Awards for building capacity in quantum and engineering research
- Wits University
Professor Andrew Forbes and Professor Anne Fitchett have won prestigious NSFT-South32 awards
The NSTF-South32 Awards, considered the Science Oscars, took place simultaneously in Johannesburg and Cape Town on Thursday, 31 July. The prestigious awards, now in their 27th year, recognise and celebrate outstanding contributions to science, engineering, technology, and innovation in South Africa.
The 2025 NSTF theme is Quantum Science and Technology. This is in alignment with the United Nations proclamation of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
Our future is quantum
Andrew Forbes, Distinguished Professor in Physics at Wits University and Director of the South African Quantum Technology Initiative (SA QuTI), won the Special Annual Theme Award: Quantum Science and Technology. The award recognises Forbes for driving the strategy for developing a new generation of quantum scientists – with some 90 young researchers supported and supervised across the country – and for creating a lasting and far-reaching impact in quantum science and technology in South Africa.
“All awards are of course retrospective; they look to the past, but the past is the stepping-stone into the future. Our future is quantum. We want to see a quantum economy for South Africa. We want to see a trained, quantum-literate workforce. So I look forward to that future and hopefully you’ll join us in it,” said Forbes in his acceptance speech.
He also paid tribute to his team, including two former students now researchers in their own right (and finalists in the awards), and to his wife, and his University: “Even teams can’t do great things without the right environment and at Wits we have a fantastic culture of excellence, a wonderful environment in which to do cutting-edge research, so thanks to Wits for that fantastic context for doing research.”
Capacitating engineering passion
Anne Fitchett, Retired Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Wits, was one of two winners in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category. This award recognises individuals with demonstrably outstanding leadership in increasing the participation of young engineers and technologists in further research in their chosen SET fields, over the past five to 10 years.
Fitchett was awarded for successfully since 2004 facilitating entry and smooth passage for engineering undergraduates. The award further recognises her role in creating an enabling environment that supports a passion for engineering and the enrolment of postgraduate researchers.
Accepting her award, Fitchett said, “Engineering research capacity development is absolutely critical at this point in history and especially in our region where we are constantly being tasked with providing locally appropriate and affordable solutions for problems as diverse as infrastructure management, climate adaptation, and socioeconomic development. At the same time, we have a serious shortage of engineers and an even greater shortage of local engineers engaging actively in research to inform our society of innovative solutions.”
Fitchett has been fortunate through most of her career to have played an active role in promoting, developing, and delivering engineering education, she said. “Over decades, [this] has allowed us as an institution at Wits to nurture research in engineering, starting from an undergrad’s first year of study, through to doctoral level. This has always been a team endeavour, whether through attracting students that reflect our rich and diverse demography, through to programme and curriculum design that exposes students to research and lifelong learning.”
In this respect, Fitchett acknowledge the contribution of the various Deans of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at Wits, who served while Fitchett was Assistant Dean. “The most noteworthy being Bea Lacquet and Ian Jandrell,” she said, adding that various heads of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and faculty registrars had also played a key role in this regard – particularly Carol Crosley, the Wits registrar, and her Deputy, Nicoleen Potgieter.
“I would like to thank Rob Drennan [recently retired Director of Research Development at Wits] for nominating me for this award, and lastly and most importantly, my daughter, Jennifer, for helping me to overcome my imposter syndrome and editing my motivation. Her credentials are well-known in this forum as the 2024 winner of the award for science communication.”
SET for a Quantum Leap
Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at Wits, says, “Congratulations to Prof. Forbes and Prof. Fitchett for awards that not only recognise their research excellence but are awarded in the innovative and significant categories of capacitating quantum tech and engineering. We applaud all the Witsies who were finalists in the NSTF-South32 awards. Their excellence in categories as diverse as research management, water research, and research data is testament to the breadth of expertise at Wits University. These scientists are all winners at Wits.”
Read more about the winners in the awards supplement SET for a Quantum Leap in the M&G.
沙巴体育官网_沙巴体育app the Awards
The national NSTF-South32 Awards are the largest SET and innovation awards in South Africa, and they were the first science awards in the country after the change of government in 1994.
An important aspect of the awards is showcasing South African SET and innovation to the public, which includes the year-long engagement programme between the winners and school learners, called the NSTF Share ‘n Dare Programme. These award-winning top scientists share their career knowledge and experiences with young people and ‘dare’ them to follow in their footsteps.
The awards are endorsed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the minister of which is the official patron, and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.