• Prof Tamiru Abiye – Professor: Hydrogeology Programme, School of GeoScience, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); and also in the NSTF-Water Research Commission category*
• Prof Omotayo Arotiba – Professor: Department (Dept) of Chemical Sciences; and Director: Centre for Nanomaterials Science Research, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
• Prof Marique Aucamp – Associate Professor: Pharmaceutics Dept, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape
• Dr Hayley Cawthra – Chief Scientist: Marine Geoscience, Geophysics and Remote Sensing Research, Council for Geoscience (CGS), Cape Town; and Research Associate: African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University
• Prof Michael Olawale Daramola – Professor and Head: Dept of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, University of Pretoria (UP); and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category*
• Prof Elvis Fosso-Kankeu – Professor: Dept of Mining Engineering, University of South Africa (UNISA); and also in the NSTF-Water Research Commission category*
• Prof Sian Hemmings – Associate Professor: Dept of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University (SU)
• Dr Sharief Hendricks – Senior Lecturer: Division of Physiological Sciences , Dept of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town (UCT); and Visiting Fellow: Leeds Beckett University, England
• Dr Tebogo G Mahashe – Senior Lecturer: Michaelis School of Fine Art; and Principal Investigator: Defunct Context Research Project, UCT; and Artist-in-residence: Artist in Labs, Zurich School of Arts; and Convener: Connect South Africa, Art, Science and Residency with the SA Observatories (SARAO and SAAO), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Arts at CERN and Pro Helvetia Swiss Arts Council
• Dr Lawrence Diko Makia – Senior Lecturer: Dept of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda; also in the Innovation: Corporate Organisation and the Special Annual Theme categories*
• Prof Wanda Markotter – Professor and Director: Centre for Viral Zoonoses; Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) / National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair: Infectious Diseases of Animals (Zoonoses); and Research Chair: People, Health and Places, Future Africa Institute, UP
• Ms Ndivhuwo C Mukosi – Project Leader, Manager and Geoscientist: CGS; and Geoscientist and Project Leader: Integrated and Multidisciplinary Geoscientific Mapping Research, Minerals and Energy Unit, Council for Geoscience (CGS)
• Dr Givemore Munhenga – Principal Medical Scientist and Senior Researcher: Vector Reference Laboratory, Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Division of the National Health Laboratory Service; and Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wits
• Prof Samuel O Oluwafemi – Project Leader: Nanomaterials Synthesis and Applications (NANOBEW) Laboratory, Dept of Chemical Sciences (formerly Applied Chemistry), UJ
• Dr Cameron Penn-Clarke – Scientist: Geo-Mapping, Minerals and Energy, CGS; and Honorary Research Associate: Evolutionary Studies Institute, Wits; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF: Emerging Researcher category*
• Prof Theresa Rossouw – Professor: Dept of Immunology, UP
• Prof Vernon S Somerset – Associate Professor: Environmental Chemistry, Dept of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology; and also in the Communication category*

Prize sponsor: proSET (Professionals in SET), a sector of the NSTF representing professional bodies and learned societies.

• Dr Saeideh Babaee – Lecturer: Department (Dept) of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Dr Moses Basitere – Senior Lecturer: Academic Support Program for Engineering in Cape Town; and Research Lead: Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater Unit, Water Research Group, Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town (UCT); and Research Fellow and Principal Research Leader: Bioresource Engineering Research Group, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)
• Mr Sandile Cele – Laboratory Supervisor: Africa Health Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
• Prof Adéle da Veiga – Associate Professor: School of Computing, Information Systems Dept, College of Science, Engineering and Computing, University of South Africa (UNISA)
• Dr Tatenda Dalu – Lecturer: University of Mpumulanga, Nelspruit; and Iso Lomso Fellow: Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study, Stellenbosch University (SU); and Honorary Research Associate: South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda; and Young Affiliate: The World Academy of Science, UNESCO, Italy
• Dr Roisin E Drysdale – Postdoctoral Fellow: Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) / National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Human Development, Wits
• Dr Wynand Goosen – Lecturer (Wellcome Foundation): Animal Tuberculosis Research Group, DSI/NRF CoE for Biomedical TB Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SU
• Prof Pragashnie Govender – Associate Professor: Occupational Therapy, School of Health Sciences, UKZN
• Dr Ahmed Mukalazi Kalumba – Senior Lecturer, Head and Founder: Geospatial Application, Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability Research Lab: Dept of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Fort Hare
• Mr Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh – Principal Investigator: Green Engineering  Research Group, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Durban University of Technology; and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development and the NSTF-Water Research Commission and in the Special Annual Theme categories*
• Dr Banothile Makhubela – Senior Lecturer and Director: Research Centre for Synthesis and Catalysis, Dept of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Johannesburg (UJ); and also in in the Special Annual Theme categories*
• Dr Samkelo Malgas – Lecturer: Division of Biochemistry, Dept of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria (UP)
• Dr Emmanuel A Margolin – Director of Research and Development – Nant-SA; and previously: Post-doctoral Fellow: Antiviral Vaccine Development Group, Division of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT; and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Dr Nomali Z Ngobese – Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head: Dept of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, UJ
• Ms Athule Ngqalakwezi – Research and Development Engineer, MINTEK
• Prof Amir Patel– Associate Professor: Dept of Electrical Engineering, UCT
• Dr Cameron Penn-Clarke – Scientist: Geo-Mapping, Minerals and Energy, Council for Geoscience; and Honorary Research Associate: Evolutionary Studies Institute, Wits; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF: Researcher category
• Dr Simone Richardson – Senior Scientist: National Institute for Communicable Diseases; Researcher: Wits (joint appointment)
• Dr Wilhelm C Rothman – Lecturer: Dept of Information Technology, CPUT; and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Dr Admire I T Shayanowako – Research Fellow: Plant Breeding, African Centre for Crop Improvement; Dept of Crop Science, UKZN; and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development, in the Green Economy and in the Innovation: Corporate Organisation categories*

• Mr Shaun Grimett – Manager: Information Technology, Laboratory Information Systems Team, National Health Laboratory Service; and see also Data for Research category*
• Prof Bhekie Brilliance Mamba – Executive Dean: College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa (UNISA)
• Prof Inderasan Naidoo – Professor: Mathematics, Department (Dept) of Mathematical Sciences, UNISA (2012 – present); and Chairperson: Dept of Mathematical Sciences, UNISA (2011–2013); and Director: School of Science, UNISA (2013–2015, 2017–2018); and Deputy Executive Dean: College of Science, Engineering and Technology, UNISA (2016); and Academic Quality Assurance and Enhancement Specialist: Office of the Vice-Principal, Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support, UNISA (2018 – present)
• Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela – CEO: SA Health Products Regulatory Authority
• Prof Fatima Suleman – Director: World Health Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Evidence Based Practice, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal; and also in the Lifetime category*

Sponsored by Eskom since 2003

• Prof Evans M N Chirwa – Professor: Rand Water Research Chair in Water Utilisation, Department (Dept) of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria (UP); and also in the Lifetime and in the NSTF-Water Research Commission categories*
• Prof Michael Olawale Daramola – Professor and Head: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, UP; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
• Mr Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh – Principal Investigator: Green Engineering and Process Sustainability Research Group, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Durban University of Technology; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher and in the Water Research Commission and in the Special Annual Theme categories*
• Prof Nonhlangabezo (Bezo) Mabuba – Associate Professor, Deputy Head of the Department and Project Leader: Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Material and Processing Science, Dept of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
• Prof Oluwole D Makinde – Professor: Applied Mathematics and Computations, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University (SU); and also in the Lifetime and in the Special Annual Theme categories*
• Prof Sehliselo (Selo) Ndlovu – Professor: Metallurgical and Materials Engineering; Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) / National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Hydrometallurgy Sustainable Development, University of the Witwatersrand; and also in the Lifetime category*
• Prof Wellington Didibhuku Thwala – Research Professor: Dept of Civil Engineering, College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), University of South Africa (UNISA); Past Director and SARChI Chair: Sustainable Construction Management and Leadership in the Built Environment
• Prof Marianne Vanderschuren – Professor: Transport Planning and Engineering; and Chair: DSI/NRF/Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) co-funded Smart Mobility Research; and Deputy Dean: Social Responsiveness and Transformation; and Dept of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Cape Town; and also in in the Special Annual Theme category*

Sponsored by the WRC since 2017

• Prof Tamiru Abiye – Professor: Hydrogeology Programme, School of GeoScience, University of the Witwatersrand; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
• Prof Evans M N Chirwa – Professor: Rand Water Research Chair in Water Utilisation, Department (Dept) of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria; and also in the Lifetime and the Engineering Research Capacity Development categories*
• Prof Elvis Fosso-Kankeu – Professor: Dept of Mining Engineering, University of South Africa (UNISA); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
• Gariep Watch: Team Leader: Mr Fritz Bekker – Technical Advisor and co-founder: Gariep Watch; and Managing Member: Clean Stream
• Mr Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh – Principal Investigator: Green Engineering Research Group, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Durban University of Technology; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher, and the Engineering Research Capacity Development and in the Special Annual Theme categories*
• Prof Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi – Professor, Honorary Research Associate Professor and Co-Director: Centre for Transformative and Agricultural Food Systems, University of KwaZulu-Natal

• Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Case Studies Project Team, “The use of waste materials in road construction project”, Project Leader and Principal Research Scientist and Research Group Leader: Mr Georges Mturi
• Prof Guy F Midgley – Distinguished Professor; and Head: Global Change Biology Group; and Interim Director: School for Climate Studies, Stellenbosch University; and also in the Lifetime category*
• Prof Godwell Nhamo – Chief Researcher and Exxaro Chair: Climate and Sustainability Transitions, University of South Africa (UNISA); and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Dr Admire I T Shayanowako – Research Fellow: Plant Breeding, African Centre for Crop Improvement; and Department of Crop Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher and in the Innovation: Corporate Organisation category*

• Prof Nigel C Bennett – Professor, Department of Science and Innovation /National Research Foundation South African Research Chairs Initiative Chair of Mammal Behavioural Ecology and Physiology; and Austin Roberts Chair of Mammalogy, University of Pretoria (UP)
• Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII), Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), South African National Survey on Research and Experimental Development Research Team – Team Leader: Dr Nazeem Mustapha
• Information Technology Laboratory Information System Team, National Health Laboratory Services – Team Manager: Mr Shaun Grimmett (see also the Management category)
• MOdelling Covid-19 Strategies In South AfriCa (MOSAIC) collective – Team Leader: Prof Susan Cleary; and Associate Professor: Health Economics, Health Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town (UCT)
• Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa – Team Leader and Co-Founder: Dr Jinal Bhiman; and Scientific Lead for Global Immunology and Immune Sequencing for Epidemic Response South Africa (GIISER-SA)
• Prof Lee Rusznyak – Associate Professor and Director: Legitimation Code Theory Hub, School of Education; and Principal Investigator: Teacher Choice in Action Project, University of the Witwatersrand
• The South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative Data Management Team, UCT – Data Manager: Mr Humphrey Mulenga
• Prof Dr Yves van de Peer – Full Professor: Ghent University, Belgium; and Full Part-time Professor, UP; and Full Part-time Professor, Nanjing Agricultural University, China

• The Biopharming Research Unit, University of Cape Town (UCT) – Director: Prof Edward Rybicki, Professor of Microbiology, Department (Dept) of Molecular and Cell Biology, UCT
• Ewah Cosmeceuticals (Pty) Ltd – Founder: Mideh Group t/a Ewah Cosmeceuticals  (Pty) Ltd, Ms Nokhuthula H Mavela, Durban University of Technology (DUT)
• INOFID (Pty) Ltd – Founder and Research Leader: Prof Eric Amonsou, , Dept of Bio-technology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Science, DUT
• KZN Industrial Energy Efficient Training and Resource Centre (IEETRC) – Manager: Prof Ian J Lazarus; and Associate Professor: Department of Physics, DUT
• Dr Lawrence Diko Makia – Senior Lecturer: Dept of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher and in the Special Annual Theme categories*
• Mining Positron Emission Tomography Research Group (MinPET) – Team Leader: Professor Simon Connell; and Dept of Mechanical Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Mr Abdul-Khaaliq Mohamed – Lecturer, Department of Information / Electrical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand
• Dr Admire I T Shayanowako – Research Fellow: Plant Breeding, African Centre for Crop Improvement, Dept of Crop Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher and the Green Economy categories*

Sponsored by the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) since 2019

• Diagnostic Aptamer Technologies Aminotek (DATA) Pty Ltd – Managing Director and Chief Scientific Officer: Dr Ashley Pretorius; and Managing Director: DHS Healthcare (Pty) Ltd; and Financial Director: MVK Engineering CC; and Director: The Aminotek Group
• MaXhosa Africa – Founder and CEO: Mr Laduma Ngxokolo
• Osta Technologies (Pty) Ltdt/a Osta Bio Materials – Managing Director: Mr Dimitrios Markoulides
• Thermtron Scientific CC– Sponsor and Manager: Dr Jacobus (Kokkie) Swanepoel; see also in the Lifetime category*

• Dr Ron Beyers – Owner: Young Engineers and Scientists of Africa (YESA); and Part-Time Lecturer: Nelson Mandela University; and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Prof Ryan Blumenthal – Senior Specialist Forensic Pathologist and Associate Professor: Department (Dept) of Forensic Medicine, University of Pretoria; and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Dr Daniel Cunnama – Science Engagement Astronomer: South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
• Prof Francois A Engelbrecht – Director and Professor: Climatology; and Prof Coleen H Vogel – Professor: Sustainability, Global Change Institute, University of the Witwatersrand
• Prof Burtram Fielding – Dean: Faculty of Natural Sciences; and Principal Investigator: Molecular Biology and Virology Research Laboratory, University of the Western Cape
• Prof Nokwanda “Nox” Makunga – Associate Professor: Dept of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University; and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Mental Health Information Centre (MHIC) of Southern Africa – Mrs Janine Roos – Director: SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, MHIC
• Prof Habib Noorbhai – Associate Professor and Director: Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Technology (BEAHT) Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg
• Mr Sivuyile (Sviggy) Sesi – Researcher, Writer, Author, Blogger, Publisher, Reporter, General Management and Reviewer: Internative Digital @756Writing for Politech; and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
• Prof Vernon S Somerset – Associate Professor: Environmental Chemistry, Dept of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
• Vuwani Science Resource Centre – Team Leader: Dr Nnditshedzeni Eric Maluta; and Coordinator: Vuwani Science Resource Centre; and Head: Dept Physics, University of Venda; and Ordinary Member: International Union of Physics and Applied Physics (IUPAP) Commission-14 for Education Development
• Dr Ida Wilson – Science Lead: Organic Products, Biorevolution and Extraordinary Lecturer, Dept of Agronomy, Stellenbosch University

• CodeMakers – Executive Director: Dr Justin Yarrow
• Siyafunda Community Technology Centre NPC – Director: Mr Ahmed Ismael, Information Technology Industry Certification

• Dr Saeideh Babaee – Lecturer: Department (Dept) of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
• Dr Ron Beyers – Owner: Young Engineers and Scientists of Africa (YESA); and Part-time Lecturer: Nelson Mandela University; and also in the Communication category*
• Prof Ryan Blumenthal – Senior Specialist Forensic Pathologist; and Associate Professor: Dept of Forensic Medicine, University of Pretoria; and also in the Communication category*
• Dr Shiksa Gallow – Medical Director, Principal Investigator, Biodata Research and Technical Director: Labat Healthcare; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researchercategory
• Mr Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh – Principal Investigator: Green Engineering  Research Group, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Durban University of Technology; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher and the Engineering Research Capacity Development and the NRF–Water Research Commission categories*
• Dr Banothile Makhubela – Senior Lecturer and Director: Research Centre for Synthesis and Catalysis, Dept of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Johannesburg (UJ); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher category
• Dr Lawrence Diko Makia – Senior Lecturer: Dept of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda; also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher and the Innovation: Corporate Organisation categories*
• Prof Oluwole D Makinde – Professor: Applied Mathematics and Computations, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University (SU); and also in the Lifetime and theEngineering Research Capacity Development categories*
• Prof Nokwanda “Nox” Makunga – Associate Professor: Dept of Botany and Zoology, SU; and also in the Communication category*
• Dr Emmanuel A Margolin – Director of Research and Development – Molecular Farming, Nant-SA; previously Post-doctoral Fellow: Antiviral Vaccine Development Group, Division of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town (UCT); and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Emerging Researcher category*
• Mining Positron Emission Tomography Research Group (MinPET) – Team Leader: Prof Simon Connell, Dept of Mechanical Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UJ; and also in the Innovation: Corporate Organisation category*
• Prof Godwell Nhamo – Chief Researcher and Exxaro Chair: Climate and Sustainability Transitions, University of South Africa (UNISA); and also in the Green Economy category*
• Dr Wilhelm C Rothman – Lecturer: Dept of Information Technology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology; and also in the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher category*
• Mr Sivuyile (Sviggy) Sesi – Researcher, Writer, Author, Blogger, Publisher, Reporter, General Management and Reviewer: Internative Digital @756Writing for Politech; and also in the Communication category*
• Prof Marianne Vanderschuren – Professor: Transport Planning and Engineering; Chair: Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) / National Research Foundation (NRF) / Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Co-funded Smart Mobility Research; and Deputy Dean: Social Responsiveness and Transformation; Dept of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, UCT; and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category*