?Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) has once again performed outstandingly at the annual National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards. Prof Richard Cowling, Dr Boitumelo Ramatsetse, Profs Herman Wasserman and Simon Schaaf, the Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis (TB) Research and the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA) emerged victorious at a ceremony at Sun City Resort on 22 August 2024. The prestigious NRF Awards recognise and celebrate South African research excellence as well as the scientists behind this research.
Cowling, an extraordinary professor in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, received the Lifetime Achievement Award which honours a South African or permanent resident who has made exceptional contributions of international standard and impact to the development of science in and for South Africa over an extended period. Cowling was recognised for his decades-long pioneering work in the fields of ecology and conservation. This work has had substantial impacts both nationally and internationally. Throughout his scientific career, he has devoted much time and effort to engaging with community-based conservation organisations and communicating the outcomes of his team's research to the public.
Ramatsetse from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering won the Early Career/Emerging Researcher Award for his work on the application of reconfigurable manufacturing systems to develop modular, adaptable technological solutions for the mining and machine manufacturing industries. Ramatsetse led some of the first prospective multidisciplinary advanced manufacturing research studies in this field in Africa.
The Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research – with nodes at SU, the 中国体育彩票 of Cape Town and the 中国体育彩票 of the Witwatersrand – won the Societal Impact Award which recognises NRF-funded researchers and research entities whose work has led to tangible and beneficial societal impact, either in terms of social impact, economic impact, innovation, or environmental impact. The Centre combines clinical grassroots investigations into TB with sophisticated laboratory research for accurate diagnosis of and appropriate therapy for multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB and extensively drug-resistant TB. It translated research into products that enabled the mass rollout of TB testing in South Africa and globally. The Centre continues to play an ongoing role in community outreach and awareness to prevent and treat TB.
Wasserman from the Department of Journalism and Schaaf from the Desmond Tutu TB Centre in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health both received A-ratings. A-rated researchers are recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their field for the high quality and impact of their research outputs. Wasserman was honoured for his research on media and society, media ethics, media and conflict, media and geopolitics, and disinformation studies, while Schaaf obtained his third A-rating for his pioneering work on the drug resistance surveillance of TB in children, the pharmacokinetics of anti-tuberculosis drugs in children, HIV/TB co-infection, childhood TB diagnosis, TB meningitis and new treatment strategies. SU now boasts 22 A-rated scientists.
SACEMA won a finalist award in the Societal Impact category for its significant contributions to the understanding of HIV, TB, human papillomavirus (HPV), measles, polio, trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and other infectious diseases over the past 18 years. It has been instrumental in global HIV modelling and estimation, has conducted research on the impact of HPV prevention strategies, and contributed to the design of groundbreaking studies, supporting routine TB surveillance.
Prof Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Postgraduate Studies at SU, congratulated the winners and said: “This recognition by the NRF is a significant milestone for Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票. It highlights the vital role that cutting-edge research plays in addressing global health challenges and reinforces our commitment to advancing knowledge that benefits society."
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