Professor Jennifer Botha, Director of GENUS Palaeosciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, was recently inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa (RSSAf), one of the nation’s highest honours for scientific excellence. Held on 26 October 2024 at the Future Africa Campus, University of Pretoria, the ceremony celebrated Professor Botha’s groundbreaking research on ancient mass extinctions and the adaptive strategies of extinct vertebrates—work recognised globally for its relevance in palaeosciences and modern conservation.

The RSSAf, dedicated to promoting scientific excellence in South Africa, selects Fellows based on their exceptional contributions and scientific impact, as evidenced in their research and publications. Professor Botha now joins a prestigious lineage of South African palaeoscientists inducted into the RSSAf, tracing back to the pioneering palaeoanthropologist Phillip Tobias, who helped establish South Africa as a world leader in research on human evolution. Remarkably, ten GENUS-funded scientists have been recognised as RSSAf Fellows, including:

• Marion Bamford
• Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan
• Jonah Choiniere
• Ronald Clarke
• Bruce Rubidge
• Judith Sealey
• Francis Thackeray
• Lyn Wadley
• Sarah Wurz

Reflecting on the honour, Professor Botha stated, “I am deeply honoured to be named the newest Fellow of the RSSAf in Palaeoscience. Our former GENUS Director, Professor Bruce Rubidge, is also a Fellow, and I’m proud to continue this tradition of leadership. It’s a privilege to represent GENUS and to stand alongside my esteemed GENUS-funded colleagues, who embody the strength and calibre of South African palaeoscientific research.”

With her induction, Professor Botha reinforces the legacy of South African leadership in palaeosciences, while her work continues to inspire and shape both the field and future conservation efforts.