The University of Pretoria’s (UP’s) 2019 Academic Achievers’ Awards dinner was held on Tuesday to honour more than 110 academics who have shown exceptional achievement in their disciplines, as well as National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researchers. 

The annual event is a highlight on UP’s calendar, and this year’s was the first under the vice-chancellorship of Professor Tawana Kupe, who said: “The academics honoured tonight help UP maintain its position as one of the top research institutes globally.” He told the honourees that their passion and commitment impact and transform lives in society. South Africa and the world need cutting-edge knowledge that only researchers or scholars with their expertise can produce.

Prof Kupe thanked the academics for being part of UP and for ensuring that the University “continues to illuminate the path of research excellence”.  He added, "It is in achievement that we valorise the pursuit of knowledge in its various forms. Knowledge as we know stimulates our intellect, illuminates in multiple ways, enables understanding, is a form of critical reflection, expands our horizons and enables us to imagine a better world than the one we live in. Knowledge also transforms lives, transforms societies, and transforms the world."

He expressed his pride at UP’s history of academic excellence. "The University of Pretoria is a place of achievement. It has a history, a present and a future of achievement. It is a place of excellence. It is the largest contact and residential university in South Africa; the largest concentration of clever achievers. We produce the largest number of research outputs among South African universities. UP is home to the largest number of staff with PhDs, a research degree which enables higher levels of research achievement."

Prof Kupe reminded the audience that UP is home to the largest number of NRF-rated researchers in the sector. "A rating is an achievement. A full 15 of our researchers are A-rated – not just in the sciences, but the humanities and social sciences, the creative arts and interdisciplinary fields. We graduate the highest number of PhD and master’s graduates."

He said the academics honoured contributed to the University being ranked one of the top research institutions globally. "Through their pursuit of excellence in research, teaching and learning and community engagement, UP was recently ranked among the top 1,9% of higher education institutions worldwide. Your efforts will again enable the University of Pretoria to make a decisive difference in transforming South Africa, our continent and the world for the better. Collectively you reflect the breadth and depth of the sterling work done across nine faculties and a business school. You are an inspiration and a source of great pride."

The keynote speaker at the event was Professor Glenda Gray, President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, who spoke about the need for transformation and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated academic world. She has expertise in mother-to-child transmission of HIV, HIV vaccines and microbicides.

Prof Glenda Gray and Prof Tawana Kupe  

Below is the list of awardees:

Chancellor’s Award: Research 

Prof Josue Meyer

Prof Alexander Myburg

Exceptional Academic Achievers 

Prof Lyn-Marie Birkholtz

Prof Steve Cornelius

Prof Teresa Coutinho

Prof Walter Focke

Prof Rangan Gupta

Prof Andrew McKechnie

Prof Marion Meyer

Prof Louis Nel

Prof Emma Steenkamp

 Exceptional Academic Achievers

Exceptional Young Researchers 

Dr Deon Brink

Dr Reghard Brits

Dr Tung Lê

Dr Jeannie van der Linde

Dr Thulani Makhalanyane

Dr Paul Razafimandimby

Dr Daniel Nicolas Wilke

 

Exceptional Young Researchers 

 

Teaching Excellence Laureate Awards 2018

Mr Jacobus Bezuidenhout

Ms Marchantia Pollock

Dr Riana Steyn

Ms Elna Verster

Community Engagement Award 

Dr Carin Combrinck

Excellent Supervisor's Award:

Prof Mike Wingfield (FABI/ Advisor to the Executive)

Vice-Chancellor’s  Book Award - Natural and Applied Sciences

Prof Jan Snyman and Prof Daniel Wilke (Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, EBIT)

‘Second edition of Practical Mathematical Optimization’

Vice-Chancellor’s  Book Award - Humanities and Social Sciences

Prof Riel Franzsen and Prof William McCluskey (African Tax Institute, EMS)

‘Property Tax in Africa - Status, Challenges and Prospects’

National Research Foundation-rated researchers:

A-rated researchers

1. Prof Don Cowan

2. Prof Mike Wingfield

A-rated scientist Prof Don Cowan with Prof Tawana Kupe and Prof Stephanie Burton, Vice-Principal: Research and Postgraduate Education

B-rated researchers

1. Prof Roumen Anguelov

2. Prof Danie Auret

3. Prof Jacek Banasiak

4. Prof Dave Berger

5. Prof André Boraine

6. Prof Jan Eloff

7. Prof Schalk Els

8. Prof Hannes Grabe

9. Prof Lise Korsten

10. Prof Willem Landman

11. Prof Jean Lubuma

12. Prof Andrew McKechnie

13. Prof Marion Meyer

14. Prof Danie Prinsloo

15. Prof Bernardo Rapoport

16. Prof Wynand Steyn

17. Prof Ronel Rensburg (awarded posthumously)

18. Prof John Taylor

19. Prof Philip Thomas

20. Prof Rudi van Aarde

21. Prof Hein Venter

22. Prof Frans Viljoen

C-rated researchers

1. Prof Zeno Apostolides

2. Prof Emma Archer

3. Prof Mapundi Banda

4. Prof Johan Beckmann

5. Dr Andriette Bekker

6. Prof Phil Botha

7. Dr Uche Chude-Okonkwo

8. Prof Rhena Delport

9. Dr Sune Donoghue

10. Prof Anneli Douglas

11. Prof Greta Dreyer

12. Dr Wim Dreyer

13. Dr Yves Dumont

14. Prof Warren du Plessis

15. Prof Rocco Duvenhage

16. Dr Thomas Ebenhan

17. Prof Rinelle Evans

18. Prof William Fraser (awarded posthumously)

19. Dr Ananda Geyser-Fouche

20. Prof Michael Gitau

21. Prof Rosemary Gray

22. Prof Schalk Willem Jacobsz

23. Dr Fahimeh Jami

24. Dr Alta Jooste

25. Prof Annie Joubert

26. Dr Mark Keith

27. Prof Thias Kgatla

28. Prof Steve Koch

29. Prof Anton Kok

30. Prof Christa Kruger

31. Prof Namrita Lall

32. Prof Eben Mare

33. Prof Wanda Markotter

34. Prof Machdel Matthee

35. Prof Cheryl McCrindle

36. Prof Pieter Meyer

37. Dr Yvette Naudé

38. Prof Johan Nothling

39. Prof Nanette Oberholzer

40. Dr Lynne Pilcher

41. Prof Tinus Pretorius

42. Prof Corneliu Simut

43. Prof Gerhard Steenkamp

44. Dr Eyob Tesfamariam

45. Dr Vusilizwe Thebe

46. Dr Wayne Truter

47. Dr Liezel van der Merwe

48. Prof Jan Verschoor

49. Prof Claire Wagner

50. Prof Michael Ward

51. Prof Everard Weber

52. Prof Chris Weldon

53. Prof Cas Wepener

54. Prof Siphamandla Zondi

P-rated scientist

Prof Eshchar Mizrachi

Y-rated researchers

1. Dr Matthys Dippenaar

2. Dr Michal Gwizdala

3. Dr Natalie Keough

4. Dr Thulani Makhalanyane

5. Dr Damilola Momodu

6. Dr Duncan Reyburn

7. Dr George Thopil

8. Prof Jeannie van der Linde

9. Dr Tanya van Wyk

10. Dr Gus Waschefort

11. Dr Xianming Ye

Y-rated scientists