Science Forum South Africa: African Planet Prize
Science Forum South Africa 2025 is a landmark event dedicated to reinvigorating global discourse on science, technology and innovation. Held from 24–28 November 2025 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, the Forum brought together thousands of scientists, innovators, policymakers and civil society leaders from across the continent and beyond.
As this year’s Forum celebrated its 10th anniversary: Igniting Conversations about Science – Placing Science, Technology and Innovation at the Centre of Government, Education, Industry and Society, it underscored science’s pivotal role in shaping resilient futures and inclusive progress across sectors and borders. The Forum also hosted the first African Planet Prize ceremony.
The proceedings
At Science Forum South Africa 2025, our Director, Prof Jean-Claude Burgelman, was invited to speak on several of the event’s most influential platforms, contributing keynote addresses and engaging as a panellist on themes that resonate at the intersection of science, policy and sustainable development.
Placing Science, Technology & Innovation at the Centre of Government, Education, Industry, and Society. From left to right: Prof. Jean Claude Burgelman, Director, Frontiers Planet Prize, Dr Avela Majavu, Chair of the South African Young Academy of Science, Ambassador Peng Wu, China's ambassador to South Africa, and Prof Sarah Mosoetsa, CEO of the Human Sciences Research Council.
In the opening plenary, Placing Science, Technology and Innovation at the Centre of Government, Education, Industry and Society, commenced by Minister Blade Nzimande (Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation), Prof Burgelman presented the Frontiers Planet Prize alongside Dr Lise Korsten (President, African Academy of Sciences), framing the Prize within urgent conversations about the new geography of science, the ethical and geopolitical challenges of the AI era, and the imperative of keeping science open, collaborative and responsive for healthy lives on a healthy planet. He carried these themes into sessions such as the Open Science Action Plan: The Role of Science Diplomacy, where he highlighted the ongoing barriers to equitable access to research, from paywalls and shrinking open access content to the concentration of publishing power that limits researchers’ freedom, and argued that accelerating open science and FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) data is essential for preserving scientific autonomy and fostering innovation.
Empowering the Next Generation of African Researchers
In Africa, the Frontiers Planet Prize has built a growing network of 64 National Nominating Bodies across 18 countries, reflecting its expanding role in mobilising scientific excellence on the continent. Yet Africa remains underrepresented in the global scientific landscape, even as the continent faces some of the most acute pressures from biodiversity loss, land-system change and escalating climate impacts.
With exceptional National and International Champions, such as Dr Mia Strand, who was named South Africa’s National Champion in the Prize’s second edition, and Prof Mark New and Dr Petra Holden, International Champions for South Africa in the first edition, the Prize’s reach and influence extend from academia to tangible research outputs. Prof Burgelman presented this influence in the run-up to the announcement of the African Planet Prize winners.
The African Planet Prize was established by the African Academy of Sciences with the support of the Frontiers Research Foundation as part of a shared commitment to recognise scientific excellence that advances planetary health. Developed in alignment with the vision of the Frontiers Planet Prize, it highlights emerging African researchers whose work strengthens the evidence needed to safeguard a stable and resilient future.
The African Planet Prize winners, Dr Jessica Nosizwe Thorn, Dr Debora Charles Kajeguka, and Dr Addisu Fekadu Andeta, alongside Dr Vanessa McBride (Science Director, International Science Council) and Prof Burgelman.
The winners were announced at the inaugural ceremony, celebrating outstanding research with the potential to drive real-world impact.
Congratulations to:
• Dr Jessica Nosizwe Thorn – University of Namibia and Imperial College London
• Dr Addisu Fekadu Andeta – Arba Minch University, Ethiopia
• Dr Debora Charles Kajeguka – KCMC University, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Each winner received a USD $5,000 award to accelerate their work advancing planetary health solutions. The three winners also advance automatically as entries into the Frontiers Planet Prize.
Read more about the ceremony and the research of the winners here.
“As participation grows, so too does the visibility of African science.”
- Prof Jean-Claude Burgelman, Director of Frontiers Planet Prize
Science Forum South Africa 2025 demonstrated the power of convening diverse scientific voices, bringing together more than 1,200 participants in person and a further 3,000 online from across the research, innovation and policy spheres. By spotlighting open science, planetary health and celebrating the excellence of African researchers, the Forum reinforced how essential it is to strengthen the continent’s presence in global scientific dialogue. Building equitable and diverse spaces for collaboration is not just a matter of fairness; it is fundamental to addressing the planetary crisis.
Explore our coverage of Science Forum South Africa, alongside other FPP highlights across multiple landmark events, on our LinkedIn page.