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The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) has inaugurated its new President and new Council of the Academy for the 2012 – 2016 cycle.
The names of the elected candidates have been forwarded to the Minister of Science and Technology for appointment as prescribed by the ASSAf Act (Act 67 of 2001).
The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) is the official national academy of science and represents the country in the international community of science academies.
ASSAf is governed by a Council comprising 13 members, of whom 12 are elected from the membership and one is appointed by the Minister as representative of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI). The Academy has five office-bearers: the President, two Vice-Presidents, General-Secretary and Treasurer.
The Council members are:
President and Chairperson of ASSAf Council
Prof Dayanand (Daya) Reddy holds the South African Research Chair in Computational Mechanics in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town. He is also Director of the Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics, and served as Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Cape Town over the period 1999 – 2005. He is a recipient of the Order of Mapungubwe (Bronze), awarded by the President of South Africa for distinguished contributions to science.
Vice-Presidents
Prof Patricia Berjak is a Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Associate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is a Fellow of the university and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS). In 2006, she was awarded the National Order of Mapungubwe (Silver).
Prof Iqbal Parker is the Director of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town. He was the Head of the Division of Medical Biochemistry and Director of Research in the Health Science Faculty at the University of Cape Town.
General Secretary
Prof Hester (Este) Vorster, previous Director of the Centre of Excellence for Nutrition at the North-West University, is a Research Professor in Nutrition at the university, and General Secretary of the Academy of Science of South Africa.
Treasurer
Prof Sunil Maharaj holds the South African Research Chair in Gravitating Systems. He is a Senior Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and serves as Director of the Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit.
ASSAf Council Members
Prof Robert M Adam is Group Executive at the AVENG Group. He was Chief Executive Officer of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation and was also the Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology.
Prof Ahmed Bawa is Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Durban University of Technology. Previously he wasProfessor and Distinguished Lecturer at Hunter College, City University of New York and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Prior to that, he worked for the Ford Foundation after a career in theoretical physics. He is currently Chairperson of the Higher Education South Africa.
Prof Hoosen Coovadia isEmeritus Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, Emeritus Victor Daitz Professor of HIV/AIDS Research, University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is also a Director: HIV Management, Maternal Adolescent and Child Heath Unit, University of the Witwatersrand and Commissioner, National Planning Commission, Presidency South Africa. He has been the recipient of some of the highest awards for work in health and human rights from both national and international organisations.
Prof Johann Mouton is Director of the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology and Director of the African Doctoral Academy.
Prof Himla Soodyall is the Director of the MRC/NHLS/Wits Human Genomic Diversity and Disease Research Unit at the National Health Laboratory Service and the University of Witwatersrand. She is the recipient of the Order of Mapungubwe (Bronze).
Prof Zeblon Vilakazi is Director of iThemba LABS and also serves as Group Executive for Research and Development at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. He isan Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria, Honorary Associate Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand and a member of the Board of Nuclear Industries Association of South Africa.
Prof Brenda Wingfield is Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Professor of Genetics at the University of Pretoria. She is also the current Chairman of the National Science and Technology Forum.
NACI Representative
Prof Francis Petersen is Dean of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Cape Town. He is a leader in developing South Africa’s innovation strategy from his vantage point as ministerial advisor, Chair of the Board of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Dean of Engineering at the University of Cape Town. He is playing an important role in forging relationships that are vital to South Africa’s R&D strategy.
Council Advisor
Prof Nyameko Barney Pityana is the Rector of the College of the Transfiguration. He is the former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa. He was Chairperson of Higher Education South Africa and Chairman of the African Council for Distance Education.