The 69th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) was hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand, in recognition of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, 2025 (IYQ2025). SAIP2025 served as the premier annual gathering of local and international experts across all branches of physics.

A full-day Winter School ran in parallel with the conference, themed “Celebrating our quantum past, and embracing its future.” The school was well attended, with students from across the country participating in engaging tutorials delivered by leading voices in South Africa’s quantum community. The Winter School offered a glimpse into the cutting-edge quantum research being conducted locally – and inspired the next generation to carry it forward.

A highlight from SAIP2025 was Dr Yaseera Ismail’s inspiring plenary talk, “Shaping the Future: A Physics Journey to Groundbreaking Research in Quantum Technologies”. Her talk traced a remarkable journey into quantum science, spotlighting her pioneering work and the growing opportunities for women in physics. A key highlight was her achievement of a record-breaking 12,900 km ultra-secure quantum satellite link – a milestone in global quantum communication.

In recognition of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (#IYQ2025), we were thrilled to announce the winners of the SA QuTI Awards at SAIP2025, celebrating excellence in Quantum Technology presentations. Congratulations to these outstanding researchers:

Applied Physics Division
• Best PhD Presentation: Chisomo Daka
• Best MSc Presentation: Hadrian Bezuidenhout

Photonics Division
• Best PhD Presentation: Pedro Ornelas
• Best MSc Presentation: Fazilah Nothlawala

SAIP2025 not only celebrated the rich legacy of science but also showcased the vibrant future being shaped by South African researchers. From inspiring student engagement to groundbreaking research, the conference reaffirmed the country’s growing role in the global quantum landscape.

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Dr Kelvin Mpofu is a Senior Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and a South African Quantum Technology Initiative (SA QuTI) Emerging Research Leader whose work lies at the convergence of quantum technologies, photonics, medical device R&D, artificial intelligence, and embedded systems. A physicist by training, Dr Mpofu is developing an interdisciplinary research programme focused on translating quantum science into practical sensing and diagnostic technologies. His current research is particularly focused on quantum-enhanced biosensing for infectious disease diagnostics. He is developing photonic and quantum sensing platforms for applications in HIV and tuberculosis diagnostics.

Beyond his research in quantum technologies, Dr Mpofu has established a strong translational research portfolio that integrates machine learning, software, embedded electronics, and intelligent instrumentation with photonic and molecular diagnostic technologies. He has led and contributed to the development of portable point-of-care diagnostic platforms. His research includes the development of microcontroller- and machine-learning-based diagnostic devices, one of which has been formally recognised by the CSIR as a technology demonstrator. His work has also contributed to invention disclosures and additional technology demonstrators currently under development, reflecting his focus on advancing research beyond laboratory proof of concept towards technologies with potential for translation and commercialisation. This includes ongoing work on quantum photonic biosensors, single-photon and biphoton sensing architectures, plasmonic diagnostic platforms, and machine-learning-enhanced optical sensing systems. Dr Mpofu has secured competitive research funding through programmes including SA QuTI, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), and the CSIR Young Researchers Establishment Fund (YREF). Through these programmes, he is building research at the intersection of quantum-enabled measurement, artificial intelligence, and healthcare technology, with a particular emphasis on diagnostic solutions that can ultimately be deployed in resource-constrained environments.

His scholarly work spans quantum plasmonic sensing, quantum-enhanced biosensing, quantum computing, machine learning, quantum machine learning, artificial intelligence, optical diagnostics, microfluidics, quantum computing, and emerging digital technologies. Dr Mpofu’s contributions to quantum science have received international recognition. He was recognised among the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology’s “Quantum 100”, highlighting individuals contributing to the advancement and broader impact of quantum science and technology. Research leadership and human-capital development are also central to his work. He has contributed to the supervision of Master’s and PhD researchers, mentors emerging scientists, and actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across quantum science, photonics, artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, and healthcare technology. He is also involved in scientific peer review and the evaluation of research and innovation proposals. He serves as a Topic Editor for a Research Topic in Frontiers in Quantum Science and Technology focused on quantum machine learning, contributing to the scientific direction and development of the collection.

Dr Mpofu’s long-term vision is to help build a globally competitive quantum technology ecosystem in South Africa and Africa by bridging the gap between fundamental quantum science and deployable technologies. His research seeks to demonstrate that quantum technologies can move beyond the laboratory to address real-world challenges through the convergence of quantum photonics, artificial intelligence, intelligent instrumentation, and advanced sensor technologies. Ultimately, his work is driven by the goal of developing a new generation of quantum-enabled and AI-enhanced diagnostic technologies that are more sensitive, intelligent, and accessible, while helping to position South Africa as an active contributor to the emerging global quantum technology economy.

Featured publications

Measuring kinetic parameters using quantum plasmonic sensing

Recent Advances in Quantum Biosensing Technologies

Comparing artificial neural networks with variational quantum circuits for biomedical data classification

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Dr Isaac Nape was the first recipient of the SA QuTI Emerging Leader Award and is a leading quantum physicist and senior lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). In 2023, he was appointed as the inaugural Optica Emerging Leader in Optics Chair, a prestigious position established through a partnership between Wits University and Optica to advance world-class quantum and photonics research.

In this role, Dr Nape leads research in quantum information processing, with a particular focus on quantum communication and quantum computation. He is also actively involved in developing the next generation of scientists through his mentorship of students and his support of the Wits Optics Student Chapter, organised by Optica and SPIE.

Dr Nape has made several internationally recognised contributions to quantum science. His research team developed the first fast quantum measurement technique for high-dimensional quantum states and demonstrated the first multi-dimensional quantum transport down conventional optical fibre – important milestones for future quantum networks and secure communication technologies.

Recognised as one of South Africa’s leading young scientists, Dr Nape has received numerous accolades, including the SAIP Silver Medal – the highest honour awarded by the South African Institute of Physics to a physicist under the age of 35 – and was named among South Africa’s Top 200 Young People to Watch.

His research interest include blending photonics, quantum, and AI/machine learning to push the frontiers of what is possible with intelligent computing at the speed of light.  He is currently working on a project focussing on quantum optical circuits for information processing.

With a vision of harnessing the power of light for future technologies, Dr Nape’s research sits at the intersection of quantum science, photonics and artificial intelligence. His work is helping to unlock new possibilities for secure communication, advanced computing and intelligent information processing, while inspiring a new generation of quantum scientists in South Africa and beyond.

Featured publications

Towards reconstructing quantum structured light on a quantum computer

Emulating quantum computing with optical matrix multiplication

Measuring dimensionality and purity of high-dimensional entangled states

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