2008/9 Winners
Top scientists honoured: Winners of the 2008/9 NSTF Awards
Outstanding contributions to science, engineering, technology and innovation (SETI) were acknowledged at the 11th NSTF Awards gala dinner, held at the Emperor’s Palace, Kempton Park. These Awards are unique in that they recognise all SETI practitioners across the system of innovation, including not only researchers, but also individuals who have contributed in other ways; teams who have developed innovations through organisations and institutions; individuals who have played a valuable mentorship role for young researchers, and science communicators.
Our motto for some years now, Today’s research … Tomorrow’s innovation, emphasises the contribution that South African SETI, with its outstanding outputs, can stand tall in the world.
We salute the winners:
The category A award: Individual over a lifetime - Prof. Pieter Steyn, Senior Researcher, Department of Chemistry and Polymer Sciences, University of Stellenbosch - for his lifetime contribution to linking fungi to diseases, and developing mechanisms for control of these in food and feeds.
Prof. Steyn is nominated for his lifetime contribution to understanding the chemistry of mycotoxins, as well as
for his worldwide leadership in the promotion and support of scientific research. He has carried out his work variously at the CSIR, at the North West University, and latterly at the University of Stellenbosch. His research
on mycotoxins, hazardous substances produced by fungi, has led to improvements in feed and safety standards
in South Africa and overseas. He also made path finding contributions to understanding the chemistry of
South African plant toxins, particularly the bufadlenolides, with positive implications for a number of fields in agriculture. Africa is seriously at risk as the fungi have been linked to contamination of cereals both pre- and
post-harvest and have been identified as contributing to liver and oesophageal cancer as well as diseases in sheep.
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Mr Kevin Morgan General Manager: Aluminium Power, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology and Prof Pieter Steyn
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The category B award: Research and its outputs over the last five years or less - Prof. David Richardson, Deputy-Director: Science Strategy, Department of Science and Technology / National Research Foundation, Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, University of Stellenbosch - for his fundamental contributions in the rapidly emerging field of biological invasion ecology.
Prof. Richardson’s work has shed new light on the dynamics of biological invasions, especially relating to trees
and shrubs. His work has focused both on developing robust theoretical frameworks for invasion ecology and
on providing practical guidelines for management of invasive species, especially on the invasion ecology of tree
species used in commercial forestry and agro-forestry. These species pose special problems for managers, as
they are commercially important and useful in parts of the landscape, but cause considerable damage in other parts. Innovative research methods have elucidated the main determinants of invasiveness in these species,
facilitating robust screening.
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Activities |
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To move or not to move? Scientists debate the pros and cons of managed relocation to save species affected by climate change |
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The Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Penny Vinjevold DDG: Department of Education and Prof David Richardson
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The category C award: Activities other than research and its outputs over the last five years or less - Robert (Bob) Pullen, Senior Specialist in Water Engineering, BKS Group - for his contribution to the regulation of the engineering professions, to civil engineering and environmental practice.
Mr Pullen’s contribution has been on three levels. Firstly, as the longest serving President of the Engineering
Council of SA (ECSA) covering 3 terms from 1994 to 2006, and as Vice-President until 2008, his time in office
saw negotiations culminating in 7 Built Professions Acts of Parliament in 2001 and the transition of the engineering
profession into the new constitutional order. Secondly, he contributed to civil engineering both as an engineer and
as a professional and member of the SAICE where he made contributions in the field of water and the promotion
of care for the environment. Thirdly, he contributed as an engineering consultant in the fields of water resource
evaluation and development; hydraulic engineering environmental and institutional management; the editing
and production in 1986 of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) `Water Bible’; contributions to
investigations of major floods in South Africa and the development of national policy on flood management and environmental impact assessment and to the design of the Drakensberg pumped storage scheme.
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Mr Quentin Wray, Editor: Business Report, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology and Robert Pullen
Prof Sandenbergh, Ms Niehaus, Mr Pullen and Prof Kearsley
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The category D award: Innovation by a corporate organisation or institution - The Diamond Research Laboratory, Element Six, Ekurhuleni - for research and development (R&D) into state of the art materials for a variety of purposes employing diamonds.
Dr Serdar Ozbayraktor and team of the Diamond Research Laboratory (DRL) of Element Six carries out innovative research to develop new
state of the art materials with extreme properties for use in cutting, drilling, military, energy, thermal and electronic applications. In collaboration
with national and international research institutes and universities, the DRL has developed a range of super-abrasive products, encompassing
polycrystalline diamond (PCD), polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) and a new generation of ceramic materials. These materials are made
by improved methodologies, using unique, patented methods of manufacture, such as high pressure - high temperature technology, materials
modelling and in-depth materials science research and expertise.
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Mrs Kagiso Chakane, CSIR, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology and Dr Serdar Ozbayraktar
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The category E award: Innovation by a Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise - Altis Biologics (Pty) Ltd, Drs N Duneas and N Pires, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria - for the development of innovative products for the treatment of bone injuries and voids.
Drs Pires and Duneas are the executive directors of Altis Biologics (Pty) Ltd, a regenerative medicine development company, focused on
developing and bringing new biomaterials and regenerative biological products to market, with a particular emphasis on orthopaedic and dental
tissue regeneration. The company’s product candidates are based on proprietary platform technologies that combine specific human growth
factors with novel scaffolds formulated for local applications. Altis’ project pipeline spans through pre-clinical and clinical development to
commercially available products. Currently the company’s primary focus is on the production and commercialisation of naturally derived bone
morphogenetic protein (BMP) based products, novel bone inducing implants and collagenous matrices primarily intended for the treatment of
bone injuries and bone voids.
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Dr N Duneas, Mr Ephraim Baloyi, THRIP/the dti, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology and Dr N Pires
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The category F award: Innovation by a Non Governmental Organisation / Not-for-Profit Organisation or Community Based Organisation - the Marang Centre for Maths and Science Education, University of the Witwatersrand - for pioneering a new approach to the teaching of science and mathematics in schools.
Marang provides a unique model for combining excellence and innovation in research with teacher development in mathematics and science
education in South Africa. It is geared to impact on high level intellectual capacity in these fields in higher education and in schools, which in turn will
impact on the quality of teaching and learning in schools. Marang’s activities are directed at strategic thrusts of research and teacher development
including subject knowledge for teaching mathematics and science; teaching and learning mathematics in multilingual contexts; mathematical
literacy; science awareness and informal learning of science; and effective teaching of mathematics and science. Since late 2005, each of the thrusts
has published key research findings, supplemented by an annual symposium and related teachers’ workshops. In this way the research work of the
thrust informs and is informed by significant problems of practice, and engages with communities of research, policy and practice.
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Prof Marissa Rollnick, Prof. Brenda Wingfield Chairperson: NSTF, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology, Prof Mamokgethi Setati, and Prof Jill Adler.
Prof Mokgalong: Vice Chancellor & Principal, Prof Mamokgethi Setati and Prof Siweya: Executive Dean, Faculty of Science and Agriculture.
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The Category G award: Eskom Award for Research Capacity Development over the last 5-10 years (Female) - Prof Mary Scholes, Professor: School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand - for her contribution to the training of students and her own innovative work on grasslands and forests.
Prof. Scholes is one of the co-founders of the Postgraduate Project Office at Wits and in addition an active
supporter of scientific institutions and societies. She is an active researcher in the field of Ecophysiology, focusing
on nutrient cycling in savannas and plantation forestry. She has supervised 59 MSc and PhD students and 42
Honours students and is currently supervising 12 MSc and PhD students. Together with Prof. Janks, another
senior academic at Wits, they have created an innovative programme for postgraduate and supervisor enrichment,
which has benefited over 400 students and 200 staff members.
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Ms Elsie Pule Acting Managing Director: Human Resources, Eskom, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology and Prof Mary Scholes
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The Category G award: Eskom Award for Research Capacity Development over the last 5-10 years (Male) - Prof Hendrik C Swart, Head of Department of Physics, University of the Free State - for his significant contribution to the development of students in a niche area of nanophysics.
Prof. Swart is currently a leader of a research niche area at UFS and participates in the Institutional Research
Development Programme (IRDP) (one of NRF’s capacity building programmes). His main research topics are the
degradation of phosphors for field emission displays and the development of processes whereby various types of
semiconductor nano-particles and thin films are synthesised and deposited to provide/improve properties such
as colour, luminescent intensity and life-time. Prof. Swart is also involved in industrial projects in collaboration
with other institutions. Most of these projects are built around surface segregation and oxidation. He has made
a substantial contribution to research capacity building through student training/supervision that is in line with
equity and the redress requirements of the NRF’s IRDP programme with a throughput of black students in the
period of 3 MSc and 3 PhD students. Currently he is supervising 4 MSc and 4 PhD students.
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Prof Hendrik Swart, Ms Elsie Pule Acting Managing Director: Human Resources, Eskom and the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology
Special lecture at the University of the Free State. Hendrik Swart, Kedibone Aphane, Martin Ntwaeaborwa and Janus Snyders
Motivational talk: 2010 Orientation programme at the University of Free State, Qwa Qwa Campus by Dr Martin Ntwaeaborwa (middle)
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The Category H award: The NRF TW Kambule Award for a Senior Black Male Researcher over the last 5-10 years - Prof Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology, University of the Witwatersrand and Chairperson in Vaccine Preventable Diseases, National Research Foundation and Co-Director: South African Medical Research Council/University of the Witwatersrand Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit - for intense research into the killer diseases of children.
Prof. Madhi’s research career is focused upon reducing childhood morbidity and mortality from infectious
diseases. His research, of critical importance to children in South Africa, has centred around the role of newly
developed vaccines in preventing the two leading causes of death in children, viz. pneumonia and diarrhoeal
disease. This research is the first to demonstrate in Africa that childhood morbidity can be significantly reduced
with pneumococcal-conjugate and rotavirus vaccines. The findings have been widely published, among others
in New England Journal of Medicine and Nature Medicine. The research has contributed to South Africa being
the first in Africa to introduce these vaccines into the public immunisation programme. It is anticipated that the
vaccines will reduce childhood mortality in South Africa by 10% to 15%.
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Dr Romilla Maharaj NRF, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology and Prof Belinda Bozzolli of Wits received Prof Shabir Madhi's trophy on his behalf
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| The Category H award: The NRF TW Kambule Award for a Senior Black Female Researcher over the 5-10 years - not awarded. |
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The Category J award: The NRF TW Kambule Award for a Distinguished Young Black Researcher over the last 5-10 years - Dr Odireleng M Ntwaeaborwa, Senior Lecturer, Department of Physics, University of the Free State - for his contribution to the understanding and harnessing of light emitting nanomaterials for practical applications.
Dr Ntwaeaborwa is engaged in research on the synthesis and characterisation of luminescent nanomaterials
(nanophosphors) by a sol-gel process with the principal objective being to produce nanoparticulate phosphors with
high quantum efficiency and evaluating them for use in light emitting devices. This has followed periods of study in the USA on the sol-gel synthesis and characterisation of nanophosphors where they demonstrated increased
photoluminescence quantum yield of trivalent Ce, Eu, and Tb by energy transfer from ZnO nanoparticles in the
amorphous SiO2 matrix. To date materials which enhance photoluminescence intensity have been produced locally.
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Dr Odireleng Ntwaeaborwa, Dr Romilla Maharaj NRF and the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology
Special lecture at the University of the Free State. Hendrik Swart, Kedibone Aphane, Martin Ntwaeaborwa and Janus Snyders
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The Category J award: The NRF TW Kambule Award for a Distinguished Young Black Female Researcher over the last 5-10 years - Dr Monique Zaahl, Senior Lecturer, Department of Genetics, University of Stellenbosch - for her programme of research into disorders resulting from iron overload.
Extensive investigation into the molecular basis of iron overload disorders has provided new insight into the
complexity of iron metabolism and related cellular pathways. Dr Zaahl’s work aimed to determine the role of
genes involved in iron homeostasis in a range of diseases where iron has been implicated, including primary
iron overload, oesophageal cancer, porphyria cutanea tarda and multiple sclerosis, within the diverse South
African populations. Results of this study have led to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in
iron metabolism. This, in turn, contributed to better management of patients and resulted in new standards
of care.
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Dr Monique Zaahl
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The Category K award: The SAASTA Science Communicator for Public Awareness over the last 5 years - Dr M Shaheed Hartley, Director: Contract Research, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town - for his work in promoting science and technology as a career in schools in the Breederivier-Overberg region.
Over and above his formal employment, Dr Hartley’s work over the last 5 yrs has focussed on the creation of
science clubs in the rural schools of the Breederiver-Overberg region of the Western Cape, using this systemically
integrated model to communicate and engage with educators and learners in making science fun. Reports
indicate a sustainability rate in excess of 80% thereby making a significant contribution to the future of young science learners. His key motivation is to provide a first generation of science, engineering and technology (SET)
graduates and practitioners in rural families, i.e. developing a new set of role models with regard to science
and technology education that will inspire young people to follow through with these streams into their tertiary
education. As a result of the success of this work the project has recently attracted the interest of the National,
Eastern Cape and Northern Cape Education Departments as a potential solution to the dwindling ‘learner interest’ and poor science results achieved in rural schools. Other programmatic science interventions for e.g. women,
educators and learners are amplified by the introduction of international best practice.
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Dr Shaheed Hartley, Ms Beverley Damonse Executive Director: SAASTA and the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology
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A special award, recognising an outstanding contribution to Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation - Case Rijsdijk, Formerly Consultant to South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) - for enthusiastic communication of physics and astronomy over a lifetime.
Mr Rijsdijk undertakes communication assignments and astronomical education for SAAO and for Science
Centres. His enthusiasm to share his passion for physics and astronomy has made him one of the leading
communicators and educators of his generation. This is reflected by his involvement in communication, education
and in numerous national and international science projects, especially in physics and astronomy. These include
SciFest Africa; “Friends with the Universe” a key YEAST 1998 project; the International and National Physics Olympiads; International Year of Physics (IYP); the SALT Collateral Benefits plan; and the formation of STARTEC,
a collaboration for outreach between the world’s leading observatories. He has been involved with the DST and
DoE through the NRF and the SAAO in using astronomy as a vehicle for communicating and promoting science
amongst the South African public in general, but in particular, its youth and educators, in both urban and rural
areas. His has a unique and challenging approach.
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Case Rijsdijk, Ms Beverley Damonse Executive Director: SAASTA and the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor Minister of Science and Technology
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Last updated: 17 February 2010
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