Nine University of Cape Town (UCT) academics are among 44 of the country’s leading scholars and scientists who were inaugurated as members of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) at its annual award.
Professor Emese Bordy from UCT’s Department of Geological Sciences has made history as one of the two first female geologist professors in the academy. As the official academy of South Africa, ASSAf has a core function to honour the country’s most outstanding scholars by electing them to membership of the academy. ASSAf members are drawn from the full spectrum of disciplines.
Professor Bordy said: “This accolade comes as I step into my new role as deputy dean in the Faculty of Science at UCT, thus firmly opening a chapter of my life in which I serve even more my immediate scientific community of students and colleagues and the broader community of both extant and extinct organisms in my orbit.
“As a geologist working at the intersection of sedimentology and palaeontology in Africa, I hope to serve all, using the perspective I gained from studying the Earth and its stories. I also thank all the colleagues who participated in my ASSAf acceptance process for their vote of confidence.”
New members are elected each year by the full existing membership. Membership in the academy is a great honour and is in recognition of scholarly achievement.
Professor Mohamed Jeebhay said: “Making the world of work healthy and safe, has been my passion for more than 30 years. I am elated to see that the study of the health issues of working people is becoming increasingly relevant as other fields of medicine.”
Cape Argus