The finalists for the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) -South32 Awards are Prof Rose Hayeshi, Prof Frikkie van Niekerk and Prof Josef de Beer.

 

The NSTF Awards recognise the outstanding contributions of individuals and groups to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation. Because of the prestige attached to these awards, they are known as South Africa’s “Science Oscars”.

 

Meet our nominees

 

Rose, an associate professor and the director of the *DSI/NWU Preclinical Drug Development Platform, was nominated for the TW Kambule-NSTF Award as an emerging researcher while Frikkie, from Nuclear Engineering and the Unit for Energy and Technology, was nominated for the Management Award.

 

Josef, as the team leader of the Teachers Without Borders project in the research unit Self-Directed Learning, was nominated for the Communication Award. The members of his team are Prof Neal Petersen (natural sciences), Prof Marthie van der Walt (mathematics), Tswakae Sebotsa (natural sciences) and Benjamin Seleke (technology).

 

An adjudication panel of independent judges is responsible for the accreditation and selection process for the NSTF-South32 Awards. The 22nd annual awards function will be live-streamed on 30 July, celebrating this year’s theme, Plant Health.

 

We are of course holding thumbs that our three scientists will soon enjoy a wonderful (virtual) evening at the Oscars – as finalists, and hopefully also as category winners.

 

* Department of Science and Innovation

Three NWU scientists have a toehold on the red carpet that has been rolled out for this year’s Science Oscars.

NWU & U  |