Director-General receives award for his special contribution to science
The National Research Foundation (NRF) presented Dr Phil Mjwara, the Director-General of Science and Innovation, with its Significant Contribution Award at the 2023 NRF Awards ceremony in Durban on 31 August 2023.
The NRF Awards, held annually, recognise outstanding achievements and internationally competitive work by individuals and teams, encouraging a culture of excellence and advancing South Africa's scientific knowledge and technological innovation for the benefit of society.
This year, the awards were held under the theme "Celebrating 20 years of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Project in South Africa".
Accepting his award, Dr Mjwara thanked the scientific community for its dedication, stating that working with them helped him discern what society needed and how the Department of Science and Innovation could respond to those needs.
"I have also been lucky to work with ministers who have listened to me, as your representative, in order to get the resources you need for the work you do", he said.
The NRF recognised Dr Mjwara for his role in South Africa's contribution to the SKA project, from its very early stages to the present day. His support and faith in South Africa's ability to host such a massive and scientifically important project helped the country succeed in its bid to host part of what will be the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope array.
Over the years, he has assisted in the development not only of the various phases of the project, but also in the spinoff benefits that the SKA has provided, including employment opportunities in construction and eco-tourism, skills development and training, and education from basic to tertiary level.
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, speaking at the awards ceremony, applauded local scientists for the strides they had made in recent years, emphasising their remarkable work for both South Africa and the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also praised the NRF for its impact in the transformation of South Africa's academic landscape. He noted that 81% of the students it funded were black, and the researchers it funded comprised 59% women and 50% black women.
"We need to expand our mentorships, provide more training and upskilling opportunities to those from historically disadvantaged groups, build greater capacity at our research institutions, particularly those that have been marginalised and, most importantly, to encourage more of our learners at school level to embrace STEM subjects and take them further at university. We also need to encourage larger numbers of capable undergraduates to pursue postgraduate study and enter postdoctoral research career pathways," said the Minister.
Emphasising the critical role the NRF Awards played, Minister Nzimande noted that they represent a high standard of research excellence and an important measure of the value of creating knowledge by South African scientists and institutions.
The Minister commended the NRF and its leadership for maintaining the high standards of research outputs in South Africa, saying "through this, the NRF continues to advance knowledge, change lives and inspire our nation".
In his closing remarks at the awards ceremony, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, the NRF CEO, acknowledged the importance of the work done by the award recipients and encouraged them to do more.
"We are expecting much more from you because this is the only way that we can use science to change lives. It is very important for the NRF to continue recognising and acknowledging the contributions made by our country's scientific cohort, our researchers and the institutions who have committed themselves to expanding the frontiers of our knowledge to create a better and a more sustainable future for all members of society," he concluded.
The awards are presented in two categories, namely, NRF ratings-based awards and special awards. This year, the NRF made two additional special awards, the NRF Significant Contribution Award, which went to Dr Mjwara, and NRF CEO's Special Recognition Award, which went to the University of Mpumalanga.
