FABI congratulates its Director, Prof. Bernard Slippers, on winning the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Management Award at the NSTF-South32 Awards on 11 July.  These are referred to as the ‘Science Oscars’ of South Africa, recognising outstanding contributions to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation by individuals, teams and organisations in South Africa. Prof. Slippers received the award in recognition of his leadership and participation in several substantive research programmes and his role in the foundation of the Future Africa Institute, the Africa Science Leadership Programme and Innovation Africa @UP, and in the global young academy movement and the Global Young Academy and SAYAS.

In accepting his award he thanked the NSTF-South32 Awards for their support, but also for these kinds of events, which remind us to celebrate the ecosystems in which we can work. “Scientific achievement is never the outcome of an individual; it’s always an emerging property from the ecosystems in which we work. I have been very privileged over my career to work at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute at the University of Pretoria, with fantastic colleagues who have helped me and who have created an environment within which I can pursue my dreams and help others to pursue theirs.” A news item in the Mail and Guardian further highlights his vision.

FABIans Prof. Irene Barnes and Prof. Cobus Visagie were also finalists for the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Researcher category and TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher category awards, respectively.

FABI also congratulates Prof. Ben-Erik van Wyk on receiving the NSTF Lifetime Award recognising his contribution as a botanist and an authority on traditional and commercial uses of plants, with numerous books and publications covering all or most of the socially relevant and commercialised plant species of the world. Prof. Van Wyk has a link with FABI, and was recognized at the FABI 25 celebrations for a painting from his father that he donated, and that is used often in FABI communications. 

Photo credit: NSTF