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The National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) is pleased to announce the group of nominees contending for the 24th prestigious NSTF-South32 Awards.
The NSTF Awards were established in 1998 as a collaborative effort to recognise and promote outstanding contributions to science, engineering and technology (SET), and innovation by SET-related professionals, teams and organisations in South Africa. This includes experienced researchers, engineers, innovators, science communicators, engineering research capacity builders, and organisational managers/leaders, as well as data and research managers.
South32 is a resources company and longstanding partner of the NSTF Awards, anchoring this non-profit endeavour.
The NSTF-South32 Awards are known as the ‘Science Oscars’ of South Africa. These are the largest, most comprehensive, and most sought-after national awards of their kind in the country. These were also the first science awards in the country.
Read more about agricultural technology here.
The NSTF’s theme for 2022 is ‘basic sciences for sustainable development’. This is in recognition of the 2022 International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development as declared by the United Nations (UN). The NSTF will hand out a special award to recognise contributions in this regard. The 24th annual awards will celebrate this theme.
Join the NSTF membership and pioneering partners/sponsors in applauding the 2021/2022 NSTF-South32 Awards nominees. Below are the nominees in the various categories whose work has bearing on the agricultural sector (click here for the full list of nominees):
Lifetime Award
- Prof Evans MN Chirwa – Professor: Rand Water Research Chair in Water Utilisation, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria (UP).
- Prof Guy F Midgley – Distinguished professor and head: Global Change Biology Group; and interim director: School for Climate Studies, Stellenbosch University.
- Prof Brenda D Wingfield – DSI/NRF SARChl chair: Fungal Genomics; and Professor: Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), UP
TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher
- Prof Tamiru Abiye – Professor: Hydrogeology Programme, School of GeoScience, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).
- Prof Marique Aucamp – Associate professor: Pharmaceutics Department, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape.
- Dr Lawrence D Makia – Senior lecturer: Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda.
- Prof Wanda Markotter – Professor and director: Centre for Viral Zoonoses; Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/National Research Foundation (NRF), South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) chair: Infectious Diseases of Animals (Zoonoses); and research chair: People, Health and Places, Future Africa Institute, UP.
TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher – Prize sponsor: proSET (Professionals in SET), a sector of the NSTF representing professional bodies and learned societies
- Dr Moses Basitere – Senior lecturer: Academic Support Programme for Engineering in Cape Town; and research lead: Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater Unit, Water Research Group, Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town (UCT); and research fellow and principal research leader: Biosource Engineering Research Group, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).
- Dr Admire IT Shayanowako – Research fellow: Plant Breeding, African Centre for Crop Improvement; Department of Crop Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Management Award
Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela – CEO: SA Products Regulatory Authority.
- Prof Guy F Midgley – Distinguished professor and head: Global Change Biology Group; Interim Director: School for Climate Studies, Stellenbosch University.
- Prof Godwell Nhamo – Chief researcher and Exxaro Chair: Climate and Sustainability Transitions, University of South Africa (UNISA).
- Dr Admire IT Shayanowako – Research fellow: Plant Breeding, African Centre for Crop Improvement; and Department of Crop Science, UKZN.
Prof Nigel C Bennett – Professor and chair: Department of Science and Innovation/ NRF SARChl, Mammal Behavioural Ecology and Physiology; and Austin Roberts chair of Mammalogy, UP.
Innovations Awards: Sponsored by the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) since 2019
Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation
- Dr Lawrence D Makia – Senior lecturer: Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda.
Prof Francois A Engelbrecht – Director and professor: Climatology.
The announcement of the winners will take place at the Awards Gala Event on 21 July 2022. – Compiled by Renate Louw, AgriOrbit