Professor Baraka Celestin Sempuga from the Institute for Catalysis and Energy Solutions (ICES), who has been honored with the South African National Energy Association (SANEA) Excellence Award in Community Engagement. The awards ceremony took place on 13 November 2025 during the SANEA Leadership Symposium held at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton. He received the award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to sustainable energy innovation and community upliftment across Africa.

Prof Sempuga has dedicated his career to expanding equitable energy solutions, particularly in underserved, rural, and informal communities. His work continues to demonstrate how scientific excellence can translate into real-world impact. SANEA acknowledged Professor Sempuga as a visionary engineer, educator, and advocate for clean energy access.

In congratulating Prof Sempuga on his recent win, Prof Simi Dube, Deputy Executive Dean of College of Science, Engineering and Technology, said: “Prof Sempuga has for years demonstrated excellence in impactful engaged scholarship in energy. This recognition is befitting.”

Some of the notable contributions made by Professor Sempuga in the advancement of waste-to-energy technologies have included the successful implementation of scalable biodigesters and gasifiers that provide communities with localized, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions.

Sempuga has supervised to completion numerous masters and doctoral degree students who are now active contributors to the continent’s energy transition. He is currently leading research in innovative biomass conversion, thermochemical processes, and bioenergy system optimization. He has also strengthened partnerships between academia and industry, ensuring that research outputs evolve into practical, deployable technologies that address real-world challenges.

This recent recognition by SANEA reflects Professor Sempuga’s unwavering commitment to innovation with impact and a science that is driven by compassion, purpose for a more sustainable and inclusive energy future.