At the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Awards Ceremony on November 09, 2023, Professor Makaiko Chithambo, the Head of Physics and Electronics at Rhodes University, and Professor Sioux McKenna, the Director of the Centre for Postgraduate Studies (CPGS), were welcomed as new members of the prestigious academy. They joined 38 of the country's foremost scholars and scientists in receiving this honour.
ASSAf's core function is to recognise and honour the country's most outstanding scholars by electing them as Members of the Academy. These Members are selected from a wide range of disciplines. Since its inception in 1996, the Academy has grown to a total Membership of 689.
In a congratulatory letter, Professor Sabiha Essack, the General Secretary of ASSAf, wrote, "On behalf of the ASSAf Council, it is my pleasure to welcome you to ASSAf as newly-elected Members."
Professor Chithambo holds an NRF B2 research rating and earned his PhD from the University of Edinburgh, and his Masters degree from the University of Sussex, UK. His research interests revolve around the study of imperfections in solids. He has authored over 135 papers on this subject and wrote the book titled "An Introduction to Time-resolved Optically Stimulated Luminescence," published by Morgan & Claypool Publishers. Professor Chithambo has also received the Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award and Distinguished Senior Research Award from Rhodes University.
Upon receiving his ASSAf membership, he expressed his gratitude, stating, "I am truly honoured. The fact that I was elected by my peers who found me worthy of this honour makes it very special. It is a direct recognition that my work is, in some ways, world leading. To receive such unsolicited recognition is truly wonderful."
Professor McKenna joined Rhodes University at the end of 2009 to establish a new doctoral programme in higher education studies. In the 13 years since its inception, the programme has graduated 38 scholars and continues to thrive. She has been part of the CPGS for the past six years and, as its first full-time employee, had the opportunity to enhance the Centre's profile. Her responsibilities include managing several national and international projects, such as the EU-funded Creating Postgraduate Collaborations project and the DHET-funded Enhancing the Quality of Postgraduate Education project.
Rhodes University takes immense pride in its distinguished academics who consistently contribute significantly to the institution's scholarly and research legacy.
For more info on ASSAf: https://www.assaf.org.za