(MENAFN- Assaf Academy of Science of South Africa) 2025 marks another milestone year for the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) as it welcomes a new cohort of distinguished scholars and scientists into its ranks. Forty-five exceptional individuals were formally inaugurated as Members of the Academy at ASSAf’s Annual Awards Ceremony on 30 October 2025.

ASSAf, the official academy of science for South Africa, recognises and celebrates scholarly excellence across all fields of academic endeavour. Election to Membership represents one of the highest honours a South African scholar can achieve, acknowledging both outstanding research contributions and dedicated service to society.

Each year, new Members are elected through a rigorous peer-review process conducted by the full Academy Membership. Collectively, ASSAf Members embody South Africa’s intellectual leadership and play a vital role in advancing evidence-based knowledge for the public good.

The addition of the 2025 cohort brings the total number of ASSAf Members to 772.

The newly elected Members are:

PROF JOHN ATAGUBA John Ele-Ojo Ataguba is a Professor and the Canada Research Chair in Health Economics at the University of Manitoba, and an Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria and Adjunct Professor at the University of Cape Town.
PROF KEVIN BEHRENS Kevin Behrens is Director of the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics, University of the Witwatersrand.
PROF KLAUS BEITER Klaus Beiter is a Professor at North-West University, where he teaches IP Law, Socio-Economic Rights, and International Social Justice.
PROF MICHAEL CLAEYS Michael Claeys is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town where he leads multidisciplinary research at the Catalysis Institute.
PROF IMRAAN COOVADIA Imraan Coovadia is Director of the Centre for Creative Writing at the University of Cape Town, as well as a writer and scholar.
PROF CHRISTOPHER CURTIS Christopher Curtis is a Professor of Physical Geography in the Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies at the University of Johannesburg.
PROF SERGES DJOYOU KAMGA
Serges Djoyou Kamga is Professor of Human Rights law and the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State.
PROF MICHAEL DARAMOLA Michael Daramola is Professor and Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Pretoria.
PROF RAYMOND DURRHEIM Raymond Durrheim holds the South African Research Chair in Exploration, Earthquake and Mining Seismology at the University of the Witwatersrand.
PROF HASINA EBRAHIM Hasina Ebrahim, is UNESCO Co-Chair in Early Childhood Education at UNISA.
PROF MARLINA ELBURG Marlina Elburg is Head of Department and a full Professor of Geology at the University of Johannesburg, specialising in Igneous Petrology and Geochronology.
PROF MOHAMMAD EMMAMBUX Mohammad Emmambux is a full Professor in the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences, University of Pretoria.
PROF FAADIEL ESSOP Faadiel Essop is the Director of the Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa at Stellenbosch University.
PROF OLANIYI FAWOLE Olaniyi Fawole is the SARChI Chair in Sustainable Preservation and Agroprocessing Research and Founding Director of the Postharvest and Agroprocessing Research Centre at the University of Johannesburg.
PROF JENNIFER FITCHETT Jennifer Fitchett is a Professor of Physical Geography at the University of the Witwatersrand.
PROF PATRICIA FORBES Patricia Forbes is a Full Professor in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Pretoria.
PROF LUCY GILSON Lucy Gilson is Head of the Health Policy and Systems Division at the University of Cape Town and Professor of Health Policy and Systems at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
PROF NELESH GOVENDER Nelesh Govender heads the Wits Mycology division in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand.
PROF MICHELLE GROOME Michelle Groome holds a joint appointment as Reader in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, where she lectures and supervises post-graduate students.
PROF VUSI GUMEDE Vusi Gumede is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at the Durban University of Technology.
PROF ADAM HAUPT Adam Haupt is Director of the Centre for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cape Town.
PROF SIAN HEMMINGS Sian Hemmings is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University (SU) and Deputy Director of the SAMRC/SU Genomics of Brain Disorders Unit.
PROF NICOLETTE HOURELD Nicolette Houreld is a Research Professor at the Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, and Deputy Chairholder of the SARChI Chair in Laser Applications in Health at the University of Johannesburg.
PROF MARTIN HILL Martin Hill is the Chair of Entomology and holds the SARChI in applied entomology at Rhodes University.
PROF URSULA HOADLEY Ursula Hoadley is Professor in Curriculum in the School of Education at the University of Cape Town.
PROF ROULA INGLESI-LOTZ Roula Inglesi-Lotz is Professor of Economics and the DSI/NRF SARChI Chair in Just Energy Transition at the University of Pretoria.
PROF KATIJAH KHOZA-SHANGASE Katijah Khoza-Shangase is Full Professor of Audiology at the University of the Witwatersrand.
PROF KARL KUNERT Karl Kunert is Professor of Plant Science at the University of Pretoria.
PROF CHRISTOPHER MATHEW Chris Mathew is Distinguished Professor in Human Genetics at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of the Witwatersrand and Professor Emeritus at King’s College London.
PROF CHARLES MBOHWA Charles Mbohwa is a Distinguished Professor at the University of South Africa and a Mechanical Engineering Professional specialising in sustainability engineering and energy systems.
PROF DILIP MENON Dilip Menon is Professor of History and International Relations at University of the Witwatersrand.
PROF THOMAS MOULTRIE Tom Moultrie is Professor of Demography at the University of Cape Town.
PROF PHILISWA NOMNGONGO Philiswa Nomngongo is a full Professor of Environmental Analytical Chemistry at the University of Johannesburg, and a Tier 1 SARChI in Nanotechnology for Water.
PROF VINCENT NYAMORI Vincent Nyamori is a Professor in the Discipline of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
PROF ANNET OGUTTU Annet Oguttu is Professor of Taxation and Director of the African Tax Institute at the University of Pretoria.
PROF ZARINA PATEL Zarina Patel is an Associate Professor of Human Geography and Deputy Dean for Research in the Faculty of Science at the University of Cape Town.
PROF BRETT PLETSCHKE Brett Pletschke is a Professor of Biochemistry at Rhodes University.
PROF CAROLINA POHL-ALBERTYN Carolina Pohl-Albertyn is a National Research Foundation SARChI Research Chair holder in Pathogenic Yeasts in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of the Free State.
PROF HANNA-ANDREA ROTHER Andrea Rother is Head of the Environmental Health Division and Associate Professor in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town.
PROF ABIODUN SALAWU Abiodun Salawu is Professor of Journalism and Communication Studies and Director of the research entity, Indigenous Language Media in Africa at the North-West University.
PROF ADDMORE SHONHAI Addmore Shonhai is Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Venda.
PROF ÖZLEM TASTAN BISHOP Özlem Tastan Bishop is a Professor of Bioinformatics at Rhodes University, and a Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Saveetha University, India.
PROF ALISHA WADE Alisha Wade is the Director of Research in Metabolism and Endocrinology and a Reader and Clinician Scientist in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand.
PROF ZENGHUI WANG Zenghui Wang is Full Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of South Africa.
PROF HARTMUT WINKLER Hartmut Winkler is Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Johannesburg.

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