Growth of female academicians in SA slows slightly

Women make up 35 per cent of intake, still improving academy’s overall gender balance

Just over a third of 23 newly-elected researchers elected to the Academy of Science of South Africa are women—a slight slowdown from previous years. 

Assaf announced its latest academicians on 9 October. Only eight are women. The same number of women were elected in 2018, but made up a larger proportion—40 per cent—of the 20 new members. In 2017, women also made up 40 per cent of new members.