Professor Philiswa Nomngongo, from the Department of Chemical Sciences at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), has been named one of five recipients of the highly prestigious James J. Morgan Early Career Award for 2025.
Presented by Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), ES&T Letters, and the Environmental Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the award recognises visionary early-career researchers making outstanding contributions to the field of environmental science and technology. This year’s awardees were selected from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Professor Nomngongo stands out as both the only African and the only woman recipient among the 2025 honourees. At UJ, she holds the DST-NRF SARChI Chair in Nanotechnology for Water and is a full professor in the Department of Chemical Sciences.
Commenting on her achievement, Professor James Ramontja, Head of the Department of Chemical Sciences, said the recognition reflects the calibre of researchers nurtured within the department.
“What Professor Nomngongo has achieved is a testament to the department’s continued growth and excellence. It’s an encouraging signal of the great potential our upcoming young scientists hold. We are immensely proud of her,” he said.
Hailing from Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape, Prof Nomngongo credits her upbringing as the inspiration behind her research focus on water quality.
“Many villages in small towns like mine have limited or no access to clean water. Communities often rely on rivers, streams, and unprotected springs, which are highly vulnerable to contamination from agricultural runoff, poor sanitation, livestock, drought, heavy rains, and human activity,” she explained.
“These challenges motivated me to pursue a career in chemistry, specialising in analytical chemistry, to help develop solutions to these problems.”
Prof Nomngongo was recognised for her pioneering research in advanced nanomaterials and analytical methods used to monitor and remove pollutants from aquatic environments. Her work not only advances scientific knowledge but also has tangible impact on society and the broader research community.
Reflecting on the award, she said it marked a significant milestone in her academic journey.
“It is humbling to be listed among such exceptional early-career researchers in environmental science and technology. This award affirms that I’ve made meaningful contributions to the field of environmental analytical chemistry, particularly in addressing water pollution,” she said.
“It also honours the dedication of my entire research team—past and present MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral fellows. This recognition celebrates our achievements and energises us to pursue even greater innovations in the years ahead.”
Prof Nomngongo received the award during a special ES&T Journals Award Session at the ACS Spring 2025 Meeting and Expo on 24 March 2025 in San Diego, United States. Named in honour of James J. Morgan, the founding editor-in-chief of Environmental Science & Technology, the award highlights transformative work by early-career scholars in environmental science.
The theme of the 2025 ACS Spring Meeting was “Pushing Boundaries. Solving Global Challenges.” Over four days, the event featured cutting-edge research presentations, career development events, networking sessions, and an expo covering all areas of chemistry and applied sciences.
As part of her award, Prof Nomngongo delivered a lecture titled:
‘Environmental Contaminants of Emerging Concern in South African Wastewater and Surface Water: A Case Study of Urban and Rural Areas’, presented during the ES&T Journals Award Session for the James J. Morgan Early Career Lectureship and Outstanding Achievements in ES&T Award. The session was hosted by the ACS Division of Environmental Chemistry (ENVR).
