UCL-Wits Strategic Partner Funds 2020/21 recipients

25 February 2021

Nine outstanding projects were awarded funding in the 2020/21 round of joint seed funding from UCL and Wits University

Following a successful first round in 2019/20, the second annual UCL-Wits University Strategic Partner Funds awarded nine projects funding for collaborative education and research initiatives.

This year's successful proposals each received up to £5,000 each and addressed a range of topics including cognitive neuroscience, global urbanism and regional climate patterns.

One of this year's recipients, Professor Anson McKay (Social & Historical Sciences), said: “Receiving an award from the UCL-Wits University Strategic Partner Funds will allow Dr Fitchett and myself to significantly build on previous research collaboration in southern Africa, both from a research and education perspective. The funds are essential to undertake joint fieldwork in Lesotho, although we are having to be rather agile with our plans given COVID-19 restrictions at the moment.”

Last year, eight projects were awarded funds under the first round of this joint funding call.

Congratulations to all the UCL-Wits University Strategic Partner Funds 2020/21 recipients:

UCL lead applicant	Faculty	Project
Professor Akaterini Fotopoulou	Brain Sciences	Enhancing the frontiers of cognitive neuroscience: foundation work on experimental, electrophysiological methods
Professor Paul Shearing	Engineering Science	Detect-engineering of electrode materials for low-cost advanced battery technologies
Professor Anson Mackay	Social & Historical Sciences	Exploring the use of stable isotopes to link water security in Lesotho to regional climate patterns
Professor Jonathan Butterworth	Maths & Physical Sciences	Collaborative effort to use jet substructure measurements for new physics searches
Professor Ben Campkin	Bartlett	Unfinished Symphonies: RE-energising conversations between UCL Urban Laboratory and Wits
Professor Molebogeng Rangaka	Population Health Sciences	Exploring multimorbidity among household contacts of people with TB
Dr Grant Mills	Bartlett	Leveraging UCL-Wits research capacity to develop a research agenda for the Wits School of Construction Economics and Management
Dr Mie Rizig	Brain Sciences	Screening for genetic causes of Systonia in a black South African cohort
Professor Jennifer Robinson	Social & Historical Sciences	Global Urbanism: Global Urban Theory Lab MOOC collaboration

For the latest news about UCL’s international activity, partnerships and opportunities, subscribe to our bimonthly Global Update newsletter.