Two Unisa professors were honoured during an awards ceremony in Cape Town last week.
The annual National Science and Technology Forum Awards recognise and reward the excellence achieved in the fields of science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation in South Africa, Rekord Centurion reported.
Diane Hildebrandt was awarded the Champion of Research Capacity Development Award for her chemical engineering work.
Bhekie Mamba was recognised for his contributions and achievements in the fabrication of advanced nanostructured materials and systems for water treatment.
Unisa said Hildebrandt achieved the ideal mix of chemical engineering research and its practical applications to find and implement effective solutions to global challenges such as energy shortage, carbon dioxide emissions, global warming and waste disposal.
Her research is focused on synthesising and optimising chemical processes.
Hildebrandt has supervised more than 100 postgraduate engineering students in green energy and processes for Africa.
She heads up a group that does research on how to help and improve the quality of life of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the country.
“She is a B1 NRF-rated researcher and professor Mamba is a C1 NRF-rated researcher,” said Unisa.
She is also the director for Material and Process Synthesis (MaPS) research unit at Unisa.
For more news your way, follow The Citizen on Facebook and Twitter
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
