c*change - more than just catalysis

Catalysis itself is about chemical transformation, the agents which cause it, the science underlying it, and the engineering of processes to practice it on and industrial scale. The Centre of Excellence in Catalysis, however, is about more than Science, Engineering and Technology development in catalysis. Although, fundamentally about excellence, it is also about a new and different approach to academic scientific practice in South Africa and, inter-alia, about a transformation of the body of South African researchers in terms of the age, gender and cultural profile of the country. The Centre enthusiastically subscribes to this vision of DST and NRF, and this commitment is reflected in the Centre's name and logo.

It emphasises "change" in association with "C" for Catalysis and Centre, resulting in a dual meaning and an overt play on "sea-change" - Shakespeare's sweeping synonym for transformation and one which resonates well with the action of catalysis. The c* motif reflects common practice, an asterisk or star in printed works, to represent the active site, or "catalytic centre", fundamental to all catalytic modes.