Wits research heads into the crowd
- Wits University
Crowdhelix is an internet tool designed to help researchers develop partnerships and collaborations.
Strategic Partnerships in the Wits Research Office purchased Crowdhelix in March as a tool for Wits academics.
“A helix is the focus area for European Horizon 2020 funding programmes,” says Dr Robin Drennan, Director: Research Development at Wits.
Crowdhelix is an Open Innovation platform connecting an international network of universities, research organisations, and companies. The platform currently hosts over 3910 active research and innovation professionals, from over 600 leading institutions and companies worldwide, including Wits University.
Dr Mahomed Moolla, who leads the Strategic Partnership Office, says: “In about a week 50 Wits researchers have embraced this new tool looking to continue collaborating worldwide during lockdown. There has been good uptake of the crowdhelix by Wits researchers, which bodes well for ongoing international research collaboration and potentially funding, particularly during a pandemic.”
Crowdhelix currently hosts 23 active 'helices', which are international communities of researchers and innovators collaborating on a particular topic.
These helices include: Covid-19; health; food; climate; digital energy; materials; quantum; space; smart cities; and water, amongst others.