T
his book has been prepared to mark the occasion of the hosting of the Academy of Sci-
ences for the Developing World (TWAS) conference by the Academy of Science of South
Africa (ASSAf) in October 009 in Durban. TWAS is the largest and most significant indi-
vidual-based, multinational science academy in the world. The visit to South Africa of some
of the world’s most eminent scientists from the developing world provides an opportunity to
profile science in our country. Through the publication of this book we hope to reflect on the
state of science in South Africa; to consider the historical context and the key features that
have shaped scientific research in the country and are determining its current trajectories;
to highlight some of the future challenges and opportunities; and to celebrate some of the
achievements of South African scientists.
The Academy of Science of South Africa, as the official national academy of science (in its
broadest sense of encompassing all empirical research), has been recognised through an
Act of Parliament, Act 67 of 2001, and aspires to be the apex organisation of science in the
country. It is therefore uniquely positioned to provide a landmark overview of the state of
science in South Africa. We have relied heavily on our Membership to author and review the
various chapters, and we gratefully acknowledge these contributions from many of South
Africa’s most distinguished scholars, including the contributions from the younger genera-
tion of scientists in the final chapter which provide a set of personal glimpses into the future
of science in the country.
It is hoped that this book will serve as a useful reference for local and international scholars
interested in the development of science in South Africa, and that it will provide a valuable
perspective on the current state of South African science and the challenges that its research-
ers face in the various disciplinary fields. It will serve also as an informative text for students
who are seeking to gain an understanding and appreciation of their particular and other dis-
ciplines, and the historical development and contributions that have been made. The value
of an overview of the state of the full spectrum of science disciplines, including the humani-
ties, in one consolidated text is the opportunity to capture and analyse major themes that
have shaped the scientific landscape in South Africa.
The book is organised into chapters based on disciplinary areas. This is both a strength and a
weakness; a strength in that each of the chapters is authored by a disciplinary expert(s), but
a weakness in that these traditional approaches tend to overlook some of the most exciting
research in the newer multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary fields, as aligned with the Na-
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