Pope Francis Appoints South African Scientist to Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

Johannesburg, 08 March, 2024 / 9:00 PM

Professor Batmanathan Dayanand Reddy, a South African scientist, has been appointed as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

Pope Francis appointed Professor Reddy alongside Professors Andrea Mia Ghez, Örjan Mikael Gustafsson, Demis Hassabis, Didier Patrick Queloz, and Rafael Radi Isola to the Vatican-based institution that was created in 1994 to promote the study and progress of social sciences on Friday, March 8. 

Born in March 1953 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Professor Reddy holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and a doctorate in Mechanics from the University of Cambridge in Great Britain.

The Professor emeritus of Applied Mathematics at UCT served as the president of the International Science Council and Director of the Center for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics at the South African University.

The 70-year-old South African Professor has authored and co-authored more than 85 articles, mostly in international academic journals.

He is an elected member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf).

Professor Reddy has received several awards and honors, including the Order of Mapungubwe, a South African honor awarded by the President to citizens for exceptional achievement in the country, and the Georg Forster Research Award, a prize granted by The Humboldt Foundation to researchers from developing countries.