The NSTF Awards were established in 1998 as a collaborative effort to recognise and promote outstanding contributions to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation by SET-related professionals, teams and organisations in South Africa (SA). This includes experienced researchers, engineers, innovators, science communicators, engineering research capacity builders, and organisational managers/leaders, as well as data and research managers. South32 is a resources company and longstanding partner of the NSTF Awards, anchoring this non-profit endeavour. The NSTF-South32 Awards are known as the ‘Science Oscars’ of South Africa. They are the largest, most comprehensive, and most sought-after national awards of their kind in the country. They were also the first science awards in the country.

This year the NSTF will be making a special award for an outstanding contribution to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation arising from research and development in the basic sciences for sustainable development. Nominees for the special annual theme award of ‘Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development’ were announced on 13 April 2022, and are the following:

  • Dr Saeideh Babaee – Lecturer: Department (Dept) of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
  • Dr Ron Beyers – Owner: Young Engineers and Scientists of Africa (YESA); and Part-time Lecturer: Nelson Mandela University; and also in the Communication category*
  • Prof Ryan Blumenthal – Senior Specialist Forensic Pathologist; and Associate Professor: Dept of Forensic Medicine, University of Pretoria; and also in the Communication category*
  • Dr Shiksa Gallow – Medical Director, Principal Investigator, Biodata Research and Technical Director: Labat Healthcare; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
  • Dr Banothile Makhubela – Senior Lecturer and Director: Research Centre for Synthesis and Catalysis, Dept of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Johannesburg (UJ); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher category*
  • Dr Lawrence D Makia – Senior Lecturer: Dept of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda; also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher and the Innovation: Corporate Organisation categories*
  • Prof Oluwole D Makinde – Professor: Applied Mathematics and Computations, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University (SU); and also in the Lifetime and the Engineering Research Capacity Development categories*
  • Prof Nokwanda “Nox” Makunga – Associate Professor: Dept of Botany and Zoology, SU; and also in the Communication category*
  • Dr Emmanuel A Margolin – Director of Research and Development – Molecular Farming, Nant-SA; previously Post-doctoral Fellow: Antiviral Vaccine Development Group, Division of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town (UCT); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher category*
  • Mining Positron Emission Tomography Research Group (MinPET) – Team Leader: Prof Simon Connell, Dept of Mechanical Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UJ; and also in the Innovation: Corporate Organisation category*
  • Prof Godwell Nhamo – Chief Researcher and Exxaro Chair: Climate and Sustainability Transitions, University of South Africa (UNISA); and also in the Green Economy category*
  • Dr Wilhelm C Rothman – Lecturer: Dept of Information Technology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
  • Mr Sivuyile (Sviggy) Sesi – Researcher, Writer, Author, Blogger, Publisher, Reporter, General Management and Reviewer: Internative Digital @756Writing for Politech; and also in the Communication category*
  • ​Mr Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh – Principal Investigator: Green Engineering and Process Sustainability Research Group, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Durban University of Technology; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher and the Engineering Research Capacity Development and the NRF-Water Research Commission categories*
  • ​Prof Marianne Vanderschuren – Professor: Transport Planning and Engineering; Chair: Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) / National Research Foundation (NRF) / Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Co-funded Smart Mobility Research; and Deputy Dean: Social Responsiveness and Transformation; Dept of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, UCT; and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category*

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