The South African Chemical Institute
Promoting chemistry, chemists, the chemical industry and chemical education in South Africa
South African Journal of Chemistry
Tertiary Chemistry
Departments
IUPAC
Provisional Recommendations
THE SOUTH AFRICAN CHEMICAL INSTITUTE
THE GOLD MEDAL
The medal shall be known as the Gold Medal of the South African Chemical Institute.
The medal is gold-plated, and bears the Institute’s name and crest on the obverse, and the
name of the medal, together with the name of the recipient and the date on the reverse. The award shall be made to a person whose scientific contributions in the field of chemistry or
chemical technology are adjudged to be of outstanding merit. The medal shall be accompanied
by a monetary award to the value of R5000, together with a suitably inscribed scroll.
THE HENDRIK VAN ECK MEDAL
The medal shall be known as the Hendrik van Eck Medal of the South African Chemical Institute The medal is gold-plated, and bears the Institute’s name and crest on the obverse, and the name of the medal, together with the name of the recipient and the date on the reverse. The award shall be made to a member of the Institute who has made exceptional contributions in the business or industrial sectors and/or to the community as a whole in South Africa. The medal shall be accompanied by a monetary award to the value of R5000, together with a suitably inscribed scroll.
THE RAIKES MEDAL
The medal shall be known as The Raikes Medal of the South African Chemical Institute.
The medal is gold-plated, and bears a likeness of Humphrey Rivaz Raikes with his name on the obverse, and the Institute’s name and crest, and the name of the recipient and the date on the reverse. The award shall be made to a person, under the age of 40 on 31 December proceeding the year of the award, whose original chemical research shows outstanding promise, as judged by the person’s publications in reputable journals. It is further stipulated that the research shall have been performed in South Africa. The medal shall be accompanied by a monetary award to the value of R2500, together with a suitably inscribed scroll.
THE CHEMICAL EDUCATION MEDAL
The medal shall be known as the The Chemical Education Medal of the South African Chemical Institute. The medal is struck in silver and bears the Institute’s name and crest on the obverse, and the name of the medal, together with the name of the recipient and the date on the reverse. The award shall be made to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to chemical education, as judged by the person’s published work in the previous five years. Published work may be in any form and may be related to any level or educational context. The medal shall be accompanied by a suitably inscribed scroll.
THE INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY MEDAL
The medal shall be known as the The Industrial Chemistry Medal of the South African Chemical Institute. The medal is struck in silver and bears the Institute’s name and crest on the obverse, and the name of the medal, together with the name of the recipient and the date on the reverse. The award shall be made to a person who has conducted novel research, or enhanced existing chemical research, in a particular field in an industrial laboratory, which is adjudged to be of outstanding merit, taking into account benefits to his/her company and the chemical community
at large. The medal shall be accompanied by a suitably inscribed scroll.
THE SASOL CHEMISTRY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR MEDAL
The medal shall be known as The Sasol Chemistry Innovator of the Year Medal. The medal is
gold-plated, and bears the SASOL logo together with the inscription “Chemistry Innovator of (the year)” on the obverse and the Institute’s name and crest and the name of the recipient on the reverse. The award shall be made to a person whose scientific contributions in the field of chemistry or chemical technology during the year preceding the award are adjudged to be outstandingly innovative. The award shall comprise, in addition to the medal, a monetary award that will enable the candidate to attend an appropriate conference anywhere in the world. The monetary award shall cover the air ticket, accommodation and conference fees. The medal shall also be accompanied by a suitably inscribed scroll. The recipient of the award shall be known as the “SASOL Chemistry Innovator of the Year”. Past medalists are ineligible for nomination for a second award of the medal. Any member of the Institute may submit nominations for the award. The person submitting the nomination shall supply the following information:
1. A complete curriculum vitae of the candidate, detailing all academic achievements.
2. A motivation from at least two persons detailing why the nominee should be considered the most innovative chemist during the year under consideration.
3. Any relevant supporting documentation that may assist the Awards Committee in reaching a decision.
4. A draft outline of a citation, including personal information about the candidate, for possible use at the presentation ceremony.
The nominations for the Award shall be sent by the Awards Committee to at least two former recipients of the Gold Medal of the South African Chemical Institute and two representatives nominated by SASOL. The recipient of the Award shall be required to deliver the SASOL Chemistry Innovator of the Year Lecture during the presentation ceremony, on a suitable occasion determined by the Council in consultation with
the relevant Section Committee. Wherever practicable, the presentation ceremony and lecture shall take place during a Convention. The recipient of the Award shall be required to prepare a written form of the SASOL Chemistry Innovator of the Year Lecture, or a review based upon the subject of the lecture, for publication by the Institute.
THE SASOL POST-GRADUATE MEDALS
The medals shall be known as the Sasol Post-Graduate Medals of the South African Chemical Institute. The medals are struck in silver, and bear the SASOL logo on the obverse, and the Institute’s name and crest, together with the name of the recipient and the date on the reverse. The medals shall be awarded to students engaged in research towards a MSc or PhD degree at
a University, or a MTech or DTech degree at a University of Technology. The number of medals awarded shall not exceed five per annum, and the awards are limited to one per institution. The recipients of the award shall be known as The Sasol Post-Graduate Medalists. Past Sasol Post-Graduate Medalists are not eligible for nomination for a second award of the medal. The medal shall be accompanied by a monetary award to the value of R2000, together with a suitably inscribed scroll.
The persons nominated should be considered as being “young innovative chemists”. The characteristics of such a person are:
1. Innovation
2. Independence
3. Enterprise
The selection criteria applicable to the award are:
Has the candidate done something worthy of admiration in the experimental field (e.g. a new, noteworthy, experimental design)?
Has the candidate communicated the experimental results in any useful way (in printed form, or
at conferences or symposia)?
Does the candidate have a broad appreciation of the role and context of chemistry as a science?
Does the candidate play a productive role in his/her chemistry department?
The persons submitting the nominations shall supply complete curricula vitae of the candidates, detailing all academic achievements. The group of people nominating a candidate must be able
to assess the impact the nominee has made in his/her department. Hence a combined process
of peer and supervisor review should inform the selection of the candidate. In addition to the backing of the supervisor, the candidate shall require the support of at least one other member
of staff of the Department. The candidate must also enjoy the support of a number of fellow
post-graduate research students. All the support for a candidate must be submitted in writing. The endorsements should mention how the candidate reflects the qualities enumerated in the
list above. Final endorsement may reside with the Head of Department, where appropriate.
PROCEDURE FOR NOMINATION/APPLICATION
The merits of the work of candidates may be brought to the notice of the Council either by persons who desire to recommend candidates (nominations) or by the candidates themselves (applications).
Nominations and applications should be received by the Institute not later than 31 March. Applicants must provide a list of publications, and/or non-confidential internal reports and other appropriate information in support of the application, together with curricula vitae detailing all academic and professional achievements. In the case of the Raikes medal three reprints each
of those publications considered to represent the candidate’s most significant work must be submitted. In the case of the Chemical Education Award copies of the publications to be considered, together with any explanatory or supporting material, must be submitted.
Each nomination or application should include the names of two persons with knowledge of the candidate’s work, to whom reference may be made by the Institute.
The Council may at its discretion suspend any or all of these awards in any year in which there
are no suitable candidates.
