Call for Nominations: 2023 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA)

15 May 2023
15 May 2023

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

2023 SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN IN SCIENCE AWARDS

THEME: HARNESSING TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND INNOVATION TO ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMEN AND GIRLS

 

UCT internal deadline: Monday, 5 June 2023

DSI deadline: Monday, 19 June 2023

Enquiries: Mbasa Mguye (mbasa.mguye@uct.ac.za)

 

The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) calls for nominations for the 2023 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA). These awards recognise and reward excellence by women scientists and researchers, and profile them as role models for younger women.  The awards will be made to women who are South African citizens or permanent residents.

BACKGROUND

The theme for the 2023 SAWiSA is Harnessing technological change and innovation to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls. This is derived from the theme of the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) held from 6 to 17 March 2023, which is "Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls". The UNCSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It monitors UN Member States' global standards for achieving gender equality and, through UN Women, works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented to truly benefit women and girls worldwide. UN Women ensures that the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals is a reality for women and girls and stands behind women's equal participation in all aspects of life.

NOMINATION CRITERIA

  • Any person who knows the nominee and her work well can make a nomination. The nominator should provide the motivation as required in the nomination form.
  • Nominees must be South African citizens or permanent residents.
  • Overall winners in the past 10 years are not eligible to be nominated in the categories in which they have previously won.

 

AWARD CATEGORIES

 

1.    DISTINGUISHED WOMAN RESEARCHERS

Nominees should be established women scientists or researchers with at least five-years of postdoctoral experience and who are actively involved in research. Their research projects must have made outstanding scientific contribution to advancing science and building the knowledge base in their areas not necessarily aligned with the theme.

Awards will be made in the following fields as well as in any field aligned with the theme:

  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Natural (Life and Physical) and Engineering Sciences

Adjudication criteria

Nominees will be judged on their research publication record, their international stature (as evidenced by their presentation of keynote addresses or papers at international conferences), their experience in supervising postgraduate students and researchers, the relevance and impact of their research, and exploitability of their research outputs (i.e., the possibility of using the research results to develop or improve products, processes and services).

Value of each award

Winner: R90 000 | First runner-up: R65 000 | Second runner-up: R40 000

Required documents:

  1. A completed and signed nomination form (see attached);
  2. A completed CV template (see attached);
  3. Proof of scientific/research publications: The first page of each of the nominee's five to 10 best articles, and the title pages of her books or book chapters;
  4. Short profile (see sample on page 13 of the full call guide);
  5. Proof of innovation or applied knowledge outputs (if applicable): List of intellectual property outputs with relevant registration numbers, or list of outputs with inclusive growth and development impact;
  6. Letters of reference from three people discussing the nominee's professional competence and other personal or professional qualities or interests that qualify her for the award; and
  7. A certified copy of ID.

2.                  DISTINGUISHED YOUNG WOMAN RESEARCHERS

Nominees should be women under the age of 40 or turning 41 in 2023 who have PhDs and whose research projects have made outstanding contribution to advancing science and building the knowledge base.

Awards will be made in the following fields as well as in any field aligned with the theme: 

  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Natural (Life and Physical) and Engineering Sciences

Adjudication criteria

Nominees will be judged on their research publication record, their national and/or international stature (as evidenced by their presentation of keynote addresses or papers at international conferences), their experience in supporting younger students, the relevance and impact of their research, and/or the potential exploitability of their research outputs (i.e., the possibility of using research results to develop or improve products, processes and services).

Value of each award

Winner: R80 000 | First runner-up: R55 000 | Second runner-up: R30 000 

Required documents:

  1. A completed and signed nomination form (attached);
  2. A completed CV template (attached);
  3. Proof of scientific/research publications: The first page of each of the nominee's five to 10 best articles, and the title pages of her books or book chapters;
  4. Short profile (see sample on page 13 of the full Call Guide);
  5. Proof of innovation or applied knowledge outputs (if applicable): List of intellectual property outputs with relevant registration numbers;
  6. Letters of reference from three people discussing the nominee's professional competence and other personal or professional qualities or interests that qualify her for the award; and
  7. A certified copy of ID.

3.    DISTINGUISHED YOUNG WOMAN AND DISTINGUISHED WOMAN RESEARCHER

Theme: "For Research Leading to Technological Change and Innovation in Achieving Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls"

These awards will be made to women in any field whose research led to technological changes and innovation towards achieving gender equality and empower women and girls.

(i)   Distinguished Young Woman Researcher

Nominees should be emerging woman scientists or researchers under the age of 40 or turning 41 in 2023 who have PhD degrees and whose research led to technological changes and innovation towards achieving gender equality and empowering girls and women.

(ii) Distinguished Woman Researcher

Nominees should be established woman scientists or researchers with at least five years' postdoctoral experience, whose research led to technological changes and innovation towards achieving gender equality and empowering girls and women.

Adjudication criteria

Nominees will be judged on their (i) research publications; (ii) scientific contribution and impact; (iii) technological changes and digital innovation (products, services, processes or solutions); and (iv) development and implementation of relevant policies that advocate and promote the participation of women and girls.

Value of each award

Distinguished Young Woman Researcher: R90 000

Distinguished Woman Researcher: R100 000

Required documents:

  • A completed and signed nomination form (attached);
  • A completed CV template (attached);  
  • Proof of scientific/research publications: First page of each of the nominees' five to 10 best articles, and the title pages of their books or book chapters;
  • Short profile (see sample);
  • Proof of technologies, innovation or applied knowledge outputs: List of intellectual property outputs with relevant registration numbers, or list of outputs with inclusive growth and development impact of technologies and innovations;
  • Reference letters from three people discussing each nominee's professional competence and other personal or professional qualities or interests that qualify the nominee for the award, and
  • A certified copy of ID.

 

4.    DSI FELLOWSHIPS

Nominees should be women under the age of 35 who are South African citizens or permanent residents; registered for full-time study or research for masters or PhD degrees at UCT; and who are high performers in the current or previous degrees.

The fellowships recognise the awardees' outstanding ability and potential in research, enhance their research experience and output, and encourage more young women to complete research degrees.

Fellowships will be awarded to:

  • Six master's students: two in Natural Sciences, one in Engineering Sciences, one in HSS, one in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and one in Astronomy.
  • Six PhD students: two in Natural Sciences, one in Engineering Sciences, one in HSS, one in IKS and one in Astronomy

Adjudication criteria

Applicants will be judged on the quality and performance in their studies; past and present achievements; quality and feasibility of their proposed study/research plan and time schedule; relevance of their research (potential to provide solutions to immediate problems and scarcity of researchers in the field pursued); and their career plans as per the application criteria given.

 

Value of the awards

R70 000 for a master's degree (x6) | R90 000 for PhD degree (x6)

Required documents:

  • An application form (attached);
  • Proof of research publications or outputs: copies of one to five relevant research publications (showing potential to provide solutions to immediate problems and scarcity of researchers in the field pursued), and title pages of the applicant's books or book chapters;
  • Short profile (see sample on page 14 of the full Call Guide);
  • Reference letter. The letter must reflect the relationship of the referee with the applicant, the contact details of the referee, and highlight the following about the applicant:

·       evidence of excellence in current studies,

·       technical accomplishments and relative standing of the candidate among her peers (publications, conferences, mentoring etc.),

·       relevance of research being pursued (potential to provide solutions to immediate problems and scarcity of researchers in the field pursued),

·       her role in encouraging and supporting young women,

·       personal or professional qualities or interests that make the applicant specially qualified to receive a fellowship, and

·       any other indicators of outstanding ability;

  • A letter of support from a supervisor who has knowledge of the applicant's work. This letter should outline the applicant's suitability to receive the award, and the quality of and performance in their studies;
  • Letter of intent and applicant statement, which must indicate:

·       The applicant's desire to be considered for the fellowship,

·       how the applicant qualifies for the fellowship, and

·       a demonstrable need for the specialised knowledge and skills that she plans to acquire;

  • Full academic record;
  • Certified copies of qualifications; and
  • A certified copy of ID.

 

Submission deadlines

Applicants who want to submit their applications for internal review must submit complete applications by Monday, 5 June 2023 to amanda.raman@uct.ac.za.

Applicants who wish to submit directly to the DSI can submit by Monday, 19 May 2023 to SAWiSA@dst.gov.za and clearly indicate the category.

 

Required Attachments

The nomination form, CV template and submission checklist for researchers.

The application form and submission checklist for DSI Fellowships.