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UCT RESEARCH REPORT '11
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backdrop of specific case studies) on the meaning, value
and enablement of inter- and trans-disciplinary research.
The Indaba made it possible to do detailed planning in
regard to the support of inter- and trans-disciplinarity at
UCT during the course of 2012 and a number of projects
will be rolled out to improve awareness of the possibilities
for this kind of research in the university, and also to
remove the real and perceived obstacles.
I congratulate our researchers on their performance over
the last year. We produced the highest number of research
outputs in the country in 2010, as measured by the
Department of Higher Education and Training for subsidy
purposes – 1 253.03 units (each year’s figures are always
for the performance of two years ago). An important proxy
(although, of course, not the only one) for the quality of our
research is the number of researchers who are rated by
the National Research Foundation. There were 379 NRF-
rated researchers at UCT in 2011, the largest number of
any university. It was particularly encouraging that more
than half of the new ratings in 2011 went to younger
researchers.
As we move forward to face the challenges of the next
year, we are grateful for the continued engagement with,
and support from, the research community in building on
the achievements of 2011.
PROFESSOR DANIE VISSER
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Dr Thomas Scriba, a finalist in the 2011/12 NSTF-BHP Billiton awards, received a UCT College of Fellows award in 2011
for his research on understanding how the human immune system fights TB,
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, to prevent
disease in children and adults, as well as in HIV-infected people. Dr Scriba, of the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine
Initiative, has led the immunology analysis approaches for five clinical trials of new TB vaccines.