Friedel Sellschop Fellows
These awards are made in honour of Professor Friedel Sellschop (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedel_Sellschop). He was the Dean of the Faculty of Science at Wits University from 1979 to 1983 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) from 1984 to 1996. He was part of a research group that identified the first neutrino found in nature in one of South Africa’s gold mines.
The University aims to honour and motivate outstanding early-stage researchers through these awards. In line with this goal, the University Research and Innovation Committee (UR&IC) offers a dedicated research grant to eligible researchers. Each award is currently valued at up to R 145,000 per year for three years.
To apply for these awards (Wits academic/joint staff only) please see: Internal Funding (wits.ac.za)
| Date |
Recipients |
| 2024 |
- Saeideh Babaee - Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering
- Ashley Coates - Social Sciences
- Isaac Nape - Physics
- Matthew Noakes - Animal Plant and Environmental Science
|
| 2023 |
|
| 2022 |
- Tanya Augustine - Anatomical Sciences
- Jennifer Fitchett - Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies
- Thashree Marimuthu - Therapeutic Sciences
- Benjamin Rosman - Computer Science and Applied Mathematics
- Luis Alberto Torres Cruz - Civil and Environmental Engineering
|
| 2021 |
- Ufuoma Akpojivi - Literature, Language and Media
- Julian Karl - Brown Social Sciences
- Angela Dudley - Physics
- Mike Benjamin Otieno - Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Chevonne Reynolds - Animal, Plant, and Environmental Science
|
| 2020 |
- Sylvia Fanucchi - Molecular and Cell Biology
- Kelsey Glennon - Animal, Plant and Environmental Science
- Luna Pellegri - Physics
|
| 2019 |
- Aijaz Ahmad - Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
- Pieter de Maayer - Molecular and Cell Biology
- Pradeep Kumar - Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals
|
| 2018 |
|
| 2017 |
- Alan Cornell - Physics
- Nicky Falkof - Literature, Language and Media
- Vishnu Jejjala - Physics
|
| 2016 |
|
| 2015 |
- Lisa du Toit - Therapeutic Sciences
- Charis Hartley - Computational & Applied Mathematics
- Craig Sheridan - Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy
- Sally Archibald - Animal, Plant and Environmental Science
|
| 2014 |
- David Hornsby - Social Sciences
- Benita Olivier - Therapeutic Sciences
- Jo Vearey - Social Sciences
|
National Research Foundation Special Awards
“The National Research Foundation (NRF) is dedicated to fostering knowledge generation and enhancing human capacity development in science, technology, and innovation through various initiatives. These efforts are crucial for advancing the growth, resilience, and societal contributions of the knowledge sector. The NRF has identified four essential pillars—Transformation, Impact, Excellence, and Sustainability (TIES)—that underpin the success of this enterprise. In acknowledgment of outstanding research contributions, the NRF honours individuals or teams who have made extraordinary investments and achievements aligned with these pillars. Recognized areas include knowledge creation, talent cultivation, public engagement with research, and individuals esteemed by their peers as leading international scholars in their respective fields” (NRF Awards 2023 Call Guide, p1).
Recent NRF Special Awards Recipients at Wits:
Royal Society of South Africa (RSSA)
Recent RSSA Award Recipients at Wits:
For a full list of RSSA fellows at Wits see: Current Fellows – Royal Society of South Africa (royalsocietysa.org.za) and search for “University of the Witwatersrand”.
Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
Human Sciences Research Council-Universities South Africa (USAf) CEO Awards
