ASSISTING IN ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Who is NITheP?
NITheP was o cially launched in May 2008. World-renowned theoretic physicist Prof Stephen Hawking, Nobel Laureate Prof David Gross and the South African Minister of Science and Technology were among those who attended the launch.

Vision
To be Africas leading and an internationally competitive research and training institute in theoretical physics, a discipline that provides the conceptual framework for the natural sciences. Current statistics 13 sta members. Post-doctoral fellows. 56 Individual associates, represented at all South African universities. 4 Institutional associates and 3 strategic associates. Summary of 2012 activities Hosted 8 workshops and 2 schools, involving 179 students (101 SA and 78 African participants). Long-term visits totalling 11.5 visitor months (foreign visitors collaborating with NITheP associates). Appointment of the rst junior associates at the Universities of Limpopo and Venda. This is part of NIThePs policy to engage with and build capacity at institutions that do not have teaching or research programmes in theoretical physics. 2 faculty development initiatives: at the University of Venda and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). 245 hours of teaching by NITheP sta to 38 postgraduate students. 71 publications (successively increasing for the past 4 years). Sponsorship of the 3-week African School of Physics, held in Ghana. This school was also attended by several South African students. As part of the African Development programme, capacity development

in Theoretical Physics in Africa is very much part of the NITheP mandate and agenda. Supported 56 short-term visitors. Supported 7 long-term visitors, totalling 9.5 months. Awarded 39 bursaries. Provided 16 internships (50% obtained credits at their home institute). Saw 7 students graduate under NITheP supervision (5 MSc and 2 PhD). Supported outreach: 2 public talks (Western Cape and Gauteng). Escom Expo for Young Scientists. Boyden Science Adventure Camp. iThemba LABS She-roes initiative. Stellenbosch University outreach trip to Overberg, as well as a presentation to SAASTA to showcase experiments performed during the trip.

NITheP has the capability to act as a launching platform for the research careers of, especially, young researchers and to effectively contribute to the national pool of human capital.

Prof Frederik Scholtz, Director of NITheP

MSc & PhD students under NITheP supervision who graduated in the period 2008 - 2012

MSc & PhD students under NITheP supervision and in NIThePs bursary programme who graduated in the period 2010 - 2012

Publication trend for the period 2008 - 2012

www.nithep.ac.za