Welcome to Research Matters
Welcome to Research Matters. This curated site highlights some of the University of Pretoria’s most impactful and innovative research which addresses some of our society’s most pressing concerns so that we can transform lives and communities. We are rated as the number one university in South Africa for research outputs. Our vision is to be a leading research-intensive university in Africa that is recognised internationally for its quality, relevance and impact. We develop people, create knowledge and strive to make a difference locally and internationally.
'Imaging Black Holes With An Earth-Sized Telescope'
On 10 April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration revealed the first image of a black hole. This required a large international effort by over 200 scientists spread across five continents.
The team uses a technique called radio interferometry, synthesising a virtual telescope with the effective diameter of the Earth. By using antennas with separations on inter-continental scales, and observing a wavelength of light of 1 mm, the team is able to achieve an effective angular resolution of ~20 micro-arcseconds (the apparent size of a doughnut on the moon). This sharp imaging capability is what enabled the first spatially-resolved image of a black hole shadow – which by some estimates was seen by well over a billion people. Apart from providing visual confirmation of the existence of black holes, the size and shape of the shadow feature could in future provide a stringent test of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity in the strong-field regime.
In this lecture, Prof Deane provides an overview of the instrument and the key scientific results, as well as looking to the future of this exciting field.
'Energy efficiency and demand side management: Do they still come to the rescue?'
The lecture gives an overview of the research activities of CNES which is a Centre of Excellence focused on energy efficiency research, service and development. It hosts the National Hub for the Postgraduate Programme in Energy Efficiency and Demand-side Management of which Prof Xia is the director, as well as the Exxaro Chair in Energy Efficiency. Prof Xia discusses energy efficiency and demand side management and poses the question whether this can still rescue the country from its energy predicament.
#UPGivingMatters: Stand a chance to win an iconic ‘one-of-a-kind’ 1967 VW Beetle with a proud UP history
The University of Pretoria (UP) is one of Africa’s top universities and the largest contact university in South Africa. We produce socially impactful research to find solutions for the world’s most pressing issues. We have a high quality of teaching and learning in the classroom, online, or in communities. We have support in place for our students to graduate on time as well-rounded, responsible citizens fully prepared for the world beyond university.
UP Research Facts
