About Rosina Phakeng

Africa Education Medalist 2022, Mamokgethi Phakeng is a Professor of Mathematics Education and Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town. She holds a PhD in Mathematics Education from the University of the Witwatersrand. She has published over 80 reviewed articles and five edited volumes. She is a B1 NRF-rated scientist, which indicates she has considerable international recognition.

She has been invited as a speaker and visiting professor at international conferences and universities in Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Senegal, South Korea, Sweden, UK and USA. She has won several awards for her research and community work, including the Order of Baobab (Silver) bestowed upon her by the President of South Africa in April 2016 and the CEO magazine’s most influential woman in academia in Africa in 2015.

She was elected as a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in November 2007; an honorary member of the Golden Key International Honour Society in May 2009, and an honorary life member of the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA) in July 2009.

She serves as a trustee of the FirstRand Foundation and a member of the Board of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy or Girls (OWLAG). She has served as a member of the board of the CSIR from 2015 to 2017, President of Convocation of Wits University from 2011 to 2016, national president of the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA) from 2002 to 2006, chairperson of the Board of the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) from 2005 to 2006 and secretary and member of the executive committee of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) from 2003 to 2007.