The team at AIMS-South Africa wishes to congratulate Prof Neil Turok, founder and Chairperson of AIMS-South Africa and Chair of the Board of the AIMS-Next Einstein initiative on his recent awards.

Professor Turok received an honorary doctorate from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on Wednesday, 10 April 2014, and another from Rhodes University on Thursday 11 April 2014. Turok was honoured for his significant and ground-breaking contributions to theoretical physics and support for mathematical sciences in South Africa.

On receiving the doctorates, Turok was reported as saying, “I think, when getting a degree like this, one always feels like a bit of a fraud because you didn’t do any work for it and you’re in the graduation ceremony with hundreds of students who’ve spent the last several years studying. So, I don’t really feel I deserve it.” What drove him to accept these doctorates was his love and commitment to the advancement of mathematical sciences in South Africa and Africa.