UCT academic up for prestigious fellowship honour

The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Emerita Professor Valerie Mizrahi, the director of the Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit (MMRU) and the former director of the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, has been recognised with a prestigious lifetime fellow honour from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Professor Mizrahi joins a cohort of over 500 scientists, engineers and innovators across 24 AAAS disciplinary sections. The AAAS council annually elects members for their “scientifically or socially distinguished” contributions to the advancement of science or its applications. This selection process is meticulous to maintain the significance of the honour. The programme celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

“This acknowledgment highlights the world-class research happening at UCT and underscores our dedication to making meaningful contributions to global scientific communities. This honour is a testament to the hard work of the amazing people I’ve been privileged to work with in the MMRU, both past and present, and I greatly look forward to continuing our impactful work on the biology of tuberculosis (TB),” said Mizrahi.

AAAS chief executive officer, Dr Sudip Parikh, added: “As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the AAAS Fellows Program, AAAS is proud to recognise the newly elected individuals. This year’s class embodies scientific excellence, fosters trust in science throughout the communities they serve, and leads the next generation of scientists while advancing scientific achievements.”

Mizrahi and her fellow honourees will receive certificates and gold and blue rosette pins representing science and engineering, respectively. The award ceremony will be held at a forum on 21 September 2024. The fellows programme will celebrate its milestone anniversary at the National Building Museum in Washington, USA.