Groundbreaking work, demanding years of teaching and learning and specialised research have over the past decade and a half led to the North-West University (NWU) now being described as the South African pioneer in the sophisticated field of nuclear engineering. This follows after the recent completion of the maximum contracted period of 15 years for a research chair at the NWU’s Faculty of Engineering.

The South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) was established in 2006 by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the National Research Foundation (NRF). This chair was the only research chair in Nuclear Engineering in South Africa, and the NWU is currently still the only university in South Africa that offers master’s-degree and PhD programmes in Nuclear Science and Engineering.

According to Prof Jat du Toit, director of the chair, the aim of the chair was to perform world-class research and contribute to the training of highly qualified nuclear engineers and scientists to serve the needs of the country. “The SARChI chairs are designed to attract and retain excellence in research and innovation with a long-term investment trajectory of up to 15 years. The main emphasis of the chair was on the new generation of light-water reactors and high-temperature gas-cooled reactors with improved safety and efficiency features. Over the past 15 years, the team has focused on the computer modelling of the neutronic behaviour, heat transfer and fluid flow of the reactors and the associated systems. Over this period, we have achieved major successes,” he proudly says.

According to a recent report by the NRF, the NWU’s postgraduate programme in Nuclear Engineering has over the past three five-year cycles functioned successfully and succeeded in achieving the original goal of “the development of human capital with a nuclear focus through teaching and research”. 

Furthermore, a significant number of research outputs were produced in the form of publications and recognition for work done by faculty and students contributing to the chair programme.  The research was conducted because of every indication that nuclear power will make up a significant part of the future power supply mix in South Africa and therefore the chair programme remained relevant and essential.

From the beginning of the second five-year cycle, the chair focused particularly on fostering a research culture. Two major technical fields were identified. In the first place the primary focus would be on thermal-fluid system modelling, and in the second place on advanced fuel cycles. These topics were an extension and expansion of the foundation laid during the first cycle.

At the beginning of the third five-year cycle the focus of the chair continued to be entirely on the fostering of a research culture. During the duration of the chair, no fewer than 157 students completed their studies under the supervision of the members of the chair team. These included 40 MSc students, 99 MEng students and 18 PhD students. It is worth noting that of the 19 South Africans employed by the Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group in the Netherlands, 11 completed their postgraduate studies in Nuclear Engineering at NWU.

The chair team and students also published 45 papers in peer-reviewed journals and one peer-reviewed book chapter, presented 64 papers at peer-reviewed international conferences and presented 25 papers at peer-reviewed national conferences. Chair team members also presented eight keynote addresses.

The NRF’s report stated further that it can be concluded that the chair contributed to the expansion of scientific research – particularly in the field of nuclear science and engineering – in South Africa, and through this also contributed to the improvement of South Africa’s international research standing in nuclear science and engineering.

“Although the chair did not directly appoint researchers, the chair activities and research environment created by the chair contributed to the attraction and appointment of excellent researchers in the Postgraduate School of Nuclear Science and Engineering. The chair enabled these colleagues to build their research careers through the students they supervised and their personal research. Furthermore, all the skills transferred to the students should enable them not only to perform in a research environment, but in any other field where their analytical skills and skills to identify, analyse and solve problems will be of value.”

The chair had a lasting impact on the academic project of the university. It included:

• The establishment of strategic alliances with private-sector companies.

• The establishment of strategic and lasting collaborations with public-sector institutions.

• As an indirect consequence of the chair activities, the NWU and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) formed a long-term formal alliance to jointly undertake research projects.

• A number of NECSA staff have been appointed as extraordinary (associate) professors at the NWU.

• The establishment of lasting relationships with international organisations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

• The NWU has been recognised nationally and beyond as a prime university for nuclear engineering research and training.

• Through the activities of the chair, post-graduate training modules in nuclear engineering were developed.  These modules are still taught at the university.

• The IAEA accredited the NWU’s master’s degree in Nuclear Science and Technology Management. The NWU was the fifth university worldwide to earn this recognition. 

• The chair has led to sustainable nuclear engineering programmes at the NWU.  A core group of eight researchers remain, of which the full-time NWU component is fully funded by the NWU. 

“The chair would like to thank the DSI and the NRF for funding of more than R34 million and for supporting the SARChI Chair in Nuclear Engineering at the North-West University for the past 15 years. It resulted in the training of students at master’s-degree and doctoral level, many of whom have continued to make valuable contributions in academia and the industry. It can be concluded that the effect of the activities of the chair is felt all over the world. We made our mark and we are leaving a legacy,” Prof Du Toit concluded.

The foresight of the DSI and NRF in establishing research chairs as a primary means of furthering scarce skills development and improving the South African research acumen is commendable.  The investment and outcomes of the research chair in Nuclear Engineering at the NWU serve to illustrate how great an impact these initiatives have.