Prof Paul Oberholster latest UFS scientist inaugurated by Academy of Science

Prof Paul Oberholster, Director of the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), are the newest academic from the university to be inaugurated as Members of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). Prof Oberholster was one of 29 scholars and scientists that were inaugurated as new ASSAf members in earlier this month (19 October 2022). At the same time, ten new members of the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) were inaugurated. As the official Academy of South Africa, ASSAf honours the country’s most outstanding scholars by electing them to membership of the Academy. ASSAf members are drawn from the full spectrum of disciplines. New members are elected each year by the full membership of the Academy is in recognition of scholarly achievement. Members are the core asset of the Academy and give of their time and expertise voluntarily in the service of society. The 29 new ASSAf Members bring the total Membership of ASSAf to 659. “I feel very honoured to have been selected as a member of the official national academy of science which represents South Africa in the international community of science academies. I am a strong believer that science must be in the service of society. In all my research, I have shown an interest and determination to bring practitioners, students, and scholars together to pursue and foster the betterment of the human condition through its intimate relation to the natural world. The latter is in strong relationship with the vision and mission of the Academy,” says Prof Oberholster about being included in the academy of science. This honour comes almost a year after Prof Oberholster won the NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award for his contribution to water resource management in SA over the past five years, with special reference to the field of biological passive wastewater treatment. According to him, the ASSAf membership means providing evidence-based scientific advice on water resource issues of public interest to government and other stakeholders. He was nominated by Prof Eugene Cloete, the previous Vice-Rector Research and Innovation at Stellenbosch University. It was for my research focus related to water resource management. Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice Rector: Research and Internationalisation, says the UFS staff and students are proud of the national recognition that Prof Oberholster received for his life-time achievements in research on water resource management. His research has direct impact on the managing, protection and rehabilitation of one of our most important resources. “The demands on our water supplies will increase in the future as a result of climate change globally.  We believe his research will become even more important and relevant in the next decade.  We are looking forward to his future achievements and will work with him to provide him with the appropriate UFS support.  Congratulations,” says Prof Witthuhn.