02-04-2014, 11:48 AM
The launch of the new Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences will help contribute to the creation of a competitive, knowledge based economy, says Science and Technology (DST) Minister Derek Hanekom.
“The centre assists in identifying our disciplinary weaknesses or socio-economic threats, and then set about addressing them. Mathematics is the spinal cord of science, engineering and technology development and as such, it is critical to South Africa's National System of Innovation, and to our future as a competitive, knowledge-based economy,†said the minister.
Minister Hanekom was speaking at the launch of the centre at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
The launch of the centre brings to 14 the total number of centres established since 2004 by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF).
The centres take the lead in researching various areas of national interest and are designed to accelerate the delivery of appropriate human resources and knowledge capacity, as well as to enhance the international competitiveness of South African research.
Minister Hanekom said the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) places importance on improving mathematics education from primary school through university.
The Director of the CoE in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Prof Fazal Mahomed, of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics at Wits, said: “This centre gives us an opportunity to push the forefront of research and open up new areas of research.â€
The main research focus of the centre according to Prof. Ebrahim Momoniat, Head of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics at Wits, will be under the theme of ‘Mathematics of the Earth and Environment’.
The DST/NRF centre in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences brings to four the number of centres hosted by Wits. The other three are the centre in Strong Materials, the centre in Paleosciences, and the centre in Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, co-hosted with the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Cape Town. - SAnews.gov.za
“The centre assists in identifying our disciplinary weaknesses or socio-economic threats, and then set about addressing them. Mathematics is the spinal cord of science, engineering and technology development and as such, it is critical to South Africa's National System of Innovation, and to our future as a competitive, knowledge-based economy,†said the minister.
Minister Hanekom was speaking at the launch of the centre at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
The launch of the centre brings to 14 the total number of centres established since 2004 by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF).
The centres take the lead in researching various areas of national interest and are designed to accelerate the delivery of appropriate human resources and knowledge capacity, as well as to enhance the international competitiveness of South African research.
Minister Hanekom said the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) places importance on improving mathematics education from primary school through university.
The Director of the CoE in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Prof Fazal Mahomed, of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics at Wits, said: “This centre gives us an opportunity to push the forefront of research and open up new areas of research.â€
The main research focus of the centre according to Prof. Ebrahim Momoniat, Head of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics at Wits, will be under the theme of ‘Mathematics of the Earth and Environment’.
The DST/NRF centre in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences brings to four the number of centres hosted by Wits. The other three are the centre in Strong Materials, the centre in Paleosciences, and the centre in Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, co-hosted with the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Cape Town. - SAnews.gov.za