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Staff Awards and Achievements, 2025

These represent some of the most prestigious international scientific and academic recognitions available globally, spanning fields from particle physics and environmental monitoring to biodiversity conservation and precision medicine, as well as leadership positions and fellowships.

Prof Zaheera Asvat Nadine Gordimer Short Story awardee 600x300

Maths lecturer receives Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award Dr Zaheera Jina Asvat, a lecturer in Mathematics Education, won the Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award at the 2025 South ��һ�Թ�� Literary Awards (SALA) for her short story collection, Tears of the Weaver. The Literary Awards celebrate South ��һ�Թ�� storytelling.

Academic head of Wits Radiology receives SA Health Excellence Award Professor Nasreen Mahomed, academic head of Wits Radiology, was awarded the Leadership Excellence Award at the 2025 Health Excellence Awards. Wits Radiology is one of the largest training centres in Africa, with 72 registrars across eight academic hospitals.

Female Academic Leaders Fellowship NPC (FALF) presented the first FALF Champion Award to Professor Ruksana Osman for her support to transformation, her lifelong service to Wits University

Professor Ruksana Osman honoured for contribution to education for over 40 years Female Academic Leaders Fellowship NPC (FALF) presented the first FALF Champion Award to Professor Ruksana Osman for her support to transformation, her lifelong service to Wits University and her outstanding contribution to education.

Tasneem Wadvalla 600x300

Tasneem Wadvalla honoured for excellence in University service Wits University’s Head of Legal Services and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Tasneem Wadvalla, has been honoured with the 2025 HERS-SA Women in Support Services Award for her contribution as a professional member of staff in higher education and for her institutional stewardship in support services.

VC's Awards - Health Sciences recognised with Transformation Award

Excellence, relevance and societal impact celebrated at VC’s Awards Winners included Professor Bavesh Kana (School of Pathology) and Professor Jonah Choiniere (ESI) for Research Excellence; Physicist Professor Bruce Mellado, who won the Innovation and Social Impact award, and Professor Nicola Christofides from the School of Public Health, who has supervised over 70 master's and PhD students, won the supervision award.

Wits/SapienCE Blombos Museum of Archaeology wins award The Blombos Museum of Archaeology has been awarded Best Innovative Project at the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport Awards Gala. Petro Keene, principal curator, accepted the award on behalf of the museum and Wits/SapienCE team.

Dr Nkadimeng at the G20 AI for Africa Conference

Edward Nkadimeng receives Presidential Youth Award in AI at G20 AI for Africa Forum Dr Edward Nkadimeng of the National Research Foundation iThemba LABS has received the 2025 ��һ�Թ�� Youth in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Competition’s Presidential Award - the highest honour of the 2025 Presidential ��һ�Թ�� Youth in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Initiative.

Benjamin Rosman makes TIME's AI list Professor Benjamin Rosman was named in the 'Thinkers' category of TIME magazine's TIME100 AI 2025 list. Rosman is the Director of the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute, which was awarded core funding of US$1 million by Google.org.

Professor Imraan Valodia joins Global Wealth Inequality Committee Esteemed economist and Pro Vice‑Chancellor Imraan Valodia was invited to join the international Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality, a high-impact initiative formed under South Africa’s G20 Presidency and chaired by Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz.

2025 NRF Awards

Top-Tier NRF Ratings Distinguished Professor in Creative Writing Ivan Vladislavić received an A-rating for the first time, and Professor Isabel Hofmeyr of WiSER was A-rated for the third time. Additionally, Dr Mitchell Cox (Electrical and Information Engineering) and Dr Simone Sterne Richardson (Antibody Immunity Research Unit) both received the rarely awarded P-rating ('Prestigious Award').

Anele Siswana

Next‑Generation Doctoral Fellowship Anele Siswana, a support staff member and clinical psychologist in the Faculty of Humanities, received the 2025 Next Generation Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Fellowship from the SSRC, backed by Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Andrew Forbes awarded Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award Wits distinguished physicist Andrew Forbes was named joint recipient of the prestigious 2025 Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award, recognising his pioneering contributions to quantum technologies that could transform computing globally.

Dean of Student Affairs elected SAASSAP President Wits’ Dean of Student Affairs, Jerome September, was elected President of the South ��һ�Թ�� Association of Senior Student Affairs Professionals (SAASSAP) at the University of the Free State on 8 August 2025, a national leadership role in shaping the student affairs landscape.

Professor Iginio Gagliardone, the new SARChi SA-UK Bilateral Chair in the Digital Humanities

New research Chair in Digital Humanities Iginio Gagliardone, Professor of Media Studies at Wits, has been appointed the inaugural SARChi SA-UK Bilateral Chair in the Digital Humanities.

Wits Philosophy Professor Prof. Lucy Allais has been elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Professor Lucy Allais elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences Wits philosopher Lucy Allais made history as the first female South ��һ�Թ�� philosopher elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2025.

Helen Rees

Professor Rees awarded 2025 Dr Lee Jong-wook Prize Professor Helen Rees, Executive Director of Wits RHI, was awarded the 2025 Dr Lee Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health, which honours individuals whose work has profoundly improved public health, especially for the underprivileged.

Professor Sally Archibald receives John F.W. Herschel Medal Professor Sally Archibald in Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies received the Royal Society of South Africa’s John F.W. Herschel Medal, awarded to those who are outstanding in either a field of research that straddles disciplines or in more than one unrelated field.

SACAQM and AfricaWeather Partner to Advance Air Quality Monitoring

Wits scientists scoop French prize for AI-powered innovation Wits' Institute for Collider Particle Physics (ICPP) is one of the global winners of the 2025 ODESS Prize in France for the design and deployment of AI-powered environmental monitoring system.

MIND Director named coveted CIFAR Fellow Professor Benjamin Rosman was appointed a Fellow of the prestigious CIFAR Learning in Machines & Brains programme.

Wits Prof.Collen Masimirembwa recipient of Alexander Humboldt Award 600x300

Prof. Collen Masimirembwa receives Alexander Humboldt Award The work of Professor Collen Masimirembwa combines human genetics, drug metabolism, and pharmacokinetics research in predicting drug response.

Dr Millicent Motheogane Deputy Head of AISU has walked a long journey from a cleaner to a PhD graduate

From cleaner and secretary to PhD Once a cleaner and secretary and now Deputy Head at AISU, Dr Millicent Motheogane’s drive to attain a PhD was a fight against poverty and a quest for representation.

Dr Bradley Segal

Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30: Dr Bradley Max Segal Dr Bradley Max Segal, one of five ��һ�Թ��s featured in Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30 Class of 2025. He specialises in integrating advanced technologies with clinical practice to improve patient outcomes and streamline healthcare processes.

SAMRC scientific merit awardees Precious Matsoso, Karen Hofman, Shane Norris 600x300

South ��һ�Թ�� Medical Research Council awards Prof. Karen Hofman was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Adjunct Professor Precious Matsoso was bestowed with the President’s Award and Prof. Shane Norris was awarded the Gold Medal from the South ��һ�Թ�� Medical Research Council.

Lazarus Matizirofa (Matizi) appointed to the International Open Repositories Steering Committee

Open repository advocate appointed to global committee Lazarus Matizirofa (Matizi) has been appointed to the International Open Repositories Steering Committee (ORSC), serving from 2025 to 2027. Matizi is an Associate Director: Research, Scholarly Communication, Digital Systems, and Services at the Wits Libraries.