Research and Innovation Awards Ceremony | Durban University of Technology
The 2019 Research and Innovation Awards were held on the 22nd November 2019 at the Hilton Hotel, Durban, to recognise excellence and achievements of the DUT researchers and innovators. The University has experienced rapid growth in its research performance over the last five years, achieving above its planned targets for the period 2015-2019 and in terms of the impact of the publications (according to Scival accessed 31st October 2019), DUT performed above the global average of 1.
This increase is due to the efforts of those staff who strive for excellence, completed their doctorates, published in high impact journals, supervised pools of postgraduate students and competed for external grants to support the R&I activities.
In terms of actual institutional counts for 2019, DUT recorded 238.40 publications with 262 unique authors of which 35% (92) are female and 65%(170) are male. The percentage of academic staff with doctorates has increased from 24% (2017) to 29.6% (2019). The postgraduate percentage of enrolments has remained at 4% of the total enrolments. Additionally, in 2019, DUT supported 491 postgraduate students from both institutional and NRF grants that amounted to a total of R33 043 174. The number of National Research Foundation researchers increased from 30 in 2018 to 37 in 2019. In 2019, of the 37 NRF Rated Researchers, 30% are female and 70% are male. We hope to continue focusing on this to increase the number of female rated researchers.
The main host of the institutional awards, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Zizwe Mthembu, emphasised the importance of performance management and how the R&I awards measure precisely key indicators which can identify staff who perform above the average. For 2019, the staff who had excelled above average in the R&I areas would get incentives which had been discussed with the DVC for Research, Innovation & Engagement. This was the first time the University has recognised R&I performance significantly and in line with benchmarked values! .
They keynote speakers for the awards evening included Dr Molapo Qhobela the Chief Executive Officer of the National Research Foundation. Dr Qhobela’s talk focussed on the need to continue to strive for excellence in research, promoting academic autonomy combined with research ethics and integrity. He further commended the researchers at the University for their hard work that has resulted in the growth of research outputs.
The second keynote speaker, Mr Sandras J. Phiri, Director: Startup Grind South Africa and CEO and co-founder: Africa Trust Academy, spoke about self-investment. He went further to explain that it is important for individuals to value themselves and explained that this is the basis of building the platform for entrepreneurship.
The awards evening was also attended by external stakeholders such as Councillor Fawzia Peer, Ms Susan D Knowles, Educational Specialist, Corporate Affairs, U.S. Embassy, Consulate General Durban and Acting Consul General Ding Qiao from the Chinse Consulate General and Mr Mahmoud Youssef Baker from the IQRAA Trust (member of the DUT Foundation & Donor). Internal guests included Dr Isaac Machi, DVC: People and Operations; Prof Sibusiso Moyo, DVC: Research Innovation and Engagement; Prof Kevin Duffy, Research and Postgraduate Director (Acting); Executive Deans: Prof Nokuthula Sibiya (Health Sciences) and Prof Suren Singh (Applied Sciences); Deputy Deans: Prof Paul Musonge (Engineering and the Built Environment) and Prof Brian Pearce (Arts & Design); Dr Vuyo Mthethwa, Senior Director: Human Resources; Dr Frank Wu, Confucius Institute; Prof Faizal Bux, Director: Institute for Water and Wastewater and DUT – Staff and Postgraduate Students.
The DVC Research, Innovation & Engagement, Professor Sibusiso Moyo, acknowledged the Vice-Chancellors’ strategic vision and intervention in scaling up the 2019 R&I awards and promoting excellence and performance management which would ensure our researchers have something to aspire to with clear indicators which will be refined to ensure everyone understands how they can participate and compete for the R&I awards from 2020 onwards. She thanked the Research and Postgraduate Support Directorate, the Guest Speakers, Guests, Staff and students.
The highlights of the evening were the recipients who excelled based on their 2018 outputs inclusive of a number of indicators over and above the publications, postgraduate students supervised and grants acquired including mentorship of emerging researchers. Congratulations to the following recipients:
| NO | CATEGORY | NAME | AFFILIATION |
| 1 | VICE-CHANCELLOR’S AWARD | Professor Faizal Bux | Institute for Water & Wastewater Technology |
| 2 | SENIOR RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD |
Professor Nokuthula Maureen Sibiya | Faculty of Health Sciences |
| 3 | WOMEN RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD |
Professor Nirmala Dorasamy | Faculty of Management Sciences |
| 4 | JUNIOR RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD |
Dr Dumsile Hlengwa | Faculty of Management Sciences |
| 5 | RESEARCH INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR |
Professor Krishnan Kanny | Composite Research Group |
| 6 | RESEARCH GROUP OF THE YEAR |
Professor Krishnan Kanny | Composite Research Group |
| 7
|
INNOVATOR OF THE OF THE YEAR AWARD (GROUP)
|
Dr Venugopala, Katharigatta Narayanaswamy |
Faculty of Applied Sciences |
| Prof Bharti Odhav | Faculty of Applied Sciences | ||
| Dr Mohanlall, Viresh | Faculty of Applied Sciences | ||
| Mr Kasumbwe Kabange | Faculty of Applied Sciences | ||
| 8
|
CREATIVE OUTPUTS OF THE YEAR AWARD
|
Prof Debbie Lutge | Department of Drama |
| Mr Mdu Mtshali | Department of Drama | ||
| Ms Jo Voysey | Department of Fine Arts and Jewellery Design | ||
| 9 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Platinum category |
Dr Odunayo Olarewaju | Department of Management Accounting |
| 10 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Gold Category |
Prof Richard Millham | Department of Information Technology |
| 11 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Platinum category |
Prof Innocent Davidson | Department of Electrical Power Engineering |
| 12 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Gold Category |
Dr Yusuf Isa | Department of Chemical Engineering |
| 13 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Platinum category |
Prof Poovendhree Reddy | Department of Community Health Studies |
| 14 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Gold Category |
Professor Firoza Haffejee | Department of Basic Medical Sciences |
| 15 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Platinum category |
Professor Nirmala Dorasamy | Department of Governance and Economics |
| 16 | FACULTY RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Gold Category |
Dr Robert Walter Dumisani Zondo | Department of Entrepreneurial Studies and Management |
| 17 | TOP PUBLISHED MASTERS STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD |
Mr Bakusele Kabane | Department of Chemistry |
| 18 | UNIVERSITY TOP PUBLISHED DOCTORAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD | Mr Nyane Ezekiel Macdonald Mofokeng | Faculty of Management Sciences |
| 19 | FACULTY TOP PUBLISHED DOCTORAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR | Dr Rajasekhar Chokkareddy | Faculty of Applied Sciences Department of Chemistry |
| 20 | FACULTY TOP PUBLISHED DOCTORAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR | Dr Grace Temiloluwa Agbede | Faculty of Arts & Design Department fo Media Language and Communication |
| 21 | FACULTY TOP PUBLISHED DOCTORAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR | Mr Isaac Opeyemi Olalere | Faculty of Eng & the Built Environment Department of Industrial Engineering |
| 22 | FACULTY TOP PUBLISHED DOCTORAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR | Dr Stanley Chibuzor Onwubu | Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Dental Sciences |
| 23 | RECOGNITION AWARD: IN RECOGNITION OF RECEIVING THE ENI AWARD IN THE CATEGORY: YOUNG TALENTS FROM AFRICA |
Mr Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh | Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment Department of Chemical Engineering |
| 24 | RESEARCH IMPACT AWARD: | Professor Faizal Bux | Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology |
| 25 | TOP UNIVERSITY JOURNAL PUBLISHERS FOR ACCREDITED OUTPUTS – Gold category |
Professor Dimov Stojce Ilcev | Space Science Institute |
| 26 | TOP UNIVERSITY JOURNAL PUBLISHERS FOR ACCREDITED OUTPUTS – Silver category |
Professor Nokuthula Maureen Sibiya | Faculty of Health Sciences |
| 27 | TOP UNIVERSITY JOURNAL PUBLISHERS FOR ACCREDITED OUTPUTS – Bronze category |
Dr Robert Walter Dumisani Zondo | Department of Entrepreneurial Studies and Management |
| 28 | TOP JOURNAL PUBLISHERS FOR ACCREDITED OUTPUTS (PDFS, RAS & RFS) |
Dr Andrea Giampiccoli | Research Fellow: Faculty of Management Sciences |
| 29 | TOP JOURNAL PUBLISHERS FOR ACCREDITED OUTPUTS (PDFS, RAS & RFS) |
Dr Zloshchastiev Konstantin | Research Fellow: Institute for System Science |
| 30 | NEWLY RATED RESEARCHERS – Y2 CATEGORY |
Dr Lawrence Madikizela | Faculty of Applied Sciences Department of Chemistry |
| 31 | NEWLY RATED RESEARCHERS – C2 CATERGORY |
Professor Oluwatosin Ademola Ijabadeniyi | Faculty of Applied Sciences Biotechnology and Food Technology |
| 32 | NEWLY RATED RESEARCHERS – Y2 CATEGORY |
Dr Anisa Vahed | Faculty of Health Sciences Dental Sciences |
| 33 | NEWLY RATED RESEARCHERS – Y2 CATEGORY |
Dr Saheed Sabiu | Faculty of Applied Sciences Biotechnology and Food Technology |
| 34 | NEWLY RATED RESEARCHERS – Y2 CATEGORY |
Dr Oludolapo Akanni Olanrewaju | Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environemnt Department of Industrial Engineering |
| 35 | RE-RATED RESEARCHERS – B1 CATEGORY | Professor Michael Chapman | Faculty of Arts & Design |
| 36 | RE-RATED RESEARCHERS – C3 CATEGORY | Professor Kevin Duffy | Institute for System Science |
| 37 | RE-RATED RESEARCHERS – C2 CATEGORY | Professor Geoffrey Harris | Peace Studies Programme Faculty of Management Sciences |
| 38 | RE-RATED RESEARCHERS – C1 CATEGORY | Professor Krishnan Kanny | Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environemnt Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| 39 | RE-RATED RESEARCHERS – B2 CATEGORY | Professor Julia Preece | Faculty of Arts & Design Unit of Adult and Community Education |
| 40 | RE-RATED RESEARCHERS – B3 CATEGORY | Professor Suren Singh | Faculty of Applied Sciences |
| 41 | RECOGNITION OF SUPERVISORS Gold category |
Professor Nokuthula Maureen Sibiya | Faculty of Health Sciences |
| 42 | RECOGNITION OF SUPERVISORS Silver category |
Professor Geoffrey Harris | Peace Studies Programme Faculty of Management Sciences |
| 43 | RECOGNITION OF SUPERVISORS Bronze category |
Professor Olugbara Oludayo | Faculty of Accounting & Informatics |
Pictured: Professor Sibiya for Senior Researcher of the Year, Professor Bux for: VICE-CHANCELLOR’S AWARD and RESEARCH IMPACT AWARD and DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu
Prof S Moyo, Ms V Govender and Dr K Oparinde.