THE National Research Foundation (NRF) has awarded highly acclaimed Rhodes
University academic Professor Tebello Nyokong a rare A-rating.

The NRF rating is a national indicator of research excellence at universities
and, according to the foundation, an A-rating is only awarded to researchers who
are “unequivocally recognised by their peers as leading international scholars
in their field for the high quality and impact of their recent research
outputs”.

NRF manager of monitoring and evaluation, Joyce Olivier said the rating
evaluation was based on the quality and the impact of Nyokong’s research
outputs.

Nyokong holds the South African Research Chair for Medicinal Chemistry and
Nanotechnology at Rhodes and is the Director of the DST-Mintek and
Nanotechnology Innovation Centre for Sensors.

A delighted Nyokong ascribed her achievements to hard work, dedication and
capitalising on every opportunity she was afforded.

“There are no shortcuts to anything. You don’t even need to be intelligent in
this world – you just need to do the work and put in the hours.”

Her promotion to the A category brings the number of A-rated researchers on
the full-time Rhodes academic staff to two, said the university in a
statement.

Rhodes Chair in Marine Ecology, Professor Christopher McQuaid received an
A-rating last year. Rhodes deputy vice-chancellor Dr Peter Clayton said 22% of
Rhodes University’s academic staff were now NRF rated, meaning it had one of the
highest proportions of NRF rated staff in the Higher Education Sector.

Nyokong has received numerous awards in recognition of her groundbreaking
work in the fields of chemistry and nanotechnology.

Caption: NO SHORTCUTS: Professor Tebello Nyokong has become the second Rhodes
University researcher to receive an A-rating from the National Research
Foundation

Story by ADRIENNE CARLISLE

Source: Daily Dispatch