UKZN Scientists Honoured

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Three UKZN academics were inaugurated as members of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) at the Academy’s annual awards ceremony, joining another 41 leading South African scholars and scientist as members of the 2024 cohort.

ASSAf has as its core function to honour the country’s most outstanding scholars by electing them to Membership of the Academy with ASSAf members drawn from the full spectrum of disciplines.

New members are elected each year by the full existing Membership.

Membership of the Academy is a great honour and is in recognition of scholarly achievement. Members are the core asset of the Academy and give of their time and expertise voluntarily in the service of society.

The current total membership of ASSAf is 730.

Professor Hussien Shimelis is a full Professor of Plant Breeding in the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences and Chair of Crop Science, and Director: African Centre for Crop Improvement at UKZN.

Professor Serestina Viriri is a full Professor of Computer Science, and Dean and Head of the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science at UKZN.

Associate Professor Yandisa Sikweyiya is Chief Specialist Scientist: Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and Associate Professor at UKZN’s School of Nursing and Public Health.

Inaugurated in May 1996, ASSAf was formed in response to the need for an academy of science consonant with the dawn of democracy in South Africa and activist in its mission of using science and scholarship for the benefit of society, with a mandate encompassing all scholarly disciplines that use an open-minded and evidence-based approach to build knowledge.

ASSAf thus adopted in its name the term “science” in the singular as reflecting a common way of inquiring rather than an aggregation of different disciplines. Its members are elected on the basis of a combination of two principal criteria - academic excellence and significant contributions to society.

The Parliament of South Africa passed the Academy of Science of South Africa Act (Act 67 of 2001), and the Academy came into force on 15 May, 2002. This made ASSAf the only academy of science in South Africa officially recognised by government and representing the country in the international community of science academies and elsewhere.

ASSAf considers two main criteria for election as an ASSAf Member: (1) significant achievement in the pursuit, advancement or application of science, translated as academic excellence, scientific leadership, or science in the service of society; and (2) a commitment to significantly assist the Academy in achieving its objectives.

‘We are exceptionally proud of our academics becoming ASSAF members in 2024,’ said University Dean of Research, Professor Neil Koorbanally. ‘Our new members are extremely hard working and leaders in their field. I am certain they will be making an impact on the African continent and abroad.’

‘We congratulate you on this well-deserved achievement and look forward to the further unfolding of your careers and to your contributions to science in your respective fields,’ added Professor Anna Voce, Dean and Head of the School of Nursing and Public Health.

Said Professor Fhatu Mudau, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science: ‘We are so proud that you have received this prestigious award, that you are our torch bearers and that you fly the UKZN flag high.’

Words: Sally Frost

Photographs: Supplied