The South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) inaugurated ten new members during the annual Awards Ceremony of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) on 23 October 2024.
SAYAS was launched in October 2011 as a means to enable South Africa’s young scientists to fully participate in local and internationally relevant research and development agendas.
It provides a national platform where leading young scientists from all disciplines in the country can interact, and also access international networking and career development opportunities.
SAYAS members are young scientists below the age of 40, have PhDs and are deemed excellent in their fields of expertise. SAYAS members come from all disciplines including pure and applied sciences, humanities, social sciences and the arts.
The new SAYAS members are:
Dr Andronicus Akinyelu is a Lecturer of Computer Science and Informatics at University of the Free State.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Medical Diagnosis, Sustainable Agriculture, and Ethical Artificial Intelligence
Dr Sabelo Hadebe is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Immunology, Type 2 immunity, cellular and humoral immunity
Dr Yaseera Ismail is a Senior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Quantum Information Communication and Processing
Prof Tebogo Mashifana is an Associate Professor February 2023 and Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Johannesburg.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Circular economy, Waste to Resource, Sustainability, Green Economy, Engineering Education
Dr Maurine Rofhiwa Musie is a Senior Lecturer and Clinical Coordinator at the University of Pretoria.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Maternal and child healthcare, Continuous professional development, Digital health, Obstetric emergency and complications management (EmONC)
Dr Bono Nethathe is a Principal Laboratory Technician at the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Venda.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Microbiology, Paraclinical Sciences and Phytomedicine
Dr Sean Perry is a Senior Programme Manager at AMD Solutions.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Wastewater Treatment (Acid Mine Drainage)
Dr Ekaterina Rzyankina is a Lecturer and Research Associate at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Applied data science, Engineering Mathematics, Physics, Coding and Robotics Curriculum, mathematics education
Dr Lindokuhle Ubisi is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology at the University of South Africa.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Disability and Sexuality, and lead on community engagement projects
Dr Caitlin Uren is a Lecturer at Stellenbosch University.
Field(s) of Specialisation – Human genetics, bioinformatics, and pharmacogenetics