Prof Eileen Koekemoer scoops SIOPSA’s best Academic IOP Award

The Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology South Africa (SIOPSA) awarded Professor Eileen Koekemoer the 2021/2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Industrial and Organisational Psychology (IOP). She was named Academic IOP of the year 2021/2022 at SIOPSA’s awards ceremony in July. Prof Koekemoer, of the Department of Human Resource Management, has a C2 National Research Foundation rating.

Speaking on the award, she says she was in disbelief when she received the award but equally elated to receive the recognition from SIOPSA.

“I did not expect to win the award and my first response was that if you love your job then it does not feel like work. I feel privileged to be in a department, university, and also field of work I am passionate about. This award made me reflect on what I do and the value that I add to students and to the body of literature with my research.”

Prof Koekemoer says she enjoys being an academic, working with students and doing research.

HRM celebrates academic excellence

In his welcome address, Head of the Department of HRM, Professor Alewyn Nel congratulated the prize-winners for their dedication towards their studies and striving for excellence in their academics. Prof Nel also used the opportunity to highlight some of the accolades received in the Department during the 2022 academic year.

“Apart from our students who are receiving awards, I have to say, I am especially proud of my colleagues and fellow students who overachieved in many areas during 2022. Prof Eileen Koekemoer was named the Best Academic in IOP at SIOPSA Presidential Awards. We had two academics who received their National Research Foundations re-ratings, Profs Koekemoer and Pieter Schaap as well as Profs Chantal Olckers and Nasima Carrim, who received first-time ratings,” said a delighted Nel.

He also expressed his pride over the awards students received in 2022. One of the HRM students, Andre Rust was awarded second place in the National SABPP Best Student in HR Standards and another, Lonwabo Makapela, won the prestige Fulbright Foreign Student Award which also included a year study abroad at the Vanderbilt University in the US at the Owen Graduate School of Management.

During the prize-giving award, Xolani Mawande, CEO of the South African Board for Personnel Practice (SABPP) presented the SABPP CEO Recognition Award for Extraordinary Service and Outstanding Contribution to the HR Profession to Prof Karel Stanz of the Department of HRM in the presence of his colleagues. The award was awarded at the SABPP Annual General Meeting, which took place on the same day at Future Africa.

CONGRATULATIONS TO Prof Eileen Koekemoer, Prof Karel Stanz and Prof Nasima MH Carrim, SIOPSA Executive Chair for Diversity and Inclusion!