National Institute for Theoretical Physics

General information

Mission

To sustain a stimulating theoretical physics research and user facility that links South Africa internationally through excellence in research and training thereby supporting scientific innovation, transformation and socio economic development in South Africa.

Vision

To be Africa's leading and an internationally competitive research and training institute in theoretical physics, a discipline that provides the conceptual framework for the natural sciences.

A home for theoretical physics

The National Institute for Theoretical Physics (NITheP) is a national facility that leads research programmes and educational opportunities in the field of theoretical physics in South Africa and Africa. It provides South Africa with the opportunity to become an international player in a truly fundamental field of science.

NITheP is a geographically distributed institute that includes all theoretical physicists in South Africa. Its headquarters is the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) at Stellenbosch University, with regional nodes at the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The three nodes develop and support theoretical physics in their local regions, as well as nationally.

Our History

NITheP was officially 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.

The process of bringing NITheP to fruition follows on four years of behind-the-scenes planning, negotiations and consultation. The wheels were set in motion after an international panel, commissioned by the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP), Department of Science and Technology (DST) and National Research Foundation (NRF) tabled a report in 2004 on "Shaping the Future of Physics in South Africa". It recommended, amongst others, that a national institute for theoretical physics be established to act as a user facility for South African and African theoretical physicists.

A broad consultative process within the South African physics community followed, resulting in the tabling of a proposal to the DST and NRF in November 2004. The proposal received strong support from the international physics community. Letters of endorsement were received from several winners of the Nobel Prize for physics, as well as from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.

After two more years of negotiations to refine the proposal, the South African government announced the establishment of NITheP in May 2006 and committed funding for an initial five-year period. The necessary infrastructure was put in place in 2007, while the first positions for director, five researchers and five post doctorates were advertised by the end of that year.

Our Programmes

For students:

Bursaries
Travel grants for bursary holders
Internships for students

For Associates:

Visitor programme
Mobility programme
Workshops and research programmes

Scientific Advisory Committee

Prof Sylvester James Gates (University of Maryland) http://bit.ly/1FRxiXQ

Prof Kevin Goldstein (University of the Witwatersrand) http://bit.ly/1JYDXBw

Prof Jan Govaerts (Catholic University of Louvain) http://bit.ly/1SGgxoe

Prof Sir Peter Knight (Imperial College) http://bit.ly/1HRc1zU

Prof Francesco Petruccione (NITheP University of KwaZulu-Natal node) http://bit.ly/1G6rThJ

Prof Frans Pretorius (Princeton) http://bit.ly/1KCfCCx

Prof Kennedy Reed (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) http://bit.ly/1ARqJV4

Prof Joao Rodrigues (NITheP University of the Witwatersrand node) http://bit.ly/1BtHi4h

Prof Shahin Sheikh-Jabbari (Institute for Research in Fundamental/ IPM) http://bit.ly/1SGfLHH

Prof Frederik Scholtz (NITheP Stellenbosch node) http://bit.ly/1cn1FcI

Prof Neil Turok (Perimeter) http://bit.ly/1ABRbBO

Steering committee members (1 September
2015 until 31 August 2018)

Dr Rob Adam (SKA Director)

Prof Eugene Cloete (DVC Research Stellenbosch University)

Prof Barry Green (AIMS Director)

Prof Joseph Kirui (UNIVEN)

Prof Azwinndini Muronga (UJ Physics Department/UJ Soweto Science Centre Director)

Prof Francesco Petruccione (Deputy-Director of NITheP) (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

Prof Fernando Quevedo (ICTP)

Prof Joao Rodrigues (Deputy-Director of NITheP) (School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand)

Prof Frederick Scholtz (Director of NITheP)

Dr Nthabiseng Taole (Programme Director: Centres of Excellence, Knowledge Fields Development, NRF National Research Foundation)

Dr Amanda Weltman (UCT)

Management Committee

Dr Kevin Goldstein (NITheP Associate Member)(University of the Witwatersrand)

Prof Francesco Petruccione (NITheP Deputy-Director) (University of KwaZulu-Natal http://www.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx)

Prof Joao Rodrigues (NITheP Deputy-Director)(University of the Witwatersrand http://web.wits.ac.za/)

Prof Frederick Scholtz (NITheP Director)