Beneficiaries of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Mid-Career Scientist Programme (MCSP) continue to showcase their remarkable achievements. Two notable successes are recent outstanding awards of a Lifetime Achiever and Trailblazer for Prof Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya and the appointment of Prof Salome Maswime as the Director of the newly established World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre.
Prof. Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya: a Lifetime Achiever and a Trailblazer
Prof Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya, a renowned South African academic and research leader, was recently awarded the Lifetime Achiever and Trailblazer Awards, both at the 2024 Higher Education Women Leaders Awards (HEWLA)
The HEWLA ceremony was held to celebrate women whose leadership and influence have positively impacted universities and the greater community. The award recognized Prof Phaswana-Mafuya’s empowerment, hard work, leadership in building the next generation of researchers, and success in health science research. These accolades are just one of her many achievements and solidify her as one of South Africa's most influential figures in academia. She has been previously awarded the NSTF TW Nkambule Award in 2017 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to science, technology and mathematics. Prof Phaswana-Mafuya has served as Chair of the 9th SA AIDS Conference in 2019. She is also the Director of the University of Johannesburg's African Centre for Epidemics Research (PACER), an SAMRC extramural unit.
Prof Phaswana-Mafuya places a strong emphasis on capacity development. With the support of the Mid-Career Scientist grant, she has successfully recruited and funded postgraduate students, both MSc and PhD candidates, thereby advancing their development into established researchers. As she continues to lead by example, her work serves as an inspiration to future generations of academics, researchers, and women leaders. Through her pioneering effort, Prof Phaswana-Mafuya has further demonstrated that leadership is not just about personal success but about creating pathways for others to thrive. The HEWLA award is thus a well-deserved recognition of her commitment to excellence, equity, and transformative leadership in higher education.
Prof. Salome Maswime: Leading the WHO Collaborating Centre
Prof Salome Maswime is a globally recognised obstetrician and gynaecologist who has made significant contributions to maternal health, particularly in the field of surgery and maternal mortality. She has recently been appointed to lead the newly established WHO) Collaborating Centre for Integrated Clinical Care, which will be based at the University of Cape Town. This significant advancement in her career is a testament to her exceptional dedication and groundbreaking work in Global surgery and health systems. The Centre will work to implement high-quality clinical care for vulnerable populations. Additionally, the Centre will focus on pioneering research and evidence generation to support the delivery of high-quality, integrated clinical care on a global scale.
Prof Maswime has credited the Mid-Career Scientist grant with accelerating her career development. For instance, the SAMRC Mid-Career Scientist Programme funding enabled Prof Maswime to establish a new programme in Global surgery that hosts both MSc and PhD candidates. She was the winner of the prestigious National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) SAMRC Clinician Scientist Award for 2023. She is the head of the Division of Global Surgery at the University of Cape Town.
Looking Forward
The achievements of Prof. Phaswana-Mafuya and Prof. Maswime highlight the SAMRC Mid-Career Scientist Programme's success in enhancing health research and fostering scientific and academic leadership in South Africa. Commenting on this achievement, RCD Division Manager Dr Abeda Dawood states, " We applaud these remarkable accomplishments by the beneficiaries and look forward with great enthusiasm to their continued contributions to advancing scientific knowledge for the improvement of health in South Africa.”
Contributors: Research Capacity Development Division (Fallon Heinrich, Asanele Ngcauzele, Frederic Nduhirabandi, Abeda Dawood)
For contact, email to frederic.nduhirabandi@mrc.ac.za