Reddy has big plans for world council

Humbled and honoured is how renowned mathematician Professor Daya Reddy feels about becoming the new president-elect of the Paris-based International Council for Science.

Reddy, 61, a lecturer at the University of Cape Town, was elected last week at the council's 31st general assembly in New Zealand.

He is also president of the Academy of Science of South Africa and South African research chair in computational mechanics.

"This title is a tremendous honour for me - I am humbled. I interpret this as a vote of confidence in Africa."

Another South African academic, University of Pretoria vice-chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey, has been elected as an executive board member.

Reddy said the council mobilised the knowledge and resources of the international scientific community to strengthen international science for the benefit of society.

"It has a global membership of national scientific bodies (121 members, representing 141 countries) and international scientific unions (31 members)."

Reddy will take over the reins from Canadian climate scientist Professor Gordon McBean in 2017.

Reddy did his BSc in civil engineering at UCT, followed by a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

He was appointed professor of applied mathematics at UCT in 1989, and served as dean of its science faculty from 1999 to 2005 - he has been at the university for 35 years.

He said his role as president of the council would include chairing the executive board and giving substance to strategic planning.

He wants to increase the reach and membership of the council - there are only a handful of members from Africa at the moment.

"I want to ensure it is completely inclusive and speaks on behalf of all scientists around the world," said Reddy.

"Our role is to promote and strengthen science and technology. I will draw greatly from my experience as president of [the Academy of Science], which has a mandate to inform policy makers."

Reddy, who was born in Port Elizabeth, lives in Rondebosch, Cape Town, and is married to librarian Shaada. They have a son, Jordie, an engineer.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of research at UCT Professor Danie Visser said Reddy's election was not only a feather in the cap for UCT, but for the South African science community as a whole for its achievements and contributions to science dialogue and exchanges.

"This international leadership position will enable UCT and our country's science community to bring more Africa-born solutions to the table, when appropriate, and to accentuate the science breakthroughs made in the developing world," said Visser.

In 2004, former president Thabo Mbeki awarded Reddy the Order of Mapungubwe (bronze) for distinguished contributions to science. He received the Georg Forster Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany in 2012.

He serves as co-chair of the InterAcademy Council, which delivers reports on scientific, technological and health issues for governments and global organisations.