We have a new award for a clinician-scientist, which is sponsored by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) with a focus on work to enhance life and to improve the health of the community. The new category is modelled on the Emerging Researcher category. More details are provided under Categories.

The South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) is the new prize sponsor for the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher category. Prizes of R20 000 each will be awarded to the two winners to supplement their research funding.

The TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category now has a prize sponsor for the first time, which is proSET (Professionals in SET – the Professional Bodies and Learned Societies Sector of the NSTF). proSET previously sponsored the prizes for the Emerging Researchers. The prize money is R20 000 to supplement the winner’s research funding.

1) The NSTF decided to tighten up the timelines. NO late entries will be accepted. Extensions to the closing date will only be granted on application in writing where force majeure circumstances apply. Where, at the closing date, the number of nominations are considered by the adjudication panel to be insufficient, either overall, or in certain categories, an appropriate extension will be announced.

2) Please read the Terms and Conditions: ‘Note 1’ was added under section 2, sub-paragraph 2 last year and spells out category-by-category how previous winners might approach a further nomination. See point (1f) in particular which deals with the case where a member of a nominated team has been a previous winner.

3) There are no changes to the criteria of established categories.

This award has been broadened last year to allow for teams to be nominated, and for Engineering Capacity Development which leads to Engineering research capacity development to be recognised. The framework of the award remains the same.