SA scientists win AU awards
2010-01-31 21:30
Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma handed South African scientists Patrick Eriksson and Diane Hildebrandt their first prize awards in the science, technology and innovation category at an African Union summit awards ceremony on Sunday.
The presidency said that the pair were awarded their prize at the continental African Union Scientific Awards ceremony in Addis Ababa.
"Science, technology and innovation form indispensable tools for driving socio-economic progress...and is sustained by adequate and competent human capital," said Zuma in commending the pair.
The continental scientific awards programme is designed to celebrate the achievements of African scientists in attracting investment to Africa, as well as creating centres of excellence.
Hildebrandt is co-director at the centre for optimisation modelling and process synthesis at Wits University and Eriksson is head of the Geology department at the University of Pretoria.
- SAPA