Innovation Report: Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your role within the NRF?

Dr Angus Paterson: The National Research Foundation really has two halves. The granting side is better known by the academic community, but we also have national facilities with about 900 staff members. We have five national facilities that stretch across different types of infrastructure, as the vast majority of modern research requires infrastructure. South Africa is of a size where we can’t have big infrastructure everywhere, so we have a model where these facilities are not linked to specific universities but are accessible to the whole system.

We have two astronomy facilities – one focused on optical and infrared astronomy, and another housing a very large radio telescope. The third physics facility is NRF-iThemba Labs, which looks at subatomic physics. So we go from understanding the cosmos right down to subatomic science. Then we have two environmental facilities: the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, which focuses on water resources both marine and freshwater, and NRF-SAEON (soon to be proclaimed as our fifth facility), which monitors long-term environmental change.

Innovation Report: What motivates you personally in this role?

Dr Angus Paterson: I’m a scientist at heart, but I really like building things. The infrastructure side is challenging but also very varied and essential in the modern era of science. A lot of my colleagues who are hardcore scientists wonder why I want to get involved in the bureaucracy and procurement, but for me, the excitement is in delivering infrastructure and making it available to scientists to use.

Innovation Report: How does the NRF work to maximize the impact of its research infrastructure investments?

Dr Angus Paterson: There are several different ways to look at impact. One is translating what the research infrastructure does in terms of moving information or knowledge down the innovation value chain. We have a very good example in isotope production from NRF-iThemba Labs, which provides isotopes for the medical sector – there’s a very clear route to impact there.

Sometimes with physics facilities, impact takes longer to understand because it takes time to go from conceptualization to commercialization. But if you look historically at where cell phones come from, where GPS comes from – our astronomy entities play a big role in making sure we link in with the global GPS network. So when you want to get to your destination using Google Maps, the science is there.

A key component in maximizing impact is making sure data is openly available to policymakers. We have specific portals like the Risk and Vulnerability Atlas produced by NRF-SAEON. When you look at NRF-SAIAB (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity), they play a fundamental role in understanding the management of our marine resources and freshwater environment.

National facilities are not there for their own researchers – they’re there to maximize the needs of the country. A key difference between a research program and a national facility is that with infrastructure, you can answer one set of questions in one 5-year period and then address different questions in the next period using the same infrastructure. It’s a very agile approach.

Innovation Report: What role do you see for private sector partnerships in expanding your reach and impact?

Dr Angus Paterson: South Africa invests about 0.6% of GDP in research, so we’re not at the level of the US or UK. When you look at private sector involvement, it’s a win-win situation. The national facilities are predominantly oriented around foundational or basic research, which then goes on to applied research. While the NRF will always maintain its foundational base, in the modern era we want to move down the innovation chain where possible.

Working with industry immediately validates applicability – if you’ve got a product that industry is interested in, you’ve already confirmed the research is needed. From the overall macro level, driving the economy is a fundamental need in South Africa, and science and research have to be at the forefront of that for the betterment of all South Africans.

Innovation Report: How do you see South Africa positioned within the global research landscape?

Dr Angus Paterson: For our size, we’ve got a relatively strong scientific community and some unique advantages. The astronomy sector has benefited from our geographic advantages – we have large portions of the Northern Cape that are very dark and radio silent, perfect for radio and optical astronomy. The MeerKAT project, as a precursor to the SKA MID, has certainly put South Africa on the map and shown the world we can deliver cutting-edge technology.

Looking at NRF-iThemba Labs and our role in the global market of isotope production, along with peer-reviewed research that’s definitely of global standard – we’re making our mark. After democracy, South Africa’s first big project was SALT (Southern African Large Telescope), built with international partners. It showed we could host and build a 10-meter class optical telescope, which led to other projects like MeerKAT. We’re not talking about small infrastructure here – these are global-scale facilities using cutting-edge techniques.

South Africa was also at the forefront during the COVID pandemic in terms of identifying different strains. We’re uniquely positioned to do work in Antarctica and the southern oceans, which is crucial for climate change research. The biodiversity we have also presents major opportunities.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, we’re generally very competitive from a global perspective. While we might not have capabilities across the entire science spectrum like the UK and US, we certainly have areas of research competence that are world-class.

Innovation Report: Could South Africa have what we might call an innovation-led future, and what would that look like?

Dr Angus Paterson: The new decadal plan from the Department of Science and Innovation puts innovation at the center of the 2020-2030 period. A key area is embedding the national facilities more deeply with universities. We’re already very outward-looking, but there are areas we can grow.

The NRF has recently formed a new entity called Business Advancement and Partnerships under Dr. Guebi Tundi, and we’re working on commercialization and innovation strategies to translate foundational research down the value chain. Looking toward the 2030s, we really need to drive the innovation paradigm.

Take the SKA project – you might be innovating to answer specific radio astronomy questions, but what you’re actually developing has applications in big data, signal management, and AI development. South Africa and the national facilities are well-positioned in areas like big data, sensor development, and precision engineering. We’re also moving into the ‘omics’ areas – genomics, proteomics – and structural biology.

Very few of us anticipated how quickly AI and big data would come to the fore, but South Africa is positioned there. The MeerKAT/SKA will produce vast amounts of data for us to manage and develop AI tools. We’re also seeing convergence between disciplines as everyone gets involved with big data at different scales. It’s a very exciting period coming up – challenging but certainly very exciting.

Innovation Report: Could you highlight specific programs you expect to have impact at the national level?

Dr Angus Paterson: From the national facilities, key areas include the provision of medical isotopes, particularly exotic isotopes, for the global community through iThemba Labs, along with materials characterization. Our collaboration with CERN has a specific innovation program – the fourth pillar within the CERN program – which translates big physics ideas into practical applications, from artificial intelligence in the mining industry to autonomous vehicles and sensor technology.

With radio telescopes, the delivery of SKA MID is significant for sensor development. By 2028, the telescope will be producing massive amounts of data, so data management and AI applications will be key focus areas, along with precision engineering. In optical areas, we’re developing technologies like laser combs.

On the environmental side, innovation focuses on climate change mitigation, understanding impacts on South Africa, and managing our natural resources. This includes adding value to industries like agriculture and aquaculture. While there’s no shortage of options, the key aspect going forward will be choosing focus areas that align with broader government thinking.

Innovation Report: Why should the average South African care about the work the NRF is doing?

Dr Angus Paterson: You can answer that at two different scales. Given our historical legacy, which has left us with the world’s highest Gini coefficient, many people’s daily struggles focus on basic necessities. When you’ve got a large percentage of the population lacking basic amenities, big science might not seem like a priority.

However, if we don’t communicate science, we don’t inspire the next generation. We’ve had tremendous success in developing researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds. It’s also taxpayers’ money, so we need a coherent answer about the return on investment in science versus other needs like hospitals and roads.

Our biggest challenge is linking how science has already made a material difference in people’s lives – whether through cell phones, water provision, or motor vehicles. We need to communicate far better with communities, and not just top-down. We need to get more involved in co-creation of what communities really need, whether that be health research into TB, HIV, or other challenges South Africa faces.

Science communication has evolved significantly. The biggest change I’ve seen in the last 10 years is the deep recognition by the scientific community of the need to communicate. If society doesn’t understand what we’re doing, we’re not doing our job. We need to find ways to make science digestible and interesting, especially for the younger generation.

Innovation Report: What aspects of South Africa’s research infrastructure tend to surprise international collaborators?

Dr Angus Paterson: When we hosted the IAU conference in Cape Town, it was a wonderful event. Astronomers from around the world came to see what South Africa offers – to understand the SKA, MeerKAT, SALT, and our other facilities. It also gave them a different lens on South Africa and Africa as a whole.

There are unfortunately some narratives about Africa that I don’t believe are true. Africa has tremendous opportunity and capabilities, and we need to build on those. Science and science diplomacy give South Africa and Africa as a whole the opportunity to show the world the deep capabilities we have. While they may not be as broad as some more developed countries, they are certainly significant. The global standing of many of our researchers and the quality of our research infrastructure is a valuable asset that needs to be better communicated to the global community.

Innovation Report: Looking to the future, what concerns you the most and what excites you the most?

Dr Angus Paterson: What concerns me most is that we must deal with the deep challenges associated with the Gini coefficient and the fact that a large portion of our population is really struggling. Science and research have an opportunity to play a far bigger role in addressing this. We need to drive the case harder in terms of what we provide and ensure our work goes down the impact and innovation value chains.

In terms of opportunities, they are boundless. South Africa has such advantages in areas like astronomy and biodiversity. We’re very well positioned to play a role globally. When you look at competitiveness, we have the intellectual property, we’re highly cost-effective, and we have a big market within South Africa and Africa as a whole.

Those of us in leadership positions – whether at universities or government entities – need to look at the 10-year horizon and have a good idea where we want to be in 2035. Within the national facilities, we’ve got a clear vision of where we want to drive innovation, what capabilities we want to provide to the research landscape. There’s no shortage of opportunities.

South Africa has some real advantages and I think we’re well positioned. We need to look to ourselves to make sure we deliver on the promise to the nation. We have unique capabilities – they may not be as broad as some more developed countries, but they are deep capabilities that we can build on to create an innovation-led future.