NEW Prize sponsor: proSET (Professionals in SET), a sector of the NSTF representing more than 40 professional societies
- Prof Ryan Blumenthal – Senior (Sr) Specialist Forensic Pathologist and Associate Professor: Department (Dept) of Forensic Medicine, University of Pretoria (UP); and also in the Communications and Special Annual Theme categories*
- Prof Hindrik Bouwman – Professor: Zoology, School of Biological Sciences and Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University
- Prof Novel N Chegou – Professor: Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University (SU)
- Prof Ling Cheng – Professor: School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category*
- Prof Kirsten Corin – Associate Professor: Centre for Minerals Research, Dept of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town (UCT)
- Prof Michael O Daramola – Professor and Head: Dept of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, UP; and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category*
- Prof Andrew Green – Professor: Marine Geology, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN); and Visiting Professor: University of Ulster, Northern Ireland; and also in the Special Annual Theme category*
- Prof Mohamed Shahidul Islam – Professor: Biochemistry; and Academic Leader: Biotechnology Cluster, School of Life Sciences, UKZN
- Prof Alex T Kuvarega – Professor: Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa (UNISA)
- Dr Gerald Maarman – Sr Lecturer: Division of Medical Physiology, SU
- Prof Nobanathi W Maxakato – Associate Professor: Dept of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
- Prof Ajay K Mishra – Group Leader: Research Area “Nanomaterials and Wastewater”; and Professor: Dept of Chemistry, Durban University of Technology (DUT); and also in the Water Research Commission category*
- Prof Marlo Möller – Professor: Centre for Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC); and Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) / National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Biomedical Tuberculosis, Research Division, Molecular Biology and Human Genetics (MBHG), Dept of Biomedical Sciences, SU; and Associate Member: Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, SU
- Prof Nosipho Moloto – DSI/NRF/Nedbank SARChI Chair in Energy Materials, Wits; Research Professor: Inorganic Chemistry, Wits; and Deputy Director: African Research Universities Alliance, CoE in Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology, Wits; and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category*
- Prof Onisimo Mutanga – Professor: Remote Sensing, UKZN; and Chair: DSI/NRF SARChI in Land Use Planning and Management, UKZN; and also in the Engineering Research Capacity Development category*
- Prof Samuel O Oluwafemi – Project Leader: Nanomaterials Synthesis and Applications Laboratory, Dept of Chemical Sciences (formerly Applied Chemistry), UJ
- Dr Mohan Turup Pandurangan – Sr Lecturer: Dept of Mechanical Engineering, DUT and also in the Special Annual Theme category*