Stellenbosch University (SU) will be represented by eight finalists at the 2016/2017 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)/South32 Awards – a new record for SU. Three of the eight finalists will be competing in more than one category.

The annual NSTF/South32 award ceremony recognises, celebrates and rewards outstanding excellence in Science, Engineering, Technology (SET) and Innovation in South Africa.

The winners will be announced on Thursday 29 June at a gala event at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park where Ms Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, and official Patron of the NSTF/South32 Awards, will be presenting the prizes.

According to the organisers, it is an extraordinary honour to be a finalist given the quality of the nominations received every year, the fierce competition that nominees face, and growing interest over the years.

The finalists and the categories in which they have been nominated are as follows:

Prof Guy Midgley (Botany and Zoology) & Prof Helmut Prodinger (Mathematical Sciences)

• Lifetime Award: For an outstanding contribution to SET and Innovation by an individual over a period of 15 years or more.
  

Prof Resia Pretorius (Physiological Sciences)

• TW Kambule Award for Research and its outputs: To an individual who contributed to research and its outputs – over a period of up to fifteen years after award of a PhD or equivalent.
  

Dr Thorsten Becker (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering)

• TW Kambule Award for Emerging researchers: To an individual who contributed to research and its outputs over a period of up to six years after award of a PhD or equivalent.
  

Prof Resia Pretorius (Physiological Sciences)

• Research or Engineering Capacity Development: To an individual who during the last 5 to 10 years, demonstrated outstanding leadership in increasing the participation of young researchers or engineers in their chosen SET fields.
  

Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (Prof Wikus van Niekerk, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering)

Prof Guy Midgley (Botany and Zoology)

• NSTF-GreenMatter Award towards achieving biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability and a green economy.
  

Prof Eugene Cloete (Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies)

• NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award: To individuals, teams, partnerships and organisations working towards sustainable water management, knowledge generation and solutions; to be awarded in recognition of demonstrated leadership and impact.
  

Prof Eugene Cloete (Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies)

Vulamanz Development Team, Prof Lingam Pillay (Process Engineering)

• Research for innovation: Awarded for research which has led to South African innovation.
  

Iimbovani Outreach Programme, Dorette du Plessis (Centre for Invasive Biology)

• Communication: Outreach and creating awareness:  This award recognises a communicator who has made an outstanding contribution to SET through a substantial impact in terms of public awareness of SET.