The awards are the largest, most comprehensive and sought-after national awards of its kind in the country and recognise excellence and outstanding contributions to science, engineering and technology and innovation.
Three of the ten nominations were earned by Prof Victoria Jideani, Leader: Cereals and Legumes Biopolymer Research for Food Security.
Jideani was nominated in the categories: TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher, Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation and the Special Annual Theme Award: Plant Health.
Prof Penelope Engel-Hills, Associate Professor: Interdisciplinary Health Science and the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences was recognised with a nomination in the Lifetime Award.
The other nominees are:
- Prof Vernon S Somerset, Associate Professor: Environmental Chemistry, for the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher.
- Dr Mahabubur Rahman Chowdhury, Senior Lecturer: Department of Chemical Engineering, for the the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher.
- Prof Oluwafemi O Oguntibeju – Group Leader: Phytomedicine and Phytochemistry Research Group for the Data for Research Award.
- Associate Prof Maretha Opperman, Head and Co-Inventor of Patents: Functional Foods Research Unit, for the Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation
- Prof Jeanine Marnewick, Research Chair: Biotechnology and Director: Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology, for the Communication Award
- Prof Izak van Zyl, Associate Professor: Transdisciplinary Studies, Department of Applied Design, for the TW Kambule-NSTF Award:Emerging Researcher
The theme for the 2019/2020 NSTF-South32 Awards is Plant Health. This is in recognition of the 2020 International Year of Plant Health as declared by the United Nations. The announcement of the NSTF-South32 Awards finalists will made in May and the 22nd annual Awards function will be in an online format this year. The date for the function is yet to be announced.
