Academy of Science South Africa 2005/6 Annual Report

ASSAfProgramme 4National and regional activitiesSouth African Science and Technology capacities for the 21st centuryKnowledge production by a new generationIn parallel with an international study by the IAC, ASSAf undertook an extensive local study on S&Tcapacities in 2002-4. The ASSAf study resulted in three reports: a background document, proceedings ofa forum and a synthesis report, combined and printed in one volume in 2005 for ease of reference anddissemination.ASSAf participated in planning the national consultative conference on knowledge productionin South Africa, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 25 July 2005. As a result,consensus recommendations were made to Cabinet on six areas of concern. Important political supportfor a broad programme of further action was gained through this joint exercise of the Departments ofScience and Technology and of Education.ASSAf Science-for-Society gold medalsAn honour of a special kindAt a prestigious ceremony on 28 October 2005 the Honourable Mr Mosibudi Mangena, Minister of Scienceand Technology presented the third set of two awards of the ASSAf Science-for-Society Gold Medal toProfessors George Ellis (MASSAf) and Thomas Bothwell (MASSAf).Citation: “In his career Professor George Frederick Rayner Ellis has combined his peerless scientific skills witha finely tuned sense of morality and social activism and action, so that his impact is known and appreciated by aspectrum that extends from scientific elites, communities of researchers and educators, to the poorest of the poor.Now Emeritus Professor and Distiguished Professor of Complex Systems at the University of Cape Town, Ellisis indeed one of the most distinguished scholars, past or present, that this country has produced. His prodigiousoutput over a period of forty years includes over 300 articles or chapters in books, and 12 books – at last count- spanning disciplines as diverse as cosmology, complexity, neural development and the brain, science policy, socialProf George Ellis (MASSAf)Winner of the ASSAf Science-for-SocietyGold MedalAnnual Report 2005/0663