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The new NSTF Awards trophy, a testimony of excellence and success achieved within the research and innovation community
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Nominations for the prestigious 2015/2016 NSTF Awards in partnership with South32 are now open!  
You can now submit nominations for an outstanding contribution to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation for your favourite researchers and other SET-related professionals. Scientists, engineers, technologists, innovators, science communicators, research capacity builders, engineering capacity builders, organisational managers/leaders, and / or research managers.

What is new this year?

  1. The Capacity Development Awards now include Capacity Development in Engineering. Ensure that you nominate people who have made a difference through their supervision and mentorship.
  2. The NSTF is making a special award for a researcher in Crop Science and Food Security research this year, in honour of the 2016 International Year of Pulses, as declared by the United Nations.
  3. The NSTF is launching a brand new website at the end of November 2015, to serve all our members and stakeholders better! Thus Registration of nominations is not taking place online this year. Registration form can be downloaded here.
  4. The Vision of the NSTF is 'a science, engineering, technology and innovation system responsive to the needs of the nation'. The Awards are one of the ways in which the NSTF strives to realise this. Partnerships such as that with GreenMatter lead to recognition of contributions that have the potential to make a positive impact on South Africa, and on the world. Watch this space for news on new partners.
  5. The NGO category was changed last year to include technology transfer and education/training contributions to science, engineering and technology. This is again the case this year, which opens up the NSTF Awards to a wider range of organisations and allows for recognition of social innovation efforts. Just please note that professional bodies as such will not be considered in this category. However, we encourage you to nominate worthy projects run by professional bodies.

All information needed for the Nomination process is available:

  • As one pdf document on the current website until end of November 2015. We recommend downloading it so that you have it on hand. Then you need not worry about the transition to the new website.
  • As one pdf document on the new website after November
  • On various pages of the current and new websites, including previous finalists and winners

Study all this information in advance of submitting a nomination. The criteria for evaluation of nominees are comprehensive to ensure quality and to maintain the prestige of the Awards. Please note that planning and time are required to complete the nomination document, hence the 13 week period (December to March) provided for preparation.

The process consists of two stages:

  • Deadline of first stage - 9 December 2015: Identify your candidate and register your nomination by completing and emailing the Registration Form in Word format by 12h00 noon on this day. The information will be captured in the NSTF database and provides the basis for all further processing and communications relating to the nomination.  Please ensure that you subscribe to receive the NSTF newsletter. The NSTF will acknowledge receipt of your Registration by e-mail, and provide the Nomination forms for completion by the second and final deadline of Stage 2 of the nomination process. Please look out for this email, and note its content carefully.
  • Deadline of the second and final stage of the process - 4 March 2016: The completed nomination form/s may be e-mailed to the NSTF at any time up to the closing date but must reach the NSTF before 12h00 on this day.

Post-nomination Processes: The processes that will follow the final deadline are:

  • The announcement of the nominees through the NSTF e-Newsletter during April 2016
  • An adjudication panel of independent judges, representing six different sectors of the NSTF membership as well as the award partners, will review the nominations to select the finalists and winners
  • The announcement of the finalists during May 2016
  • Summaries of the finalists’ work are published in the annual Who’s Who Booklet, which is distributed at the Gala Dinner and made available online on the web site
  • The announcement of the winners and celebration will take place at the prestigious Awards Gala Dinner with the Patron, the Minister of Science and Technology, planned for late June or beginning of July 2016

Publicity and Outreach Campaign with Winners
This prestigious recognition also profiles the winners as role models to thousands of young people at Science Centres and Universities across the country, through an outreach programme named the Share 'n Dare Programme, in which the youth are inspired by the Award winners to take up careers in SET. Thousands of South Africans are also reached through the Awards media partnerships with Business Report and Mail & Guardian, ensuring that not only the winners but also their employers are recognised for their expertise in SET.

2016 is the International Year of Pulses, as declared by the United Nations. This theme will be celebrated by the 2015/2016 NSTF Awards in partnership with South32.
For more information – visit http://www.fao.org/pulses-2016/en/
South32
GreenMatter
Department of Science and Technology

Eskom

Business Report
      Last updated: 1 November, 2015

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