The University of Johannesburg (UJ) emerged among South Africa’s top-performing universities at the 2025/26 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 Awards, claiming two nationwide honours when the nation’s premier science awards have been introduced on Thursday, 16 July 2026. Widely thought to be South Africa’s “Science Oscars”, the awards recognise excellent contributions to science, engineering, expertise and innovation that advance information and contribute to nationwide improvement.
UJ’s success follows its efficiency in the prestigious awards, with six finalists throughout 5 classes competing alongside the nation’s main scientists, engineers and innovators. The University claimed two nationwide winners, reaffirming its rising fame for analysis that delivers sensible options to a few of society’s most urgent challenges.
The University’s award recipients are Dr Edith Phalane, who gained the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher Award, and the JENano Research Group, led by Professor Tien-Chien Jen, which acquired the Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation.
Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UJ stated the awards recognise the University’s dedication to producing analysis that not solely advances scientific information but additionally delivers sensible options to real-world challenges.
“This national recognition reflects the calibre of research being undertaken at UJ and its growing contribution to South Africa’s scientific and innovation landscape. Our researchers are not pursuing knowledge for its own sake, they are developing solutions that improve public health, strengthen food security, advance clean energy technologies and accelerate scientific discovery. We congratulate Dr Edith Phalane and the JENano Research Group on this outstanding achievement, while also celebrating all our finalists whose work reflects the depth, diversity and excellence of UJ’s research enterprise. Together, they demonstrate how UJ is translating research excellence into meaningful societal impact.”
Dr Edith Phalane, Manager of the Pan African Centre for Epidemics Research (PACER) in UJ’s Faculty of Health Sciences, acquired the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher Award for her contribution to producing vital public well being proof to raised perceive native epidemics and strengthen preparedness for future pandemics. Her analysis has knowledgeable illness surveillance, public well being coverage and well being interventions, contributing to improved well being outcomes throughout communities.
The JENano Research Group, led by Professor Tien-Chien Jen, Director of UJ’s Atomic Layer Deposition Research Centre and DSTI-NRF SARChI Chair in Green Hydrogen, acquired the Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation for advancing inexperienced hydrogen applied sciences, nanotechnology and superior supplies. The award recognises the group’s contribution to creating progressive applied sciences that assist South Africa’s transition in the direction of a cleaner, extra sustainable vitality future whereas concurrently strengthening nationwide engineering analysis capability by way of postgraduate coaching and cutting-edge scientific analysis.
Beyond the two nationwide winners, UJ’s illustration among this yr’s finalists mirrored the breadth and influence of the University’s analysis excellence. Professor Samuel Oluwatobi Oluwafemi was a finalist in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher Award class for his pioneering work on superior nanomaterial-bioconjugates that mix therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities for precision most cancers therapy. Dr Mahlatse Kganyago was recognised for harnessing satellite tv for pc expertise, distant sensing and synthetic intelligence to strengthen meals safety and local weather resilience, whereas Associate Professor Krishna Govender was shortlisted in the newly launched Research Software Award class for creating progressive software program that permits researchers to make simpler use of South Africa’s nationwide high-performance computing infrastructure.
The six finalists collectively demonstrated UJ’s analysis energy throughout public well being, most cancers analysis, meals safety, superior computing, inexperienced hydrogen and engineering innovation. Their achievements reinforce the University’s strategic dedication to producing analysis that advances scientific information whereas addressing nationwide and international challenges.
Established in 1998, the NSTF-South32 Awards are South Africa’s premier platform for recognising excellence in science, engineering, expertise and innovation. Often known as the nation’s “Science Oscars”, the awards honour people, groups and organisations whose work advances scientific information, drives innovation and contributes to nationwide improvement.