Research at Stellenbosch University

𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙗𝙤𝙨𝙘𝙝 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩-𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠! More than 6,000 graduands will be celebrated as they receive their degrees. 🔬 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬: - A record 11.8% 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 in PhDs awarded compared to last December, including women outnumbering men among PhD recipients. This achievement underscores SU's commitment to advancing research and knowledge production. 🔗su.ac.za/en/news/su-cel… #SUGraduation #Maties #ResearchForImpact #ClassOf2025 #PhD #womeninresearch 📷 Stefan Els

📷 Stellenbosch University at the Science Forum South Africa! If you’re attending SFSA, come connect with us and learn more about the groundbreaking work happening at Stellenbosch University. #SFSA2025 #StellenboschUniversity #ResearchforImpact #Innovation #AfricanScience

Two outstanding researchers from Stellenbosch University have been inaugurated as members of the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS). Dr Phila Msimang and Dr Noreth Muller-Kluits are among the ten new members announced at the recent annual Awards Ceremony. SAYAS plays a vital role in raising the visibility and amplifying the impact of young scientists across South Africa. Read more: su.ac.za/en/news/two-yo… #StellenboschUniversity #SAYAS #YoungScientists #ResearchExcellence #SouthAfrica #ScienceLeadership #AcademicExcellence #SUResearch

At 21:30 every night in October last year, Dr Yaseera Ismail, an experimental quantum physicist, would say quick goodbyes to delegates at the two major conferences she was hosting at @Stellenbosch University Then she’d race across campus to the Electrical Engineering Building, where a world-first quantum communication experiment was unfolding on the rooftop. Intrigued? Click here to read more: 🔗 zurl.co/a9pQc #ResearchForImpact #QuantumScience #QuantumCommunication #QuantumTech #Photonics #FutureTech #ScienceForSociety #WomenInSTEM #BehindTheResearch

Prof Catherine Du Toit, affiliated with the Department of Modern Foreign Languages at @StellenboschUni , uses her international expertise in French and various other literatures to explore how climate change, as an all-encompassing crime, finds fictional expression through a very specific reading of the situation. This results in texts that may appear dystopian but, in fact, present the current realities of climate change, or in texts featuring scenarios that align better with plausibility than speculation. Read more here: zurl.co/MCHMF @Stellenbosch University - Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences

At Stellenbosch University, our researchers are driving sustainable solutions for a changing world 🌍💡 🎥 Watch our latest video: 👇 zurl.co/VmS93

Stellenbosch University proudly honoured the outstanding researchers and innovators who continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and impact. The annual 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 recognised remarkable achievements across disciplines. 📘 Explore the full list of 2025 awardees here: zurl.co/CVd88 #ResearchExcellence #researchforimpact #StellenboschUniversity #SUResearch

The Research and Innovation Excellence Awards honoured some of SU’s brilliant minds who are transforming knowledge into 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨. This year’s handcrafted trophies, created from upcycled plastic by Lily Loompa, stand as symbols of sustainable creativity – proof that excellence and sustainability belong together. 📹 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚: zurl.co/aEouo

🎉 This week, we continue our celebrations of the 2025 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨, an event that honoured some of SU’s brilliant minds who are transforming knowledge into 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨. 🎬 Here’s a short video capturing the highlights and spirit of the awards evening. zurl.co/JYJni #ResearchForImpact #InnovationExcellence #StellenboschUniversity #researchexcellence

𝗜𝗖𝗬𝗠𝗜: 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘀𝗰𝗵 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 2025 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀. 🎉 The event recognised individuals and teams whose work continues to advance knowledge, inspire innovation, and create meaningful societal impact. 🎥 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁? 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: youtube.com/watch?v=TjIetq… 📖 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: #p=1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">online.fliphtml5.com/cvapr/avio/#p=1 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨! #ResearchExcellence #Innovation #StellenboschUniversity #SUNResearch #ResearchForImpact

Dr Lourens’ art flips the script on traditional narratives: her body prints reclaim the female body as an active storyteller, not a passive object. Her journey is one of self-reflection, confronting privilege, and advocating for intersectional justice. Explore her story: www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimp… #TheNakedTruth #ArtForJustice #FlippingTheScript #WomenWhoCreate #ReclaimTheBody #IntersectionalJustice #ResearchForImpact #SexWorkIsWork

In 2021, Prof Anna‑Mart Engelbrecht from Department of Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University was asked to investigate a very rare genetic change in a South African family with multiple cancers, linked to Li-Fraumeni-like syndrome. This inherited condition is extremely rare, reported in only about 500 families worldwide, and can cause cancers to appear at a young age. Learn more about how this team is turning discoveries in genomics into real-world precision medicine: 🔗 www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimp… #ResearchAtSU #StellenboschUniversity #CancerResearch #Genomics #TP53 #LiFraumeniSyndrome #PrecisionMedicine #WomenInScience #HealthResearch #ResearchForImpact @StellenboschUni @CANSA

Stellenbosch University’s SUNRISE programme supports mid-career academics with mentorship, resources, and opportunities to advance their careers. 💡 As part of the #PathToProf campaign, explore the profiles of current SUNRISE fellows and meet the inspiring scholars shaping the future of research and leadership at Stellenbosch University. 𝑴𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒏 #PathToProf #SUNRISE #StellenboschUniversity #AcademicLeadership #ResearchExcellence #NextGenAcademics #HigherEducation #ResearchforImpact #FutureProfessors

What makes someone a father—biology, or presence? In South Africa, many children grow up without their biological dads—but that doesn’t mean they’re growing up fatherless. 👉 Discover how new research is reshaping our understanding of social fatherhood: 🔗 www0.sun.ac.za/.../rethinking… #ResearchForImpact #ResearchMatters #Father #fatherhood #dadlife #parenting #family @dailymaverick

Gender-based violence remains a serious challenge in Papua New Guinea, where over 1.5 million people experience it each year. A team of researchers, including criminologist 𝘿𝙧 𝙂𝙪𝙮 𝙇𝙖𝙢𝙗 of Stellenbosch University, believes sport could offer a way to break the cycle of violence. Organised activities like rugby and volleyball are creating “cultures of hope,” shifting behaviours, and offering communities safer, positive alternatives. 🔗 www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimp… #EndGBV #Peacebuilding #SportForChange #ResearchForChange #PapuaNewGuinea #StellenboschUniversity #UN #GrassSkirtProject

Stellenbosch University’s SUNRISE programme supports mid-career academics with mentorship, resources, and opportunities to advance their careers. 💡 As part of the #PathToProf campaign, explore the profiles of current SUNRISE fellows and meet the inspiring scholars shaping the future of research and leadership at Stellenbosch University. 𝓜𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓔𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓐𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓬𝓪 #PathToProf #SUNRISE #StellenboschUniversity #AcademicLeadership #ResearchExcellence #NextGenAcademics #HigherEducation #ResearchforImpact #FutureProfessors

The tensions between language, truth, and power are top of mind when Prof Herman Wasserman investigates the African media landscape and the topics of information versus disinformation. He regularly writes about the relationship between fact and fiction, and between representation and reality, believing as he does that imagination is central to both the academic and creative writing process. Read more: www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimp…

Stellenbosch University’s SUNRISE programme supports mid-career academics with mentorship, resources, and opportunities to advance their careers. 💡 As part of the #PathToProf campaign, explore the profiles of current SUNRISE fellows and meet the inspiring scholars shaping the future of research and leadership at Stellenbosch University. 𝓜𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓩𝓮𝓵𝓭𝓪 𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼 #PathToProf #SUNRISE #StellenboschUniversity #AcademicLeadership #ResearchExcellence #NextGenAcademics #HigherEducation #ResearchforImpact #FutureProfessors

In many parts of the world, maternal mental health is an under-resourced and often overlooked area of public health. In South Africa, nearly half of all women suffer from depression either during pregnancy or postnatally. To address this challenge, an international team, including researchers from Stellenbosch University (SU), is investigating a culturally grounded and accessible solution for improving maternal mental health: music. Read more: www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimp… #Maternalhealth #Music #SDGs #SDG3 #Musictherapy #ResearchforImpact

Stellenbosch University’s SUNRISE programme supports mid-career academics with mentorship, resources, and opportunities to advance their careers. 💡 As part of the #PathToProf campaign, explore the profiles of current SUNRISE fellows and meet the inspiring scholars shaping the future of research and leadership at Stellenbosch University. 𝓜𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓷𝔀𝔂𝓷𝓮 𝓒𝓸𝓮𝓽𝔃𝓮𝓮 #PathToProf #SUNRISE #StellenboschUniversity #AcademicLeadership #ResearchExcellence #NextGenAcademics #HigherEducation #ResearchforImpact #FutureProfessors