Meet the Finalists in the Public Engagement with Research 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
Prof. Nombulelo Sepeng is an Associate Professor and Programme Manager for Research and Postgraduate Studies in the Department of Nursing Science at UP. She also serves on the School of Health Sciences Research Committee and holds a C2 NRF rating. Under her research leadership, the department has achieved historic milestones in doctoral training, graduating 15 PhD students in 2025.
Her academic journey began with an Atlantic Philanthropies scholarship in 2011 at North-West University (NWU). Prof. Sepeng holds a PhD in Nursing and postgraduate diplomas in Education and Nursing Management and is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
She is committed to public engagement, with initiatives focused on adolescent sexual health, school outreach and violence prevention. Her partnerships with hospitals and nongovernmental organisations have supported trauma-informed care frameworks. She co-authored a successful grant application to host a national conference on African epistemologies and spearheaded the launch of a special issue in Curationis.
Prof. Sepeng has published 45 scholarly outputs and successfully supervised 17 postgraduate students, comprising 10 master's and 7 PhDs, many of whom graduated with distinction. Her mentorship has helped early-career researchers innovate, secure funding and publish their work. She won the UP Emerging Research Award in Publications in 2019 and the UP award for supervising the most graduates in 2024. She was also named as a finalist in the HERS-SA Emerging Young Women Leaders award (2023).
Prof. Sepeng is a sought-after speaker who has presented locally and internationally, chaired sessions, and led workshops. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate research modules, reviews for journals, and serves on conference panels.
Her research aligns with UN SDGs 3 (good health and well-being) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), focusing on adolescent pregnancy, HIV disclosure, pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake, post-traumatic stress disorder in rape survivors, and maternal-child health. She actively contributes to the Ubuntu Community Model in Nursing.
Internationally, she serves as a Board member and Director of Projects and Resources for Sigma Theta Tau International, driving global research collaboration with local impact.
Stay tuned as we continue to profile the 2025 finalists during Women’s Month.
