UP academic excellence recognised

Posted on May 18, 2018

The University of Pretoria (UP) held its annual Academic Achievers Awards on 10 May to celebrate the outstanding performance of its academic staff, pay tribute to their commitment and hard work, and to recognise the important contributions they make to its academic mission.

The event also honoured academics who were rated by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and whose research makes a positive impact locally and internationally.

The academics honoured on the night contributed to UP being ranked as one of the top research institutions globally, through their pursuit of excellence in research, teaching and learning, and community engagement. Overall, UP is ranked in the 501-550 rank range, according to the latest QS World University Rankings report released in June last year. Previously, QS stated that considering there are approximately 26 000 universities globally (although not all are ranked by QS), this rank positions UP among the top 2% of universities in the world.

The evening ended with the presentation of certificates and awards to the academic achievers.

  • Chancellor’s Award: Research: Prof Nigel Bennett 
  • Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarly Book Award: Dr Reghard Brits
  • Exceptional Academic Achievers: Prof Juan Bornman, Prof Christo Botha, Prof Christof Heyns and Prof Ann Skelton
  • Exceptional Young Researchers: Dr Mardé Helbig, Prof Tjaart Krüger, Dr Simnikiwe Mayaphi and Dr Eshchar Mizrachi
  • Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellent Supervision: Prof Lyn-Marie Birkholtz
  • Teaching Excellence Laureate Awards: Dr Thirusellvan Vandeyar and Prof Martina Crole
  • Community Engagement Award: Dr Victoria Rautenbach

Further to these special awards, there were two 'A'-rated researchers, 21 'B'-rated researchers, 76 'C'-rated researchers and 13 'Y'-rated researchers who were recognised.

Exceptional Academic Achievers 
   Exceptional Young Researchers 
Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Cheryl de la Rey  presents the Award for Excellent Supervision to Prof Lyn-Marie Birkholtz  Prof Martina Crole and Dr Thirusellvan Vandeyar
Prof Norman Duncan presents the Community Engagement Award
                               to Dr Victoria Rautenbach

NRF researchers

In addition to these special awards, the following NRF-rated researchers were honoured:

'A'-rated researchers:              

Prof Cheryl de la Rey with Prof Josua Meyer and Prof Robert Millar

'B'-rated researchers:

Prof Daniel Bradlow, Prof Ding-Geng Chen, Prof Teresa Coutinho, Prof Mike Ewing, Prof Walter Focke, Prof Marietjie Frick, Prof Johan Joubert, Prof Robert Kirberger, Prof David Limebeer, Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Prof Zander Myburg, Prof Louis Nel, Prof Wimpie  Odendaal, Prof Robert  Pattinson, Prof  Mamadou  Sango, Prof Clarke Scholtz, Prof Hettie Schönfeldt, Prof Gert  Steyn, Prof Johan van der Vyfer, Prof Bart Vinck and Prof Russel West-Pavlov.

'C'-rated researchers:
           
Prof Celia Abolnik, Dr Ruth Aluko, Prof John Annandale, Prof Jacolien Barnard, Prof Megan Bester, Prof Jaco Beyers, Prof Nerina Bosman, Prof Melodi Botha, Prof Monray Botha, Dr Reghard  Brits, Prof Elna Buys, Prof Adelia Carstens, Dr Michael Chapwanya, Dr Theresa Coetsee, Prof Hermie Coetzee, Prof Serena Coetzee, Prof Stephen Coetzee, Prof Ken Craig, Prof Duncan Cromarty, Dr Marné de Vries, Prof Chrisna du Plessis, Prof Marthie Ehlers, Prof Lourens Erasmus, Prof Erich Friedland, Prof Estelle Gaigher, Dr Yoseph Getachew, Prof Amelia Goddard, Prof Robin Green, Prof Anske Grobler, Prof Stephan Gruner, Prof Tharina Guse, Dr Almuth Hammerbacher, Prof Tania Hanekom, Dr Thierry Hoareau, Prof Benda Hofmeyr, Dr Hannelie  Human, Prof Ina Joubert, Prof Elsabe Kearsley, Prof Magnus Killander, Prof Nicola Kleyn, Prof Lize Kriel, Prof Karina Landman, Prof Lyndy McGaw, Prof Fraser McNeill, Prof Sias Meyer, Dr Patrice Ntumba, Dr Marietjie Oosthuizen, Dr Rachid Ouifki, Dr Clorinda Panebianco, Prof Innocent Pikirayi, Prof Leon Pretorius, Prof Marius Pretorius, Prof Melvyn Quan, Dr Melanie Rademeyer, Prof Stefan Renke, Prof Halina Röllin, Prof Martin Schulman, Dr Thula Simpson, Prof Ben Steyn, Prof Francois Steyn, Prof Lourie Terblanche, Prof Chris Theron, Prof Jacques Theron, Dr Marita Turpin, Prof John van den Berg, Dr Michael van der Laan, Dr Jan Harm van der Walt, Prof Esté van Marle-Köster, Prof Louis van Rooy, Prof Estelle Venter, Prof Maretha Visser, Dr Cornelia Voigt, Prof Kuku Voyi, Prof Edward Webb, Prof Friede Wenhold and Prof Gareth Zeiler.


'Y'-rated researchers:

Dr Rory Biggs, Prof Roger Deane, Dr Lieschen de Vos, Dr Rebecca Fasselt, Dr Marien Graham, Dr Waldo Kleynhans, Dr Chris Marufu, Dr Jandeli Niemand, Dr Albe Swanepoel, Dr Els Vermeulen, Dr Michelle Visagie, Prof Mariza Vorster and Dr Lijun Zhang.

Congratulations to our academic achievers and to the academics who were rated by the NRF. We are proud of you and wish you every success as we look ahead to the social and economic impact you will make in our communities, locally and internationally.

 

 

- Author Myan Subrayan

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