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COVID-19: Digitising ICU improves patient care while protecting healthcare staff
new digital system will capture patient and specialist data through the use of cameras, tablet computers, and voice and electronic notes onto a central database that will enable specialists to monitor patients remotely positive spin-off of installing cameras at COVID-19 ICU beds is that it could potentially facilitate video... Read more
New book a treasure trove of information on invasive species
alien trees consume about 5% of our scarce water resources direct threat to the survival of almost half of 1 600 native species listed in South Africa’s Red Data List. information on 1 422 alien species including plants, birds, mammals, fish very few, if any, books that give such a comprehensive... Read more
UWC, SU isolate SA’s first lab culture of SARS-CoV-2
While much of the scientific and medical community rushes to develop therapeutic agents for COVID-19 based on clinical data, getting a better understanding of the brand-new virus remains crucial. That’s why it’s so important that South Africa obtained its very first known laboratory isolate of SARS-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on... Read more
Digging for time capsules
“It’s like searching for buried treasure. When you finally find that zircon in the rocks entombing a fossil, you know you have in your hands a time-capsule from the prehistoric past.” Speaking is Dr Ryan T. Tucker, a sedimentologist and taphonomist in the Department of Earth Sciences at Stellenbosch... Read more
Insect conservationist authors new review
They pollinate a third of our crops and help make a healthy living soil. We must protect them better and learn from ideas that have already been developed in South Africa and elsewhere to conserve themSo says Stellenbosch University insect conservationist Prof Michael Samways, lead author of a new... Read more
Stellenbosch botanist rediscovers extinct species
One of the first recorded species to have been lost to forestry and agriculture in the Western Cape in the 1800s, a type of fountain bush from the pea family that used to grow next to mountain streams in the Tulbagh region, have been rediscovered. Psoralea cataracta was discovered... Read more
National survey of student mental health launched
Students often face many mental health problems and don’t always get the support they need. And with the disruptions and uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, chances are their mental disorders could get worse. To assess the mental health and support needs of South Africa’s undergraduate students, a national... Read more
Developing a code of ethics for research with disabled people
Various institutions and organisations have developed a range of codes of ethics over many years to protect the rights of those who participate in their research. In some areas, however, there is still a long way to go. An example is research that involves disabled people. “There is a... Read more
SU’s extended degree programme opens doors for graduates
No less than 42 graduates whose academic potential had been unlocked thanks to the Extended Degree Programme (EDP) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU), received their qualifications at the University’s December 2019 graduation ceremonies this week. Of the 42 EDP graduates, 19 of... Read more
Three SA academics among most cited academics in the world
Three Stellenbosch University academics have been named Highly Cited Researchers, according to the Highly Cited Researchers 2019 list from the Web of Science Group, released earlier this week. Professors Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs (Cross-Field), Linus Opara (Agricultural Sciences) and Dave Richardson (Environment and Ecology) are among the world’s most-cited researchers. ... Read more