Disruption as a catalyst for reinvention
- Lynn Morris
[Editorial] For a leading African university like Wits, disruption has become not just an inevitability, but a force for reinvention.
Disruption is often viewed through a negative lens – unpredictable, destabilising, even threatening. But, when harnessed with intent, disruption can drive equity, innovation and bold, necessary change.
We have seen this first-hand. The 足球竞彩app排名 pandemic was one of the greatest disruptors of our generation – upending lives, economies and institutions. However, it also catalysed extraordinary scientific progress. The rapid development of mRNA vaccines did not just change how we respond to pandemics, it disrupted the vaccine paradigm entirely, unlocking potential applications for HIV, TB and cancer. It is no coincidence that South African researchers, including those at Wits, are now at the forefront of mRNA innovation. This is positive disruption with global and local impact.
Likewise, the HIV epidemic – devastating as it was – disrupted the traditional hierarchies of medical science. It forced researchers to partner with activists, integrate social science and respond to the lived realities of communities. What emerged was not only groundbreaking biomedical progress but a new model of science: people-centred, interdisciplinary and accountable. That legacy continues to shape how we confront today’s complex health and social challenges.
The same disruptive energy is transforming how we teach, publish and collaborate. Movements to decolonise higher education have disrupted the dominance of Eurocentric epistemologies, creating space for African knowledge systems, languages and values. The open science movement has upended the traditional publishing monopoly, pushing for free and fair access to knowledge – especially vital for researchers in the Global South.
Technological advances are another source of positive disruption. Artificial intelligence is revolutionising discovery, from predicting protein structures to enhancing diagnostics and unlocking patterns in big data. At Wits, initiatives like the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute are not only leveraging AI but doing so ethically, inclusively and with a deep grounding in human-centred values.
Disruption is also shifting the energy and climate discourse. The move towards renewable energy and a just transition is upending deeply entrenched fossil fuel systems. In South Africa, this offers an unprecedented opportunity to build energy resilience, reduce inequality and empower communities – if done correctly.
Disruption is not inherently good. It must be directed. Left unchecked, it can entrench inequality, erode trust and fragment collaboration. The recent withdrawal of global health research funding, the politicisation of international science and the digital divide are warnings of how disruption can deepen global asymmetries.
The lesson is clear: disruption, while uncomfortable, is also generative. It allows us to question the status quo, reimagine the purpose of research and create knowledge systems that serve society more equitably. Our role as scientists and scholars is to lead this disruption – not resist it so that we build a future that is not only smarter, but fairer and more just.
- Professor Lynn Morris is Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at Wits University.
- This article first appeared in?Curiosity,?a research magazine produced by?Wits Communications?and the?Research Office.
- Read more in the 19th issue, themed #Disruption, which explores the crises, tech, research, and people shaking up our world in 2025.