Senior lecturer in Mathematics Dr Simo Mthethwa, who is helping to popularise mathematics education, and Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Agriculture and Science, Dr Lulu van Rooyen (née Pretorius), whose work focuses on wetland research, training, mentorship and community engagement, have been nominated for the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Awards, known as the ‘Science Oscars’ of South Africa.
Mthethwa has been nominated for the Communication Award for his work as the Founder and Director of Mthethwamatics, an organisation he established to educate people about mathematics, from academic teaching and learning to real-world applications in career options in mathematics.
The Centre for Wetland Research and Training (WetResT) has been nominated for the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Award. Van Rooyen works as Executive Director of WetResT, and began work with UKZN and the eThekwini Municipality as an embedded researcher in the Durban Research Action Partnership in 2016, where she contributed to the development of a long-term biodiversity monitoring programme and conducted transdisciplinary research on river management programmes through the Leading Integrated Research for Agenda 2030 programme.
The NSTF Communication Award recognises a communicator who has made an outstanding contribution to science, engineering, technology (SET) and innovation through substantial outreach and public awareness of and engagement with SET.
Mthethwamatics hosts seminars and motivational talks by professionals, conducts tutoring programmes and master classes, and undertakes research. A pivotal programme under the Mthethwamatics umbrella is the prestigious Teach the Nation (TTN) Mathematics Programme, which runs online each year during the public-school holidays, reaching over 3 000 learners over the past five years, and is scheduled to run from 29 June to 29 July 2026. Other programmes include the Careers in Mathematics Indaba (CIMSI), Virtual Mathematics Competition (VMC), and teachers’ workshops.
Mthethwa focuses on training learners to think like mathematicians through deductive thinking sessions, empowering them to create and advance technology that contributes to evolving career and research landscapes.
“I feel honoured to receive a nomination for the 2025/2026 NSTF-South32 Awards,” said Mthethwa. “What it really means is that the work that Mthethwamatics does is visible and has societal impact.”
Mthethwa is a specialist in general topology and pointfree topology, a niche area with a tiny academic community, concentrated mainly in South Africa, that focuses on the fundamental structure of spaces and on formalising concepts such as continuity, connectedness, and proximity without relying on precise distances or coordinates. Pointfree topology, a generalisation of topology, studies ‘space’ by focusing on the regions one can talk about and how they overlap, instead of working with individual points.
Mthethwa also served as a panellist at the 2022 World Science Forum South Africa at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. He utilises Facebook and community radio stations to promote mathematics, including Ukhozi FM.
Mthethwa, who completed all of his studies at UKZN, was awarded a prestigious fellowship through the Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Mathematics (CoRE-Math) in 2025. He has supervised nine master’s students and two PhD students to completion. With over 15 scholarly articles to his name, he continues to collaborate with several mathematicians worldwide, including in Canada, Sweden, Portugal, Iran, Namibia and India.
The NGO Award, established in 1998, recognises outstanding contributions to SET and innovation in South Africa, including technology-transfer activities that support the dissemination and application of scientific and technical knowledge, as well as education and training activities.
WetResT, a South African environmental not-for-profit organisation advancing the protection and lawful management of wetlands and water resources, was nominated for advancing wetland science, research, training, and conservation across South Africa. The organisation operates at the intersection of science, law, implementation, and governance, translating knowledge and experience into practical solutions for decision-makers, practitioners, and developers. Its work strengthens compliance with water, biodiversity, and coastal laws while safeguarding ecosystem services such as flood protection, water purification, and climate resilience.
Established in 2011, WetResT reinvests funds generated through consulting, training, and field-based learning events into the wetland community through student and community support, direct funding, mentorship, in-field supervision, and professional training. The organisation relies on volunteer contributions from scientists, practitioners, academics, and civil society to support the management and protection of African wetland ecosystems.
To address gaps in wetland delineation, environmental authorisation, and practitioner capacity in South Africa, WetResT has developed practical training programmes in wetland identification, delineation, regulation, restoration, and biodiversity offset implementation, informed by field experience, stakeholder engagement, and aligned with South African legislation and best practice.
Van Rooyen, an environmental and ecological consultant and outgoing chair of the South African Wetland Society, joined WetResT in 2012, where she is responsible for developing and hosting specialist training courses, participating in collaborative research projects, facilitating capacity-building activities and events, and providing an advisory role for various stakeholders. At UKZN, van Rooyen has worked on projects on climate adaptation and water resource management.
Said van Rooyen, “For organisations such as WetResT, the nomination recognises more than a decade of work since being established in 2011: from early applied projects to national guidance, postgraduate development, community mentorship and restoration initiatives. It is a recognition of the founder, past and present directors, trainers, researchers, volunteers, students, partners and community collaborators.”
WetResT provides South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions-accredited wetland delineation and training courses for environmental professionals and institutions, while offering independent freshwater ecological assessments and long-term monitoring for public and private sector clients across South Africa.
The NSTF Award winners will be announced on 16 July.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photographs: Supplied