Minister Pandor announces the 2014 NRF Awards winners

The Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor today announced the recipients for top honours in the science and research field at the annual National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards. The award recipients, who are top researchers in South Africa and rated by the NRF, were announced at a ceremony at the Thaba Ya Batswana Eco Hotel in Johannesburg, Gauteng on Thursday, 11 September 2014.

The NRF Awards celebrate leading researchers in their respective fields based on peer evaluation and according to international best practice. The work of these researchers is assessed for, among other things, their contribution to the field of study focusing on quality and impact. The awards are also aimed at inspiring and encouraging the continued culture of advancing South Africa’s knowledge economy and technological innovativeness by rewarding those that make use of research for the advancement and betterment of humanity.

In congratulating all winners, Minister Pandor singled out, Professors Opie and Coovadia for being awarded lifetime achievement awards, “I am in awe of your work and I thank you, on behalf of the South African people, from the bottom of my heart.” Minister Pandor said.

Dr Albert van Jaarsveld, CEO of the NRF, said, "With the success of research comes the acknowledgement of those who have committed their careers to pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge. The NRF Awards celebrate the work of the country’s rated researchers by highlighting their achievements. For the NRF, our work will continue to support the country’s research community, enabling established scientists to continue their valuable contributions to South Africa’s knowledge economy, as well as providing the means for our next generation researchers and emerging researchers to continue pushing the boundaries of human knowledge."

The NRF Rating System, which is used to evaluate researchers, is a world respected benchmark based on peer reviews that assess the quality and impact of the work of researchers seeking an NRF rating. The annual NRF Awards, therefore, highlight and celebrate the work of those who, according to their peers, have distinguished themselves in their fields.

This year’s NRF Awards are made in the categories of A and P ratings as well as in a number of special categories.

The special NRF Awards were presented to the following:

• Professor Lionel Opie of the University Of Cape Town and Professor Hoosen Coovadia from the University of Witwatersrand and the University of KwaZulu-Natal who respectively accepted the top accolade of the evening, the NRF Lifetime Achievement Awards, which recognises the lifelong research achievements of individuals together with their impact on society.
• Professor Stella Nkomo of the University of Pretoria who received the Transformation of the Science Cohort Award, which recognises individuals who have played key roles in addressing the issue of advancing women and black scientists in terms of their research performance.
• Professor Fazal Mahomed of the University of the Witwatersrand who was the recipient of the Champion of Research Capacity Development at South African Higher Education Institutions award, which recognises the individual’s efforts in helping nurture the next generation of talented researchers and impact of research outputs of the students.
• The Science Team Award was awarded to Professor Lee Berger of the University of the Witwatersrand’s Rising Star Expedition Team, whose work has had a positive impact in its field and which has also contributed significantly to raising the profile of South African research.

The awards also honour both A-rated researchers, those who have been recognised by their peers as leading international scholars, as well as P-rated researchers, young scientists who are considered to be future leaders in their fields based on their published doctoral work and/or research outputs.

The awardees for the NRF awards 2014: 

Enquiries:
Palesa Mokoena
Tel: 012 481 4958
E-mail: palesa.mokoena@nrf.ac.za