Wits’ vice chancellor inducted into the Royal Society
The vice chancellor shares on what an honour this induction is for him and the institution.
Wits University’s vice chancellor and principal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, was recently inducted into prestigious Royal Society.
Vilakazi is following in the footsteps of Wits alumni, who in their lifetime also became Fellows in one of the world’s most prestigious scientific academies – Robert Broom, Phillip Tobias, Basil Schonland, Frank Nabarro, and Nobel-Prize winner Aaron Klug.
The internationally recognised nuclear physicist expressed, “It is an honour to be inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is not just an honour for me, but also for Wits University, and all those who supported me.
“South Africa is home to a host of incredibly talented scientists, who punch above their weight in the global knowledge arena. While this Fellowship acknowledges some of my achievements, more importantly, it recognises the high calibre of science and scientists based in Africa.”
The Royal Society is described as a self-governing Fellowship made up of the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and the Commonwealth. Fellows and Foreign Members are elected for life through a peer review process on the basis of excellence in science.
There are about 1 700 Fellows and Foreign Members, including around 85 Nobel Laureates. Each year up to 52 Fellows and up to 10 Foreign Members are elected from a group of around 800 candidates who are proposed by the existing fellowship.
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