Last night’s The NSTF-South32 Awards (28 June) celebrated outstanding contributions to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation.
Categories in the awards are:
* Scientific research;
* Innovation;
* Management and related activities
* Capacity development in engineering research
* Environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation;
* Water research and innovation;
* Data management and stewardship;
* Communication;
* Technology transfer, as well as education and training; and
* Sustainable energy for all (special annual theme award in recognition of the International Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (#SEforAll) declared by the United Nations).
At the 20th anniversary celebration of the flagship project of the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF), tributes were made to the 204 NSTF Awards recipients dating back to 1998.
A special anniversary award, the Ukhozi Award: for an essential contribution to the NSTF and the NSTF Awards, was made to Dr Xolani Humphrey Mkhwanazi, director and chairman of Phathela Investments;vice-chairman of the Public Investment Corporation; chancellor of Vaal University of Technology; chairman of the Central Energy Fund; and non-executive director of South32, Gibela, and Murray & Roberts.
A Special Annual Theme Award: Sustainable Energy for All (in recognition of the United Nations ‘International Decade of Sustainable Energy for All’) was made to Professor Harald Winkler, director of the Energy Research Centre at the University of Cape Town.
A Lifetime Award: (by an individual over 15 years or more) was made to Prof Kevin Wall, independent consultant; and extraordinary professor in the Department of Construction Economics at the University of Pretoria (UP).
Prof Etheresia (Resia) Pretorius, dead of the Department of Physiological Sciences; director: Applied Morphology Research Centre, Department of Physiology, Stellenbosch University (SU), received the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher through research and its outputs (by an individual up to 15 years as a researcher predominantly in South Africa).
Wendy Collinson, Project Executant: Wildlife and Roads Project, Endangered Wildlife Trust, was given the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher through research and its outputs (by an individual up to six years in research predominantly in South Africa).
The TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher through research and its outputs (by an individual up to six years in research predominantly in South Africa) went to Dr Musa Manzi, Senior Researcher and Director: Seismic Research Centre, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).
Prof Stephen Tollman, Research Professor and Head: Division of Health and Population, Faculty of Health Sciences; Director: South African Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, Wits; Principal Scientist: International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and their Health, Ghana, was the recipient of the Management Award: contribution through management and related SET and innovation activities (by an individual over the last five to 10 years).
The Engineering Research Capacity Development Award: (by an individual over the last five to 10 years) went to Prof Mmantsae Diale, Associate Professor: Department of Physics at UP.
Prof Ian Jandrell, Personal Professor: School of Electrical and Information Engineering; Executive Dean: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment; Joint leader: High Voltage and the Lightning/Electromagnetic Compatibility Research Group, Wits, won the Engineering Research Capacity Development Award: (by an individual over the last five to 10 years).
Prof Malik Maaza, Senior Scientist: National Research Foundation Nanosciences LABS, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa; Chair: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Africa (UNESCO), received the NSTF-GreenMatter Award: towards biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability and a greener economy (by an individual or an organisation over the last five to 10 years).
The NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award: towards achieving sustainable water management, knowledge generation and solutions with demonstrated leadership and impact (by an individual or an organisation over the last five to 10 years) went to Prof Leslie Petrik, Professor: Dept of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape.
South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), co-ordinated by Benjamin Roberts, Human Sciences Research Council, was given the Data for Research Award: for advancing the availability, management and use of data for research (by an individual or an organisation).
Prof Keolebogile Motaung, Founder: Global Health Biotech (Pty) Ltd; and Assistant Dean: Postgraduate Studies, Research, Innovation and Engagement, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, received the Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation for innovations and their research and/or development (by a team or an individual over the last five to 10 years).
SUN Magnetics and its director Prof Coenraad Fourie; and Professor: Electrical and Electronic Engineering, SU, got the Innovation Award: Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) for innovations and their research and/or development (by a team or an individual over the last five to 10 years).
University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), directed by Prof Christiaan (Tiaan) de Jager; Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences; and Professor: Environmental Health, School of Health Systems and Public Health, UP, was selected for the Communication Award: for outreach and creating awareness (by a team or individual over the last five years).
The Platinum Incubator, under CEO Sibongile Purity Shongwe, was given the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Award: including technology transfer, and education and training activities (over the last five to 10 years).