Welcome to the second edition of the NRF-SAEON eNews for 2026, celebrating major strides in global science diplomacy, innovative research, and impactful community engagement.

Global Footprints in Ocean Science:
The NRF-SAEON delegation proudly championed Global South perspectives at the AAORIA Forum in Brazil, co-hosting the impactful From Pixels to Policy side event and excelling in the Intergenerational Hackathon. On the global stage, our team also advanced research on Agulhas Current dynamics at the UN-endorsed Ocean Sciences Meeting in Scotland, while the newly endorsed COLaB initiative continues to democratize coastal observations across the Western Indian Ocean.

Research & Institutional Excellence:
We celebrate incredible local breakthroughs, including Dr. Arno Botha’s discovery of two new crustacean species and his return to the Egagasini Node as an Infrastructure Professionals Programme (RIPP) post-doctoral fellow. On the data front, Lindsay Callaghan secured first place in the global WDS Data Stewardship Award, and PhD candidate Tasmiyah Peerbhai received the prestigious Sivapalan Young Scientists Travel Award (SYSTA) to attend the inaugural IAHS Academy in Ningbo, China.

Societal Impact & Citizen Science:
Our Supply Chain team successfully empowered rural entrepreneurs through a Supplier Development Workshop in KwaZulu-Natal. By demystifying public sector procurement and assisting with Central Supplier Database registrations, NRF-SAEON is actively fostering economic transformation and ensuring that the communities hosting our research platforms can directly participate in our supply chain opportunities. Concurrently, our science engagement teams bridged crucial educational gaps, training Eskom Expo learners in satellite data tools across the Klein Karoo and Garden Route, as well as mobilizing school learners from Grade 9, 10, and 11 to log 4,282 biodiversity observations representing 246 distinct species in the 2026 iNaturalist Challenge in celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity.

Thank you to our dedicated scientists, technicians, science engagement officers, partners, and emerging leaders for transforming rigorous environmental observation into tangible, shared solutions.

Enjoy the read!