Fulufhelo Nelwamondo

Fulufhelo Vincent Nelwamondo (OMS) is an electrical engineer by training, and holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering (Computational Intelligence) from the University of the Witwatersrand, in South Africa. He is the youngest recipient of the Harvard-South Africa Fellowship Programme amongst other honours. His research and practical experience has covered a wide spectrum of areas, including software engineering and computational intelligence. His interests include biometrics-based systems, data mining and machine learning tools. Quotes South Africa has made significant contributions to global research. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we played a crucial role in identifying and understanding the Beta variant. The NRF supported this work, which gained global recognition. However, it is worth noting that some reactions were less favorable, with countries closing their borders to South Africans! Still, this showcases the impact of South African research. We also contributed to the global fight against COVID-19 by sharing technology and research on ventilators, even when many were focused on their immediate needs. In South Africa, we’ve taken proactive steps to address critical gaps and challenges. During the ventilator shortage, we used technology from the field of astronomy to develop our own ventilators. This was a necessity since ventilators were unavailable for purchase. These are the kinds of innovative solutions we pursue in the healthcare sector. Our work in physics and nuclear science has been remarkable. We recently completed the construction of the largest cyclotron on the African continent at NRF-iThembaLabs. This facility supports research in areas like tuberculosis and cancer treatment, including nuclear medicine. Our research covers a wide spectrum of fields. We explore diverse areas, including humanities, to address issues like migration and population movements between our country and neighbouring nations. Understanding these dynamics can also benefit policymaking and service provision when individuals move between countries. Interview with Dr. Fulufhelo Nelwamondo CEO of the National Research Foundation External links