By Rhodes University Division of Communication and Advancement
Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong marked the launch of the state-of-the-art Tebello Nyokong Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation (Nyokong Institute, in short) in Makhanda by establishing a scholarship fund for Master’s and PhD students.
This initiative is funded by her personal award-winnings accumulated over the years.
Nyokong, a globally recognised expert in nanotechnology, has earned numerous accolades throughout her illustrious career. On Wednesday, she announced that she had been investing her winnings – now amounting to approximately R3.5 million – and will be using this to create the Tebello Nyokong Scholarship Fund. The announcement of the scholarship marked the culmination of an exceptional launch week for the Nyokong Institute.
“That money was always meant for you,” Nyokong told her students – many of whom had travelled to Makhanda for the launch of the Nyokong Institute – when she announced the scholarship, emphasising that her awards are a testament to the academic excellence of her students.
Nyokong described her personal contribution as merely the starting point of a larger legacy. She urged her current and former students, industry stakeholders, and the broader scientific community to contribute to the fund’s growth.
Deputy Director of the Nyokong Institute, Professor Philani Mashazi explained: “Prof [Nyokong] has in essence multiplied herself through us and we cannot let this legacy go by.” He added: “To tap into the brightest young minds we need them to be sustained and supported. Starting this fund is meant to do that.”
At the official launch event on Tuesday, Nyokong told attendees: “We need to constantly multiply excellence and stop celebrating mediocrity.” She also shifted the celebratory focus to her students, saying: “The students – about 160 PhDs – are the inventors and drivers, not me. They educate me.”
The Nyokong Institute, 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.
The launch event, part of Rhodes University’s RU120 anniversary celebrations, underscored the Institute’s role in advancing Africa’s scientific capacity. 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.”
Nyokong said: “We need to constantly multiply excellence and stop celebrating mediocrity.”
The R90-million facility, hosted by Rhodes University, represents a groundbreaking step for scientific research in Africa.
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
