Double take for researcher

UCT staffer Marijke Geldenhuys has hit two birds with one stone, winning two prestigious honours in the US over one weekend.

First, she received the Outstanding Health Sciences Student Award from George Washington University, and then she heard that she'll soon be inducted into the Alpha Eta Honour Society, a US scholastic honour society for the allied health professions.

Geldenhuys, a quality assurance and professional development manager at the Worcester clinic of UCT's South African TB Vaccine Initiative (SATVI), completed her master's degree in clinical research administration at George Washington in 2007, becoming the top student in the health science faculty there.

The George Washington award recognises graduating students who have demonstrated exemplary academic performance, promoted teamwork and collaboration among peers, and who participated in community service.

"This is quite amazing. I never thought I would do better than the Americans," Geldenhuys said before jetting to the US.

The Alpha Eta Honour Society landed Geldenhuys for her academic excellence, outstanding leadership, professional development and commitment during the course of her studies.

Professor Gregory Hussey, director of SATVI, said Geldenhuys' involvement in the course forms part of the initiative's programme to develop clinical research administration capacity within South Africa and the rest of Africa.