Associate Professor Usisipho Feleni

Prof Usisipho Feleni is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS). Her research expertise is on electrochemical biosensors, electrocatalysis/ catalysis for monitoring disease biomarkers (pathogens for SARS-CoV-2) and pharmaceutical contaminants in water. She has published more than 80 papers in the areas of various nanomaterials and their applications in electrochemical sensors, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. Additionally, she has graduated four MSc students at UNISA and is currently supervising/ co-supervising eight MSc and eight PhD students. Prof Feleni obtained external research grants from TIA, NRF, NRF-SAASTA, TESP, RSC, WiR and University of Michigan STEM-Africa Initiative. Her recent awards and recognition include: (i) 2024 UNISA’s Women in Research Leadership Award; (ii) 2022/2023 TW-Kambule NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher; (iii) 2023 South African Women in Science, Distinguished Young Women Researcher; (iv) Standard Bank Top Women Awards: Top Women Leader in STEM 2023; (v) 2022 Principal’s Award for Excellence in Research; and (vi) the University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) Fellowship 2021/2022. She has made several keynote and guest speaker presentations at national and international universities.