Members of the media are invited to attend the inaugural awards ceremony for the first Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Medal for the Social Sciences and Humanities which will be awarded to a leading scholar at a ceremony at the HSRC’s Pretoria office tonight.

Part of the mandate of the HSRC is to help build research capacity and infrastructure for the human sciences. Therefore this Medal will be awarded to a scholar who has made an outstanding contribution through his or her research and publications in any discipline and field in the social sciences and humanities. In addition to the Medal, the award includes a monetary prize of R50 000. The award will become an annual event.

For consideration, nominees must have:

1. a record of sustained academic excellence in the social sciences and humanities;
2. an international reputation for his or her scholarship;
3. a strong record of contribution to the public’s understanding of social sciences and/or humanities
4. evidence of meaningful, impactful work over a period of time, e.g. impact on public policy, community interventions etc.

Nominees must live and work in South Africa.

An HSRC-appointed adjudication panel considered the nominations and selected a winner. The panel consisted of at least two members representing the HSRC Board, the CEO, the Deputy CEOs and three representatives from among the HSRC’s Executive Directors. The CEO chaired the adjudication panel. The Academy of Science of South Africa, the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Science and a University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences were invited to nominate one person each to serve on the selection panel.

Speaking about the awards, CEO Prof Crain Soudien said, “This event this evening is one which we have looked forward to. It is the first in what we are hoping will become a tradition not just for the HSRC but for the country as a whole. Our intention with it is two-fold. We are making a statement with these awards about the place of the social sciences and the humanities in the landscape of science. We are also seeking to honour our colleagues working in the humanities and the social sciences.”.

The award ceremony will be a cocktail and dinner event hosted by the HSRC, at the HSRC in Pretoria.

Date:  25 November 2016
Time:  18.30
Venue:  HSRC Auditorium, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

Notes to the editor

For media enquiries contact Adziliwi Nematandani, Cell:  0827659191 email: anematandani@hsrc.ac.za 

Issued by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)