Meet the Finalists in Natural and Engineering Sciences – Distinguished Woman Researcher Category at the South African Women in Science Awards 2025
As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) proudly unveils the finalists of the South African Women in Science Awards (SAWISA) 2025. These exceptional women exemplify excellence, leadership, and transformative impact in research and innovation. Today, we spotlight the finalists in the Distinguished Woman: Natural and Engineering Sciences
Prof. Brenda Morrow is an internationally renowned Clinician Scientist and Full Professor in Paediatrics and Child Health at UCT. A trailblazer in paediatric critical care and ranked 18th globally in the field, Prof. Morrow made history in 2022 as the first woman and non-physician to serve as President of the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies. She is also the first non-physician President of the Critical Care Society of Southern Africa.
Her research spans the fields of paediatric critical care, global health, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, cystic fibrosis and medical ethics. Much of her work is grounded in the context of resource-limited settings to ensure equitable advancements in child health. Her contributions to paediatric cardiopulmonary physiotherapy, particularly her pioneering work on regional ventilation in children, have reshaped global practice.
With an NRF B3 rating (2021), Prof. Morrow has published 160 peer-reviewed papers in top-tier journals, including The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, The Lancet Global Health, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, and The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. She co-edited the seminal textbook Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy in Trauma and has authored 21 book chapters.
As a leader in evidence-based paediatric critical care, Prof. Morrow led the Low Resource Setting subgroup for the Second Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference consortium. This effort produced 11 publications to standardise the diagnosis and management of paediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) globally. Her clinical research has revealed a tenfold higher risk of PARDS in South Africa compared to high-income countries, which has informed targeted interventions. She contributes to the development of the Surviving Sepsis Guidelines for Children and serves on the WHO's Sepsis in Low Resource Settings Taskforce. She is also developing collaborative study protocols to address sepsis as a leading cause of under-five mortality in Africa.
As Editor-in-Chief of the Southern African Journal of Critical Care and Senior Associate Editor of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Prof. Morrow plays a pivotal role in amplifying diverse voices in science. She peer-reviews for over 40 journals, including British Medical Journal and The Lancet, and contributes to multiple international consortia, advocating for contextually relevant research and ensuring Africa's representation on the global health agenda.
Her accolades, which include the President's Award from the Critical Care Society of Southern Africa and being named as a finalist for the Lifetime Award at the 2025 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 Awards, underscore her dual impact as a researcher and role model.
Prof. Morrow is deeply committed to developing future scientists. She has supervised seven PhD, 25 master's and 34 honours students, with 14 more currently in progress. Her mentorship fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and reflects her commitment to holistic care for critically ill children. As a passionate advocate for women and non-physicians in health sciences, she continues to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces.
The South African Women in Science Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of women researchers across disciplines, inspiring future generations and advancing equity in science, technology, and innovation.
Stay tuned as we continue to profile the 2025 finalists during Women’s Month.
