Annual Research Report 2020

47 Executive Summary It gives me pleasure to present a summary of the 2020 Research Report of the School of Natural and Applied Sciences. This apprecia- tion arises from the fact that the report indicates that the School is indeed moving in the right direction with its research activities. During the year under review, the School has made a significant improvement in research output and other strategic matters on research. The School produced a total of 19 papers in peer-reviewed journals. In the three years 2017–2019, the School produced an annual aver- age of four papers, a small fraction, 21%, of the 2020 publications. The number of academics with NRF funding in the different cate- gories is on the rise. For the first time in the School, we have NRF- rated researchers, not just one, but two. Strategically, a five-year research plan has been developed with clearly stipulated objectives and research themes that will guide the School research focus. A significant step towards the creation of research centres was taken with the application by the School and approval by the NRF to host the Global Change: Risk and Vulnerable Science Centre. In terms of human capital, the academic staff in the School comprise 31% se- nior staff, including two associate professors who joined the School during the year under review. Lastly, one big challenge facing two of the departments in the School, Biological & Agricultural Sciences and Physical & Earth Sciences, is lack of laboratory space for research. With the in- creasing numbers of postgraduates, lack of research space is fast becoming an Achilles heel for the School. The NAS Five-year Research Plan has been designed to address the University’s, and by implication the School’s, Strategic Goal 1: To become research active in prioritised niches within a sup- portive institutional environment and culture. This strategic goal, which emphasises research, is an important one for the School as we set out to implement the plans that will see the School gaining significant ground in growing its research activi- ties. The following achievements are worth noting: • Development of the School Strategic Plan 2020–2024 which, under Goal 1, outlines the four key performance areas (KPAs)/ strategies that will guide the School to achieve its research objectives. School of Natural and Applied Science (NAS) NAS Five-Year Research Plan (2020–2024) 2.1 Research Strategic Objectives Objective 1 Promote and support research excellence Objective 2 Promote and support disciplinary excellence and interdisciplinary research Objective 3 Initiate research collaboration, partnerships, and innovation Objective 4 Strengthening research base Objective 5 Developing research- supporting the environment (Resource mobilisation strategy) – Staff development and training – Strengthen both disciplinary based and interdisciplinary research – Focus on partnerships as a mechanism to enhance innovation – Undergraduate as feeder to the honours programmes – Mobilisation of adequate resources – Annual Research Day – Generate research opportunities through collaboration – Similarly, honours programmes as feeder to higher degrees – Third-stream income 2.2 Research Themes – Emerging technologies, data science and cybersecurity – Environmental science, climate change and renewable energy – Sustainable resource management for sustainable livelihoods – Biodiversity conservation and agriculture in arid zones 2.3 Research Centres – Centre for Data Science and Data Analytics – Arid Zone Research Centre Prof. Aifheli Gelebe Head of School