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Prof Abdon Atangana receives one of Cameroon’s highest national honours

09 October 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Supplied

Prof Abon Atangana — Prof Abdon Atangana, leading applied mathematics scholar at the University of the Free State, who has been awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Valeur by the President of Cameroon in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science and international academic engagement.

In recognition of his exceptional contributions to science and for promoting a positive image of Cameroon internationally, Prof Abdon Atangana, a leading professor of applied mathematics at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been awarded one of the country’s highest national honours by His Excellency President Paul Biya.

Prof Atangana, who is based in the UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, was formally informed by the Cameroon High Commission in Pretoria that the President had decided to confer upon him the title Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Valeur (Knight of the Order of Valour).

“I am deeply honoured by this recognition and grateful to the High Commission for conveying the news,” said Prof Atangana.

The Ordre de la Valeur is one of Cameroon’s principal national distinctions, awarded to individuals who have rendered distinguished service or made significant contributions in fields such as science, public service, the arts, or international representation.

“The title Chevalier denotes formal national recognition by the President,” Prof Atangana explained. “It affirms the value of my work and encourages continued research, mentorship, and international collaboration.”

A career of global impact and recognition

Prof Atangana’s career is marked by both academic excellence and international engagement. He has consistently ranked among the top 1-2% of applied mathematicians worldwide, according to Stanford University’s global list. His achievements include being the first African mathematician under 40 to become a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences Affiliates, receiving the UNESCO–TWAS Mohammad A. Hamdan Prize, the AL Fozan UNESCO Award for STEM, and the African Genius Award.

He also serves as Chair of the African Mathematical Union Commission on Research and Innovation and is the first President of the African Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ASIAM).

In a historic milestone for African mathematics, Prof Atangana represented Africa for the first time at the Board Meeting of the International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM) in Vietnam in 2025. This prestigious gathering brings together presidents of national and international applied mathematics societies, including the President of the International Mathematical Union, and marks a significant recognition of his leadership on the global stage.

“Being named Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Valeur recognises years of sustained work and the support of many colleagues and students,” he said. “Professionally, it is an important encouragement to continue my research, mentoring, and international engagement.”

Beyond awards, Prof Atangana has actively promoted Cameroon’s profile in the international scientific community. He has built high-impact research collaborations, supervised and mentored students from Cameroon and across Africa, presented at international conferences, and published research connecting African science with global knowledge networks.

Advancing science through the UFS and international collaboration

Much of the work recognised by this honour has been conducted at the University of the Free State.

“The recognition reflects the outcomes of work done at the UFS and signals the university’s contribution to advancing regional research capacity and international partnership,” Prof Atangana said.

His academic engagement in South Africa has enabled him to act as a bridge between institutions, fostering joint research, student exchanges, and collaboration across continents. These activities demonstrate the power of academic engagement in promoting scientific excellence and strengthening international networks.

Looking ahead, Prof Atangana plans to leverage this recognition to expand collaborative research projects, create more opportunities for student exchanges and mentorship, and advance interdisciplinary initiatives addressing regional and global challenges.

“I will continue to promote the value of academic engagement in service of shared scientific and societal goals,” he said. “This recognition will inspire me to strengthen collaborative networks, pursue joint research initiatives, and mentor the next generation of researchers.”

Details of the official medal award ceremony will be shared by the Cameroon High Commission in due course.

News Archive

Researcher at Qwaqwa Campus, Dr Aliza le Roux, selected as SAYAS member

2014-09-12

Dr Aliza le Roux

Dr Aliza le Roux, senior lecturer in the Department of Zoology and Entomology on the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), was selected as a member of the 2014 South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS). Dr Le Roux, a member of the Vice-Chancellor's Prestige Scholars Programme at the UFS, is also a South African National Research Foundation-rated (NRF) scientist (Y2) and the winner of the UFS Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2013.

She sees her selection to SAYAS as a unique opportunity to help change the face of science in South Africa. Dr Le Roux hopes to use her skills as project leader in social media, as well as her own learning experiences on a rural campus, to inspire especially ecological research in a country so rich in its own natural heritage.

The SAYAS selection committee was impressed by the high level of academic merit and depth of the nominations they received. “Your membership is critical in contributing to many of the vital activities and functioning of SAYAS, and we look forward to your active contributions to the further development and growth of the Young Academy,” said Prof Aldo Stroebel, Chair: SAYAS Selection Committee.

Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research at the UFS, said, “Aliza le Roux is an outstanding young scientist on our Qwaqwa Campus. She is not only an outstanding researcher but has also received prizes during the past year for her dedication to teaching. I am very excited about the young researchers on our Qwaqwa Campus with Aliza as one of the leaders, and I am looking forward to what else they can achieve in the next five years.”

In the past decade, Dr Le Roux focused her research on the cognitive and communicative skills of wild mammals in South Africa and Ethiopia. She spent four years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan, leading to ground-breaking research on the cognitive and communicative underpinnings of gelada monkey behaviour. Her current work encompasses an NRF-funded project on paternal care in bat-eared foxes, and experimental research on spatial cognition in wild samango monkeys. She is also involved in discussions with the Endangered Wildlife Trust to research the mitigation of road-kill incidents in South Africa.

Dr Le Roux hopes to combine cognitive ecology with more applied conservation questions in order to raise the profile of behavioural ecology as a discipline. She believes strongly in involving the public with scientific research, and has blogged for Nature Magazine on her adventures as field biologist. Her work has since found its way into numerous websites, magazine and newspaper articles and she has been interviewed on radio and BBC World.

Dr Le Roux will be inaugurated as SAYAS member on 14 October 2014.

Dr Marieka Gryzenhout from the Department of Plant Sciences is also a member of SAYAS.

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