Wits Researchers rewarded for excellence

28 June 2023 - Wits University

Researchers from all over Wits have been rewarded for their excellence at a Wits ceremony.

Hosted by Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor Lynn Morris, a large number of researchers received a token of appreciation from the Research Office, for various high profile research awards and ratings that they have received throughout the year.

In congratulating the researchers on their achievements through the year, Morris said that Wits University’s research output in terms of publications have exceeded 2 000 units for the second time ever in 2022, after breaking the barrier in 2021.

“It is an honour and a pleasure for me to be the responsible person for ensuring research excellence at Wits, and, fortunately because we do a lot of good work at Wits. That part of the job is not that difficult as it is a well-oiled machine and it runs itself as people just produce fabulous research with passion and drive,” said Morris.

Two Wits researchers received international recognition for their research excellence in 2023. Professor Helen Rees, Executive Director of the Wits Reproductive Health Institute was awarded the Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite by French President Macron, while Professor Claudia Polese, Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering was awarded the Order of the Star of Italy in early June this year on the Italian Republic Day (see full list of academics recognised for their research excellence below)

Professor Shabir Madhi received a life-time award from the National Science and Technology Forum (NTSF) – South 32 Awards in 2021/2022, while Professor Sehliselo Ndlovu won the NSTF Engineering Research Capacity Development Award and Professor Tamiru Abiye the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher.

Professor Karen Hofman and Professor Achille Mbembe were awarded the ‘ASSAf Science-for-Society Gold Medal’ in 2022 for outstanding achievement in scientific thinking to the benefit of society.

Madhi and Mbembe also again received their A1 Ratings from the NRF, along with Professors Lynn Wadley, Kenneth Ozoema and Yevhen Zelenyuk.

“We celebrate our researchers who have, against all odds, once again realised incredible achievements that has placed us among the global centres of knowledge generation. Your work speaks of your dedication and commitment to research excellence that we as a community of scholars prioritise. Research, as we all know, requires hard work, dedication, and countless hours of focus and discipline in a project that varies across our academic project, from humanities and social sciences, science, engineering and health sciences,” said Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University.

This year, 17 researchers were recognised for receiving major awards (see list below), 36 researchers had their NRF ratings renewed and 43 received their new NRF ratings.

Recipients – major awards

National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South 32 Research Awards 2021/2022

Professor Shabir Madhi – Life-Time Award

Professor Sehliselo Ndlovu – Engineering Research Capacity Development Award

Professor Tamiru Abiye – TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher

ASSAF Gold Medal Awards Oct 2022

Professor Karen Hofman and Professor Achille Mbembe – Awarded the ‘ASSAf Science-for-Society Gold Medal’ for outstanding achievement in scientific thinking to the benefit of society.

FIP Distinguished Pharmaceutical Science Award 2022

Professor Yahya Choonara Wits Professor of Pharmacy, Yahya Choonara, was awarded the  FIP Distinguished Pharmaceutical Science Award.

French National Order of Merit Awarded 2022 

Professor Helen Rees was awarded the Officier de l’Ordre national du Mérite by French President Macron

NRF Science Team Award in 2022

Prof Michelle Ramsay and her  senior research team, including Professor Scott HazelhurstDr Ananyo Choudhury, Distinguished Research Professor Collen Masimirembwa, and Professor Chris Mathew, won the 2022 NRF Science Team Award.

L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Award 2022

Dr Theresa Mazarire in the Wits Institute for Malaria (WRIM) combines environmental science and public health to control malaria mosquitoes.

9^th Scientific Merit Awards hosted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) 2023

Professor Bavesh Kana, was awarded a gold medal for tuberculosis molecular diagnosis at the 9th Scientific Merit Awards hosted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)

HSRC/USAF Awards 2023

Dr Hannah Dawson and Associate Professor Vishwas Satgar in the emerging researcher category

The Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) 2023

Professor Lenore Manderson – 2023 Bronislaw Malinowski Award

Order of the Star of Italy 2023

Professor Claudia Polese, Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering was conferred with the Order of the Star of Italy in early June on the Italian Republic Day.

The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) 2024

Professor Andrew Forbes shares the award for physics with Professor Jueinai Kwo of Taiwan. Forbes jointly won the award in the Physics category of the 2024 The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) announced late in November 2022.

Ratings