Researchers at Stellenbosch University will be pleased to learn that the Library has further strengthened its already impressive collection of online resources. Recent additions include JoVE, SYNTHIA, and the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. Some of these resources have been on our wishlist for several years, but budget constraints made it difficult to acquire them. This year, by cancelling underutilised resources and opting for more cost-effective alternatives, we were able to realise savings that made these new subscriptions possible.

JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) Education

Our JoVE Education subscription provides complementary access to JoVE Research and JoVE Business. JoVE is the world’s leading producer of high-quality science videos. It provides visual demonstrations of experiments in a wide range of disciplines. Millions of scientists, educators, and students at thousands of universities, colleges, hospitals, and biopharmaceutical companies rely on JoVE for their research, teaching, and learning needs.

This resource will help SU researchers and students to:

  • Master experimental techniques
  • Enhance classroom and lab instruction
  • Stay current with cutting-edge science
  • Access a rich video library of high-quality science videos.

THE (Times Higher Education) Rankings

Our recent subscription to the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings is both timely and strategic. It aligns with the University’s bolder ambition to feature among the world’s top 100 institutions and supports its focus on impactful research, as outlined in SU’s core strategic themes.

With this subscription, those who are curious about where the world’s top universities stand, and how Stellenbosch University measures up, now have this information at their fingertips. THE  rankings focus on core areas such as research, teaching, citations, industry income, and international outlook.

SYNTHIA™

Are you a curious chemist wanting to explore new resources?

RETROSYNTHESIS Software SYNTHIA is a professional design tool that is mainly tailored for your needs. What makes SYNTHIA special is that it is ‘expert-coded’ with all the rules of organic chemistry as we have learned them (there are over 120,000 of them). What sets SYNTHIA apart, is that it takes into account protective groups, if required, as well as regio- and stereochemistry, and electronic effects. It is a very handy resource for chemists.

All first-time users need to complete the self-registration to use SYNTHIA.

These new tools demonstrate our continued commitment to supporting the core business of the University. They are a direct contribution to the University’s strategic agenda and we hope researchers will explore and use them in their research.

Author: Dr Siviwe Bangani