A host of UCT scholars and units have been nominated for the 2011/12 National Science and Technology Forum-BHP Billiton awards. This year, the NSTF celebrates its 14th Awards, which recognise, acknowledge and promote excellence in the South African research and development community. The Annual NSTF-BHP Billiton Awards event, launched in 1998, is the flagship project of the largest and most prominent multi-stakeholder representative forum for science, engineering, technology and innovation (SETI) organisations in South Africa.

UCT nominees in the categories for contributions to SETI by an individual, including: the Lifetime Achiever; the TW Kambule NRF-NSTF Awards through Research and its Outputs; and through Management and Related Activities, are:
Dr Peter Carrick, Institute for Plant Conservation;
Emer Prof John Field, Marine Research Institute;
Assoc Prof Thomas Franz, Biomechanical Science Cardiovascular Unit;
Prof Kevin Naidoo, Department of Chemistry;
Prof Ed Rybicki,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology;
Prof Heather Zar, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

UCT nominees in the category for contributions to SETI by an individual – the TW Kambule NRF-NSTF Awards for an Emerging Researcher (post-docs in a period up to six years after award of a PhD or equivalent in research) are:
Dr William Horowitz, Department of Physics;
Assoc Prof Brenda Morrow, Red Cross Children's Hospital;
Dr Leena Pillay, Department of Zoology;
Dr Dyllon Randall, Department of Chemical Engineering;
Dr Thomas Scriba, South African Tuberculosis Research Unit;
Dr Amanda Weltmann, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics

UCT nominees in the categories for research capacity development are:
Prof Bongani Mayosi, Department of Medicine;
Prof Kevin Naidoo, Department of Chemistry

Prof Keertan Dheda	Prof Margit Härting	Prof Bongani Mayosi
Dr Dyllon Randall	Prof Ed Rybicki	Dr Amanda Weltmann

UCT nominees in the categories for research leading to innovation by teams or individuals through organisations are:
Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit – team leader: Prof Alison Lewis;
In Situ XRD Cell – Team Leader: Prof Michael Claeys;
Lung Infection and Immunity Unit – team leader: Prof Keertan Dheda;
The PantoScanner Team – team leader: Dr Kit Vaughan;
UCT Nanoscience Innovation Centre – team leader: Prof Margit Härting;
UCT Maxillofacial Surgery Unit – team leader: Dr Rushdi Hendricks

All finalists will be honoured at the NSTF Plenary meeting of 25 May 2012 at Gallagher Estate in Gauteng. The NSTF-BHP Billiton Awards Gala Dinner is planned for 21 June.