Cutting-edge physics research thrives under inspired leadership
Management and related activities over the last 5-10 years
The University of Witwatersrand’s school of physics is internationally acknowledged for the type and quality of research work carried out. In terms of this work and the school’s capabilities, it’s internationally rated in the top 1% in the field of physics worldwide. Professor João Rodrigues is largely responsible for enabling the school to achieve this position.
Rodrigues became the school’s head in 2016 for the second time, after a previous stint in the chair from 2006 to mid-2012. In less than seven years under his leadership, the Wits school of physics underwent a period of major renewal, particularly in research.
Existing research areas were expanded and consolidated, and entirely new research areas and activities were initiated. This included South Africa’s participation in experiments at Cern’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC, situated on the border between France and Switzerland, is the world’s largest machine, and can accelerate particles to nearly the speed of light and then make them collide. A new astronomy and astrophysics research programme was also established under the professor’s leadership.
Rodrigues has managed academic performance and relations effectively; he is highly respected for his research work and is an inspirational lecturer, and the school is attracting external research funding under his leadership. “Above all else, I have been able to share a vision of excellence with the hope of inspiring people to work together,” says Rodrigues.
The school hosts three department of science and technology-National Research Foundation research chairs, a centre of excellence, the Gauteng node of a national institute, and two Wits-recognised research institutes. The number of NRF-rated researchers now exceeds 30.
Coupled to new academic programmes, there were 130 registered MSc and PhD students in 2016 and 30 students registered for honours in Physics in 2017. This is likely to be an historical high among South African universities.
“To study physics one needs to be really good at maths and science and have a desire to find out how things work at a very basic level,” says Rodrigues. “I love maths and science and to discover new things, and how things work on a fundamental level.
“Physics research is not necessarily about discovering new applications which enhance our lives, but history has proven that what we discover often opens the doors to new applications that enrich our lives. Take string theory. It’s probably the bridge between Einstein’s theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, and if we can bridge the gap between these two fields, we will have a far better understanding of how our world and even the universe works.”
Rodrigues says that he loves what he does: “The research and lecturing, and guiding postgraduate students. I don’t want to do anything else.”
He was born and grew up in Mozambique. In 1976 he went to Wits, and completed his honours in 1979. He then went to the US to continue his studies at Brown University, then moved to France to do postdoctoral work at the Atomic Energy Commissariat, Saclay. In 1985 he returned to Wits University.
His vision for the future of the school of physics is to continue to improve its already excellent reputation by expanding its cutting-edge research and turning out excellent physicists and, in the process, contributing meaningfully to high-level capacity development and innovation in South Africa.