RefNo | EC/2022/47 |
Level | Item |
Title | Vilakazi, Zeblon: certificate of election to the Royal Society |
Date | 21 April 2022 |
Description | Certificate endorsing election of Zeblon Vilakazi as a Fellow of the Royal Society. Includes personal details of the elected Fellow, citation giving the reasons for election, and names of proposers. Signed by the Executive Director of the Royal Society, Julie Maxton. |
Citation | Professor Zeblon Vilakazi has made significant contributions to nuclear and particle physics in experiments at CERN, in ISOLDE and ALICE respectively. Being the first director of a National Research Lab (iThemba LABS) at a young age of 37 he instantiated the first sub-Saharan groups to work in experimental particle physics. He continued this capacity building as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the university of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and, since January 2021 as Vice-Chancellor and principal at the same institution. Under his guidance, these first sub-Saharan African HEP groups have grown into a well-recognised community that is making significant contributions in ALICE, ATLAS and ISOLDE. He later moved into establishing Africa’s first quantum computing initiative in partnership with IBM, a continent-wide effort recognised with an award of a substantial national grant. He has striven to overcome the capacity constraints during a period in which South Africa was re-integrating into the global scientific community following its isolation. |
Extent | 4p |
Format | Computer printout |
PhysicalDescription | A4 papers |
AccessStatus | Closed |
AccessConditions | Election certificates are subject to 50 year closure period from date of election. Details of proposers and date certificate was first submitted for candidacy are kept confidential until the 50 year closure period has elapsed. |