Materials communication for a world built with materials

THE DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials (CoE-SM) and the Materials for Energy Research Group (MERG) develop post-graduate students, using exciting, cutting-edge research, for the benefit of South Africa and its industry and economy, according to Professor Lesley Cornish.

She adds, “The former invests in human capital development having graduated more than 50 PhDs and 70 MScs, published in excess of 600 journal papers and registered a number of patents.”

Professors Lesley Cornish, Deena Naidoo, Alex Quandt and Casey Sparkes were nominated for the Communication for Outreach and Creating Awareness of science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation award, with acknowledgement of members and staff.

The CoE-SM works with industry to solve problems, as well develop new materials and processes, centred on materials that need to retain their strength in aggressive environments.

The research has guided various companies to use several materials, different processes, and also altered behaviour to avoid corrosion problems.

Some of the research is leading to a greater understanding of various scientific research problems.

Other research aims to change behaviour and perceptions in industry.

For example, different approaches to using materials in energy applications, new ways of using platinum that are not just for decoration, as well as using waste materials in building applications.

Geared towards a better life for everyone, the research needs public support.

To this end the CoESM and MERG have a Schools Outreach Programme. THE Fourth Industrial Revolution will dramatically change how humans interact with new technologies, how we embrace innovation and convergence, how we communicate, and how we use technology to improve our collective future.

So says Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Postgraduate Affairs at Wits University. He adds, “Research-intensive universities are central to this new world order.

“They are innovative hubs that attract remarkable revolutionaries – talented academics, scientists, researchers, and students who are the heroes working to advance society.

“They are the problem-posers and problem-solvers, the critical thinkers, the experimenters, the challengers unafraid of difficult questions and who pursue answers, however evasive.

“They work across disciplines to produce new knowledge, find cures, save lives, effect social change, and improve the world for future generations.

Wits, for example, is home to world-class academics in the palaeosciences, who explore African prehistory as the birthplace of human cognition.

Some of the world’s best physicists have teams deployed at CERN – the European Organization for Nuclear Research – to seek the fundamental structure