Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong, our most famous scientist, continued to bring great intellectual profile and reputation to the university. Distinguished Professor Nyokong was recognised with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Society of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, at their annual meeting in New York, and was awarded her fourth Honorary Doctorate by Western University, Ontario, Canada. – Professor Janice Limson, South African Research Chair in Biotechnology Innovation and Engagement, underwent a successful 5-year cycle review, and this SARChI chair was renewed for a further cycle of funding. 04 Rhodes University Research Report 2019 Introduction INTRODUCTION Jaine Roberts, Director: Research Office In 2019 an inaugural award was made: the Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Achievement Award was awarded to Professor Justin Jonas of our Department of Physics & Electronics. In 2000,