University of the Witwatersrand Archives

Distinguished Prof Jill Adler receives NRF’s lifetime award

National Research Foundation University of the Witwatersrand Sep 3, 2023

The National Research Foundation (NRF) has awarded Witwatersrand University’s Distinguished Professor Jill Adler the Lifetime Achiever Award at the 2023 NRF Awards ceremony held last night in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Introduced to the NRF Awards in 2004, the Lifetime Achiever Award recognises an individual who has demonstrably made extraordinary contributions... Read more

Dr Edward Nkadimeng recognised as a leading innovator

Achievers University of the Witwatersrand Jul 28, 2023

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is pleased to announce that Dr Edward Nkadimeng has been recognised as a Leading Innovator in Technology and Innovation by the Mail and Guardian in its 200 Young South Africans initiative for 2023. This highlights Dr Nkadimeng’s contributions and remarkable achievements in advancing technology... Read more

NRF CEO named Engineer of the Year

Achievers University of the Witwatersrand Mar 16, 2023

The National Research Foundation (NRF) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, has been named Engineer of the Year by the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) at its 2022 Annual Awards held at the Indaba Hotel and Conference Centre in Johannesburg on Friday, 10 March 2023. Dr Nelwamondo... Read more

Wits medical student a karate star

Karate University of the Witwatersrand Mar 13, 2023

Third-year medical student, Zahra Kader, is a seasoned karate-ga and a member of the national team. Kader lives by the sage advice she received in primary school: “My coach would always tell us we should keep our heads small and our dreams big,” says the 21-year-old Pietermaritzburg, KZN native.... Read more

Successful cure of HIV infection after stem cell transplantation

Research University of the Witwatersrand Mar 1, 2023

An international group of researchers including Wits scientists have identified a third case of HIV infection cured by stem cell transplantation. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of severe blood cancers is the only medical intervention that previously cured two people living with HIV. ‘Haematopoietic’ refers to an immature... Read more

Assaf gold medals for Profs Hofman, Mbembe

Gauteng Research University of the Witwatersrand Oct 28, 2022

ASSAf annually awards ASSAf Science-for-Society Gold Medals for outstanding achievement in scientific thinking to the benefit of society. In 2022, the awards were presented to two eminent scientists, Prof Karin Hofman and Prof Achille Mbembe. Prof Karen Hofman is a Research Professor and founding Director of the SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision... Read more

Wits neuropsychologist awarded prestigious global scholarship

Achievers Latest news University of the Witwatersrand Jun 15, 2021

Dr Sahba Besharati in the Department of Psychology is one of just 19 CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars, a programme that supports early-career researchers. CIFAR (pronounced “see-far”) is the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, established some 40 years ago at the University of Toronto, Canada. The CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars... Read more

Building Africa’s AI initiative

Careers Gauteng Latest news University of the Witwatersrand Jan 11, 2021

Considerations behind the largest and most complex undertaking of its kind in Africa’s history. In collaboration with academia, Cirrus is a private sector led initiative bringing together academia and industry for the establishment of a world class artificial intelligence (AI) research and application capability for Africa. Although launched in 2019, work on... Read more

Engineering student’s book wins award

Achievers Gauteng Latest news University of the Witwatersrand Aug 14, 2020

Wits student, Musawenkosi Nyati’s has published an award-winning book, Mobile App Development. Musawenkosi Nyati, a second year civil engineering student received the recognition at the 2020 AfriCAN Authors Awards, which took place on 31 July 2020. The tech-savvy student says he published the book after receiving numerous questions from people... Read more

WITS develops a therapeutic for aggressive Breast Cancer

Achievers Gauteng Latest news University of the Witwatersrand Jul 16, 2020

Researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) have developed a potential treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive cancer which mostly affects women of colour under the age of 50. Currently, treatment of breast cancer includes using drugs which selectively target hormone receptors, those which... Read more