For the second year in a row a member of the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science at Stellenbosch University has walked away with the esteemed Gold Medal award from the South African Chemical Institute (SACI).

Prof Len Barbour, an experimental chemist and research professor, received the award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field. Last year, Prof Bert Klumperman was a recipient, while Prof Helgard Raubenheimer received it in 2002 and Prof Ben Burger in 2004.

Another feather in the department's cap is the fact that Prof Klaus Koch has been elected as a Fellow of the Institute. In order to be elected as a Fellow a scientist should be in good standing with the Institute and must have demonstrated excellence and leadership in the areas of the profession, education and management, and volunteer service to the chemical community. He joins an élite list of only 15 Fellows of the Institute.

Prof Peter Mallon, head of the Department of Chemistry, says these are wonderful achievements and are deserved recognition for their outstanding contributions to the field of chemistry.​