About the NSTF Awards

About the Awards

The NSTF Awards is the flagship project of the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF).

The NSTF Awards recognise, honour, reward, celebrate, profile and promote outstanding contributions to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation in South Africa (SA). The awards encourage and reward excellence in:

Scientific

research

Management of SET and innovation

Capacity development in engineering research

Water management
solutions

Clinician science

Environmental

sustainability and

biodiversity

conservation

Science diplomacy

Agricultural

management

and

solutions

Research software

Data management

Technological innovation

Communication, outreach and raising awareness

Special Theme: Healthy aging

NGO activities,

including

technology

transfer, and

education

and training

The NSTF Awards established in 1998, is organised in partnership with South32 since 2016.

Known as the ‘Science Oscars of SA’, the Awards are the largest SET and innovation awards in SA and have grown to be the most prestigious public awards of their kind in SA. Previous award winners are widely recognised as worthy recipients.

The Awards are endorsed by the Ministry and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI); and have been supported since inception as founding partners. The Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, is the official patron of the NSTF-South32 Awards and presides over the ceremony every year.

These awards are unique in SA for a number of reasons:

It is the only SET and innovation awards that are open, i.e. where the call for nominations includes the public.
The processes and events are inclusive and managed in a collaborative way.
They recognise a variety of outstanding contributions by individuals, organisations and teams.
These include all practicing scientists, and other professionals and practitioners across the national system of innovation (NSI) as described by the DSTI in policy documents.

Youth outreach is an integral part of the awards project. Top performing learners in mathematics and science in Grade 12 are recognised every year through the NSTF Brilliants Programme. There is also a year-long series of interactions with the public and learners by award winners across the country. This is called the NSTF Share ‘n Dare Programme.

Nomination and adjudication processes

1. Nominations of candidates are registered online by the first deadline (now in January).

2. Fully completed nomination documents have to be submitted by the second and final deadline ( in March). Please see the Terms and Conditions – entries must be received on time.

3. An adjudication panel of independent judges is appointed annually by the NSTF Executive Committee (Exco) from member nominations. It represents all sectors of the NSTF membership and, in the case of the sponsored categories, representatives of these sponsors. The adjudication panel reviews the nominations, identifies those that are eligible, shortlists the finalists and makes the final selection of winners. A panel of experts is also appointed by the NSTF Exco. These experts assist the adjudication panel by reviewing and providing validation of the selections.

Definitions of science, engineering, technology and innovation

Science

The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the natural and physical world through observation and experiment, gathering and analysis of data. This is defined for our purposes to include the social sciences.

Engineering

Considered as the practical application of scientific knowledge, especially in industry, the built environment, information technology, defence and commerce.

Technology

The means by which science is used to create engineering, machines, systems and methods that can solve problems and achieve goals, in a variety of disciplines and undertakings.

Innovation

Means the application, in practice, of new technologies, and creative and new ideas. It includes inventions, discoveries and the processes by which new products, or changes to existing products and services enter the market and the creation of new businesses.

The generic value chain which links these elements together is expressed in the definition of the NSI. The value chain spans the stages of inputs, processes, outputs, impacts and outcomes. It specifically includes: research, development and creative work undertaken on a systematic basis. This is in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of people, culture and society and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. It also includes technology transfer activities associated with research, experimental development and contributing to the dissemination and application of scientific and technical knowledge, education and training.

The value of the NSTF Awards for the nominees

The NSTF Awards have long been coveted in SA as the ultimate public recognition of achievement and success in the SET and innovation sectors.

Winners receive a prestigious, custom-made trophy at the annual gala dinners in July of each year. The event evolved from one event in Johannesburg, to online in 2020 during the pandemic, and from then on a hybrid two-city event broadcasting live from Cape Town and Johannesburg simultaneously to an online audience on the NSTF YouTube channel.
Finalists are featured in the Who’s Who of SET and innovation in SA, an annual publication of the NSTF Awards. These stand as a record of the outstanding contributions, and professionals and organisations in SET and innovation in SA.
Winners are profiled as ambassadors of SET to the youth at high schools, science centres and science festivals across SA through the Share ‘n Dare Programme, where the winners ‘share’ their experiences with the youth and ‘dare’ them to take up SET studies and careers. Videos of the winners are produced to share online and screen at schools and science centres.
High-profile recognition is given and sought for winners and finalists on various media platforms, including the media sponsors, Business Report and the Mail & Guardian newspapers, as well as social media.

Purpose of the NSTF Awards

The NSTF Awards honour and celebrate outstanding contributions to SET and innovation in SA. This is done so that:

Excellence is promoted among SET practitioners in research, development and innovation (RDI)
Recognition is given to excellent contributions to SET and innovation, including those contributions which make research possible and build capacity in the SET system, and where research is facilitated through access to data which has been collected and curated, as well as research software
Young people are encouraged to undertake studies and careers in SET
The communication of science and the sharing of knowledge are promoted
Ultimately the purpose of the NSTF Awards is to contribute to achieving sustainable socio-economic growth for SA and to improve the quality of people’s lives

Objectives of the NSTF Awards

To celebrate, acknowledge and promote excellence in the South African scientific, research, RDI, engineering and other technical communities
To recognise individuals, organisations and teams, cutting across sectors, levels, gender and race
To recognise work that is professional, innovative, forward-looking and relevant to both SA and the rest of the world
To encourage the involvement and participation of SET organisations in research and innovation while raising awareness among the general public about local research and innovation and its relevance
To address government human resource targets by:
- involving business
- drawing attention to scarce skills
- profiling role models
- facilitating and recognising knowledge transfer to learners and students, and
- encouraging the youth to pursue careers in SET

NSTF-South32 Awards

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

The NSTF supports the principle of collaborative, widely-inclusive awards and welcomes collaboration with members and other organisations interested, such as the following:

National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)

These awards are unique in SA for a number of reasons:

Nomination and adjudication processes

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