Researchers at Stellenbosch University (SU) are again among those who will be honoured this year by the South African Academy for Science and Arts (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns) for their contributions to science and arts. They will receive their awards at two ceremonies in Pretoria and Stellenbosch respectively.

The recipients are Prof Emile van Zyl of the Department of Microbiology, Prof Barend Herbst, Professor Emeritus of Applied Mathematics, and Prof Lizette Joubert, Chief Researcher at the Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Research Institute and Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Food Science.

Prof Van Zyl is awarded the Havenga Prize for Life Sciences for his innovative research in the natural sciences, his research excellence, competitiveness, and academic expertise. For more than a decade he has been campaigning for the use of environmentally friendly fossil fuel alternatives and has contributed immensely to this area or research.

The Havenga Prize for Physical Sciences (Chemistry) is awarded to Prof Barend Herbst for an academic career stretching four decades and characterized by research outputs of the highest quality and service delivery at various levels. Herbst was involved among others in the South African Mathematics Olympiad and the South African Symposium for Numerical and Applied Mathematics.

Prof Joubert receives a medal of honour from the Academy's Faculty of Science and Technology for her innovative, sustainable and applied product-based research on rooibos and honey bush. Her research led to the development of various processes implemented by the rooibos and honey bush industry. She also received international recognition for her work.

Alumni from SU are among the other recipients.