Winners: NSTF Awards 2023/2024
List of this year’s scientific excellence award winners
Prof Ben-Erik van Wyk – DST/NRF SARChI Chair in Indigenous Plant Use, University of Johannesburg (UJ )
TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher
Prize sponsor: proSET (Professionals in science, engineering and technology), a sector of the NSTF representing almost 50 professional societies
Prof Patience Mthunzi-Kufa – Research Group Head for Biophotonics and Manager (Photonics Centre), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Professor Extraordinarius: University of South Africa (UNISA)
TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher (two winners)
Prizes sponsored by the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS)
Dr Tiisetso E Lephoto – Lecturer and Principal Researcher, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
and
Prof Tebogo Mashifana – Associate Professor and Head of Department (Dept): Chemical Engineering Technology, UJ
Prof Bernard Slippers – Professor: Dept of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology; Director: Tree Protection Co-operative Programme; Director: Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria (UP); and Director: Innovation Africa @UP
Engineering Research Capacity Development Awards (two awards)
Sponsored by Eskom since 2003
Male winner
Prof Emmanuel Iwuoha – Professor: Chemistry, University of the Western Cape (UWC); DSI/NRF SARChI Chair of NanoElectrochemistry
Female winner
Prof Claudia Polese – Associate Professor: Aerospace Manufacturing and Design; Head: Aeronautical Engineering Stream; Deputy Director: African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence in Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology; Advisory Aerospace Research Director: National Aerospace Centre; Wits Associate Professor: Aerospace Manufacturing and Design; Head: Aeronautical Engineering Stream, Wits; Deputy Director: African Research Universities Alliance, Centre of Excellence in Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology; Advisory Aerospace Research Director: National Aerospace Centre
NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award
Sponsored by the WRC since 2017
Prof Timothy Dube – Director: Institute for Water Studies, UWC; Adjunct Professor: United Nations University, Flores, Germany
NSTF-SAMRC Clinician-Scientist Award
Sponsored by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) since 2023
Dr June Fabian – Director: Wits Donald Gordon Medical Research Institute; Post-doctoral Researcher; Co-Lead: Clinical Research Platform: SAMRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit; Lecturer: Department (Dept) of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wits
Sponsored by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)
Prof Linda Godfrey – Manager: Circular Innovation South Africa, Principal Scientist: Circular Economy, CSIR; Extraordinary Professor: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University (NWU)
Science Diplomacy for Africa Award
NEW Sponsorship: Science Diplomacy Capital for Africa initiative (SDCfA) of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the CSIR
Prof Irvy (Igle) Gledhill – Visiting Adjunct Professor: School of Mechanical, Industrial & Aeronautical Engineering, Wits
uLwazi Node, South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) Open Data Platform, National Research Foundation – Mr Leo Chiloane, Manager
Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation
Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure NPC – Prof Mike Sathekge, Chief Executive Officer and President
Innovation Award: Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME)
Sponsored by the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) since 2019
Jonker Sailplanes (Pty) Ltd – Co-Founder, Shareholder and Director: Prof Attie Jonker, School of Mechanical Engineering, NWU
Prof Jennifer Fitchett – Professor: Physical Geography, Wits
Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Award
OLICO Maths Education – Director: Maths Education, Dr Lynn Bowie
Special Annual Theme Award: Fourth Industrial Revolution in South Africa
Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA), a partnership of University of Cape Town (UCT), UWC and UP – Prof Patrick Woudt, Interim Director: Department of Astronomy, UCT