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Distinguished SU academic honoured with Lifetime Award
Author: FMHS Marketing & Communications / FGGW Bemarking & Kommunikasie – Susan Erasmus
Published: 28/10/2021

​Professor Faadiel Essop, Director of the Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA) at Stellenbosch University, recently received the Physiology Society of Southern Africa's (PSSA) Lifetime Award in recognition of his contribution in the field of physiological sciences.

His career has been long and distinguished, both on an international and national level.

He is a former President of the PSSA, current President and former Vice-President of the African Association of Physiological Sciences (AAPS) and a board member of the General Assembly of the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS).

"The AAPS aims to develop the capacity of physiologists and basic medical scientists in Africa, to disseminate the latest development in physiological sciences, and to promote its advancement both at continental and international level," says Essop.

"In order to achieve this, the AAPS arranges regular networking opportunities for African physiologists, such as conferences and teaching and learning workshops. In addition, it regularly liaises with international societies such as the IUPS to represent African physiologists, and thereby help advance the discipline across the continent."

Essop completed his doctorate in Chemical Pathology at the University of Cape Town, and subsequently a BA (Hons) degree in Arabic Studies at the University of the Western Cape. He has worked as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School in the United States, and is currently a National Research Foundation-rated internationally acclaimed researcher.

Essop is currently the chairperson for the Research Advisory Committee of the SA Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the SA National Committee of the IUPS.

He was a recent recipient of the university's excellent teaching award and is currently a Teaching Advancement at University (TAU) Fellow. The aim of the TAU programme is to build a cadre of teaching and learning leaders who could serve as role models, and who would enhance both teaching and learning within their institutions.

The PSSA Lifetime Award

This prestigious award, ''honours a well-established, physiologist who has proven their research excellence over a period of time. The recipient should have an excellent national profile and a high level of international recognition, have added value to the society through research innovation, be an active contributor at the PSSA congress in terms of the research presented by themselves and/or their students, and the fostering of critical thinking and discussion,'' according to the PSSA website.

Aims as president of the AAPS

During his term as the president of the AAPS he intends to further build the discipline of physiology across the African continent.

"My vision includes reaching out to Francophone countries on the continent to thereby establish a more inclusive organisation. In addition, we will attempt to strengthen networks by creating a unique database of all African physiologists. This should allow for improved networking opportunities and collaborative workshops/projects in biomedical research as well and the scholarship of teaching and learning," says Essop.

"Moreover, significant emphasis will be placed on providing opportunities for postgraduate students, and also to help strengthen the next generation of leadership in the discipline."    

"The position of the president of the AAPS is critical," according to Professor Hans Strijdom, HOD of the Division of Medical Physiology at the University of Stellenbosch. "This is especially the case as the AAPS is the most important and representative body of the discipline of Physiology on our continent."