Contact us
Division of Polymer Science
Department of Chemistry
and Polymer Science
University of Stellenbosch
Private Bag X1
7602 MATIELAND
South Africa
Telephone: +27 (21) 808 3172
Student enquiries
+27(21) 808 3172
Where to find us
GPS Coordinates:
S 33° 55' 58" E 18° 51' 59"
Last revision: 27 November, 2024
2024
GC Kuyler. CEO of Nanosene SU-spinout company which was awarded the 2024 CHEC – Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry Innovation Award
B Klumperman. SU Research and Innovation Excellence Award for Postgraduate Supervision (3 or more PhD candidates graduated for Dec 2023 and Mar 2024 combined)
B Klumperman. Inducted as a Fellow of The South African Chemical Institute (SACI) - deemed excellent in his service to the field of chemistry.
GC Kuyler. The South African Chemical Institute (SACI) Postgraduate Medal.
GC Kuyler. Nanosene (Pty) Ltd took to the stage for the first time! Recently graduated, Dr Gestél Kuyler proudly represented Nanosene at the Academia-Industry Training (AIT) Swiss-African Science and Business Innovators (SASBI) Conference on 28-29 February 2024. in Lagos, Nigeria. It was announced at the culmination of this event that Nanosene (Pty) Ltd had been selected as one of the 12 finalists to attend the Swiss Residency Week in Switzerland to be held in May. Another honour was the announcement that the Nanosene (Pty) Ltd presentation was the "Overall Winner of the AIT Swiss-Africa event" and received the Public Vote award.
2021
C Pretorius. 2021 SU Distinguished Teacher's Award.
B Klumperman. Elected as Vice-President of the Royal Society of South Africa.
2020
M Lutz. Identified by the top-performing first-year AgriSciences students in 2020 as their most inspiring lecturer.
H Pasch. Selected to be part of the 2020 Power List of the Analytical Scientist
(https://theanalyticalscientist.com/power-list/2020).A Ndiripo. Recipient of the Vice-Rector's Postdoctoral Fellow Award for Exceptional Achievement for 2020.
2019
C Pretorius. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), Stellenbosch University: Teaching Hub prize 2019.
B Klumperman. Appointed as an Associate Editor of the ACS (American Chemical Society) journal Macromolecules.
PE Mallon. Elected as President of the South African Chemical Institute for 2019 - 2021.
UL Muza. SACI Postgraduate Award (one of only 5 awardees nationally).
LE Ball. Best cum laude Honours student in Polymer Science 2018, continuing with MSc.
H Pasch. SCM Lifetime Achievement Award. SCM 9th International Symposium on the Separation and Characterisation of Natural and Synthetic Macromolecules, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Jan 2019.
2018
AHP Cronje. Polymer Science Prize for Best Polymer Science Honours student (cum laude) 2017.
AHP Cronje. Element Six DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Award 2017 - Best Honours student in Polymer Science.
2017
H Pasch. Vice Rector of Research Award 2017, University of Stellenbosch.
GH Greyling. Postdoctoral Fellow Award for Exceptional Achievement, University of Stellenbosch - placing him among the very best out of all the postdoctoral fellows at the University.
B Klumperman. John FW Herschel Medal of the Royal Society of South Africa 2018.
PE Mallon. Elected as Vice-President of the South African Chemical Institute for 2017 - 2019.
H Pasch. Gold Medal of the South Afircan Chemical Institute.
NW Radebe. 1st Place, Borealis Poster Award, International Conference on Polymer Analysis and Characterization. ISPAC 2017, Linz, Austria, June 2017.
CM Smit. Element Six (Pty) Ltd DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Award: Best BScHons student in Polymer Science 2016.
UL Muza. 1st Place, Poster Award, SCM 8th International Symposium on the Separation and Characterization of Natural and Synthetic Macromolecules, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, February 2017.
2016
B Klumperman. University of Stellenbosch Chancellor's Award for Research (highest award given to any member of staff by the University).
IM Heyns, W van Schalkwyk. 3rd Place, Springer Oral Award, Asian Polymer Association (APA) International Conference on Advanced Polymers, Biomaterials, Bioengineering & Nano Drug Delivery, Flic-En-Flac, Mauritius, 5-7 September 2016.
I Weideman. 2nd Place, Poster Award, Asian Polymer Association (APA) International Conference on Advanced Polymers, Biomaterials, Bioengineering & Nano Drug Delivery, Flic-En-Flac, Mauritius, 5-7 September 2016.
B Klumperman. NSTF Lifetime Award (for an outstanding contribution to SET and innovation by an individual over a period of 15 years or more).
2015
H Pasch. University of Stellenbosch Chancellor's Award for Research (highest award given to any member of staff by the University).
I Weideman. Element Six (Pty) Ltd DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science 2014.
B Klumperman. Sasol Chemistry Innovator of the year medal.
PE Mallon. Elected as Executive Secretary of the South African Chemical Institute for 2015 - 2017.
N Basson. Royal Society of South Africa Poster Prize at the UNESCO/IUPAC Workshop and Conference on Macromolecules and Materials, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 6-10 September 2015.
A Kargaard. IUPAC Poster Prize at the UNESCO/IUPAC Workshop and Conference on Macromolecules and Materials, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 6-10 September 2015.
2014
R Pfukwa. Presentation: Jürgen Springer Prize for a Young Scientist, POLYCHAR-22 World Forum on Advanced Materials, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 7-11 April 2014.
E Harmzen. Diploma of distinction for a student presentation, POLYCHAR-22 World Forum on Advanced Materials, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 7-11 April 2014.
N van Deventer. AMS Award for the best honours student (cum laude) in Polymer Science 2013.
N van Deventer. Element Six (Pty) Ltd DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science 2013.
E Harmzen. Mattie Jooste prize: Best Postgraduate student in Textile and Polymer Science.
2013
B Klumperman. Gold Medal of the South African Chemical Institute.
AC Willemse. Mattie Jooste Prize: Best Postgraduate student in Textile and Polymer Science.
M Phiri. Poster prize: 12th UNESCO/IUPAC Workshop and Conference on Macromolecules and Materials, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 24-28 March 2013.
2011
M Brand. Third best poster at the 11th Annual UNESCO/IUPAC Workshop and Conference on Functional Polymeric Materials & Composites, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 26-29 April 2011.
NC Basson. Diploma of distinction for the best presentation, POLYCHAR-19 World Forum on Advanced Materials, Kathmandu, Nepal, 20-23 March 2011.
F Meltz. Element Six (Pty) Ltd DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science 2010.
ML du Toit. Element Six (Pty) Ltd DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science 2010.
F Meltz. AMS Laboratory Technologies Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science 2010 (cum laude).
2010
EP Jacobs. The WRC Technical Excellence Award for developing innovative water purification technology that are commercially available.
GM Bayley. Carl Klason Prize for the best oral paper presented by a student at the POLYCHAR-18 World Forum on Advanced Materials, Siegen Germany.
2009
RD Sanderson. The Paul J Flory Polymer Research Prize for his pioneering work on polymerization. Presented by the POLYCHAR World Forum on Advanced Materials at POLYCHAR-17, France.
H Chirowodza. Chancellors medal for the nest MSc student during 2008/2009.
2008
GM Bayley. Poster prize at the 39th SACI National Convention, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 30 Nov - 5 Dec 2008.
RD Sanderson. Outstanding Alumni Award, Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering Department, The University of Akron, Ohion, Ohio, USA.
WAS Hadasha. 4th Place for his poster at a NATO-ASI Workshop on New Smart Materials via Metal Mediated Macromolecular Engineering: from Complex to Nano Structures, Turkey, 1-12 September 2008.
R Pfukwa. Honourable mention for his poster at the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia, USA, 17-21 August 2008.
RD Sanderson. NSTF Award toe a Researcher for Research Capacity Development over the last 5 to 10 years (Eskom sponsored award).
A Smith. Element Six (Pty) Ltd DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science 2007.
A Smith. SMM-AMS Laboratory Technologies Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science 2007.
2007
A Samakande. Second prize for a student paper at the Controlled/Living Polymerization, CLP'07 Conference in Antalya, Turkey, 25-29 October 2007.
FM Saoud. First prize for the best student poster at the Controlled/Living Polymerization, CLP'07 Conference in Antalya, Turkey, 25-29 October 2007.
EP Jacobs. WISA-MTD Lifetime Achievement Award 2007 for his contribution to membrane science both locally and abroad.
GEN Pound. Carl Klason Prize for the best student paper at the POLYCHAR-15 World Forum on Advanced Materials, 15th Tutorial on Polymer Characterization, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 16-20 April 2007.
GM Bayley. IUPAC Prize for the best poster (out of 160) at the POLYCHAR-15 World Forum on Advanced Materials, 15th Tutorial on Polymer Characterization, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 16-20 April 2007.
A Bowes. Honorory Colours from Stellenbosch University for outstanding academic achievements.
L Hlalele. Best BSc(Hons) student during 2006.
2006
GM Bayley. Third prize for posters at teh 38th National Convention of the South African Chemical Institute, Durban, South Africa, 3-8 December 2006.
A Bowes. Second prize at the 9th Annual UNESCO/IUPAC Conference on Macromolecules: Polymers for Advanced Applications, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 20-23 November 2006.
RAS Fleet. Third prize at the 9th Annual UNESCO/IUPAC Conference on Macromolecules: Polymers for Advanced Applications, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 20-23 November 2006.
LL Vatta. First prize in the 2006 AAAS Student Poster Session in the Physical Sciences category at the AAAS Meetings in New York, USA.
A Bowes. SMM Instruments Award for the best honours student during 2005.
2005
RD Sanderson. WISA-MTD Honorary Award 2005 in full recognition of his role to advance and support membrane science and technology in South Africa.
MB Mbanjwa. Best student presentation at the 6th WISA-MTD Workshop, Wilderness, South Africa, 13-15 March 2005.
SP Roux. Second prize: student presentation at the 6th WISA-MTD Workshop, Wilderness, South Africa, 13-15 March 2005.
2004
MB Mbanjwa. WISA Stander Evening 2004 Young Researcher Award, 21 October 2004.
NE Luruli. Best poster contribution at the 7th Annual UNESCO/IUPAC Conference on Macromolecules focusing on Polymers in Medical, Nanotechnology, Degradation & Stabilisation, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 5-8 April 2004.
GW Harding. Setpoint Award for the best honours student in Polymer Science during 2003.
JL Rinquest. Merck Award for the best Chemistry III student during 2003.
2003
RD Sanderson. Victor Pretorius Memorial Lecturer 2003.
I Goldie. THRIP Excellence Award 2003 nominee.
S Govender. Best oral contribution at the 5th WISA-MTD Symposium on Membrane Development in Waste Minimisation, Water Treatment and the Process Industry, Vereeniging, South Africa.
Z Allie. Best poster contribution at the 5th WISA-MTD Symposium on Membrane Development in Waste Minimisation, Water Treatment and the Process Industry, Vereeniging, South Africa.
2002
WJ Opperman. One of the winners of the Catalyst Innovation Competition, targeted at recognising the commerciallisable innovations developed by students at all universities and technikons in South Africa in the Science, Health Science and Engineering Faculties.
FM Calitz. Best poster award, 5th UNESCO School and IUPAC Conference on Macromolecules and Materials Science, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
WJ Opperman. THRIP Excellence Award for the student registerd on a project that most represent the intentions of the DTI and THRIP.
1999
SPJ Smith. First prize in the student contest at the International Congress on Membranes and Membrane Processes, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1998
UNESCO Associated Centre for Macromolecules and Materials. Awarded by the United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Institute for Polymer Science. SA Centre of Excellence for Polymer Science: Status awarded by Polifin.
K Mequanint. JGP van der Horst prize for the best MSC student in Chemistry.
1997
DG Bessarabov. SA Cehmical Institute/Sasool Post-graduate Medal for the best chemistry related PHD obtained in South Africa during 1996.
1995
JP Botes. M-Net's Jac van der Merwe Prize for Innovation: Cross-flow ultrafiltraion as one-step clarification and sterilisation for potable water in rural communities.
1994
VM Linkov. First prize in the student contest at teh 3rd International Conference on Inorganic Membranes, Worcester Polytechnic Instittute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
FJ du Toit. Gold Medal at the Symposium for postgraduate and post-diploma students in the South African Academy of Science and Arts (Chemistry Section).
1993
RD Sanderson and EP Jacobs. Chemical Manufacturer's Association Award for the best academic contribution to industry during 1992.
1989
RD Sanderson. William Sage Award of the Plastics and Rubber Institute, South African Division.
1988
Institute for Polymer Science. Centre of Expertise for Membrane Studies: Status awarded by the Water Research Commision.
