The NSTF-South32 Awards, dubbed the “Science Oscars” of South Africa, are the most coveted science honours in the nation.
The NSTF-South32 Awards, dubbed the “Science Oscars” of South Africa, are the most coveted science honours in the nation.
The United Nations’ (UN) theme for the decade 2021–2030 served as the inspiration for this year’s theme, which is Ocean science for sustainable development. The NSTF Awards were first presented in 1998, and since 2016 they have been run in collaboration with South32.
The nominees, who are all eligible and competing for the Awards and who have made outstanding contributions to science, engineering, and technology (SET) and innovation in 14 different categories, are announced each year in April.
This includes seasoned scientists, engineers, innovators, science communicators, researchers who build research and engineering capacity, data stewards, organisational managers/leaders, research managers, as well as a scientific discipline that is related to the particular annual theme that the Awards celebrate each year. Typically, the theme is in line with an international one that the UN has declared.
These are the 2023 University of South Africa (Unisa) nominees:
Prof Judy van Biljon – Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology (Lifetime Award)
Prof Alex T Kuvarega – Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology (TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher)
Prof Usisipho Feleni – Unisa’s Nanotechnology and Sustainability Research Unit (NanoWS) in the School of Science (TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher)
Prof Lawrence Madikizela – Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology (TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher)
The Executive Director of Unisa’s Department of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization, Prof. Les Labuschagne, made the following remarks in his congratulatory remarks: “Unisa has produced many world-class researchers over the course of its 150-year history, and the NSTF-South32 Awards enhance the university’s impact by recognising research excellence.”
According to Labuschagne, the nomination standards are very strict. “Only the best researchers are taken into consideration. Even fewer of the select few who do meet the criteria for nomination are successful and receive these esteemed honours.
“Unisa is proud of its nominees for showcasing their brilliance and cumulative successes. They should be honoured for the impact of their research on South Africa and its people. We wish them luck as they compete for these incredibly difficult awards,” he said in conclusion. On July 13, 2023, the NSTF-South32 Award winners will be revealed.