WE need to constantly multiply excellence and stop celebrating mediocrity, was the resounding message from Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong, a globally recognised expert in nanotechnology, at the official opening of the state-of-the-art Tebello Nyokong Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation (Nyokong Institute) in Makhanda on 3 December.
The R90 million facility, hosted by Rhodes University, represents a groundbreaking step for scientific research in Africa. According to Vice-Chancellor Professor Sizwe Mabizela, it is a “one-stop shop for innovation” and the first of its kind on the continent. The Institute focuses on cutting-edge research areas, including nanomaterials for drug delivery, water purification, sensor development for detecting diseases and outbreaks, and a non-invasive alternative to chemotherapy.
Led by Dist. Prof Nyokong, the Institute houses world-class scientific instruments and fosters collaborations with researchers globally. Moving the instruments to the Institute required meticulous planning, including a helicopter for transport and international experts for assembly. At the launch, Prof Kenneth Ozoemena, a former student and collaborator, praised Dist. Prof Nyokong as “a mentor you cannot avoid learning from.”
Despite her accolades, Nyokong shifted her attention to her students. “The students – about 160 PhDs – are the inventors and drivers, not me. They educate me,” she remarked.
The event, part of Rhodes University’s RU120 anniversary celebrations, underscored the Institute’s role in advancing Africa’s scientific capacity. Prof Mabizela noted its impact: “Many of our students, carrying the legacy of the Nyokong Institute, now benchmark their world-class experience without needing to leave the African continent.”
Dr Iain L’Ange, who witnessed the Institute’s journey from a research group to a premier facility, described it as “not just a place for research, but a space for redefining what is possible.”
Dr Gugu Moche of the National Research Foundation echoed this sentiment, highlighting the Institute’s potential to “enhance South Africa’s research capabilities and explore Nobel frontiers in technology.”
Prof Mabizela closed the launch with a commitment: “The Nyokong Institute will continue to build on the formidable intellectual power and global networks developed over the years, shaping the future of African science.”
The new Tebello Nyokong Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation building hosts high-end, state-of-the-art technology and purpose-built research facilities to advance nanotechnology research. Nanotechnology is a field of science and engineering that focuses on designing and manufacturing minute devices and structures on the scale of atoms. The facility was designed to support African researchers through scholarships and international collaborations and has already cemented its role as a driving force in Africa’s scientific development. Dist. Prof Tebello Nyokong, a globally recognised expert in the field of nanotechnology, leads the Institute.
Dist. Professor Nyokong is an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a Fellow of the Royal Society. She serves on the Pontifical Academy of Science. She has six honorary degrees, three from international universities, and is the recipient of The Order of Mapungubwe in Bronze for her outstanding scientific contributions. Dist. Prof Nyokong has supervised 71 PhD, and 64 Masters graduates. She has written four books and 1,000 journal articles. Dist. Professor Nyokong is researching a new cancer diagnosis and treatment methodology called photodynamic therapy, an alternative to chemotherapy.
