De Wet Swanepoel

De Wet Swanepoel is a South African professor of Communication Pathology at the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology University of Pretoria and a Senior Researcher at the Ear Science Institute Australia. He is a member of African Academy of Sciences and a recipient of 2018 African Academy of Sciences Olusegun Obasanjo Prize and Silver (S2A3) British Association Medal.

Education He received his first degree, B. Communication Pathology (Cum Laude) from University of Pretoria in 2000. In 2002 and 2005 he received a M. Communication Pathology (audiology) and D.Phil. (Communication Pathology) (specialising in audiology), in the same institution.

Career He started his career as a senior research fellow, in Ear Science Institute Australia. He moved to School of Surgery, University of Western Australia and became an adjunct associate professor. He joined the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas Dallas as an adjunct professor. Eventually, he became a professor at Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, University of Pretoria.

Award In 2014, he received the World Academy of Sciences young National Award in the category of Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation. In 2016, he was awarded Silver (S2A3) British Association Medal. In 2019, he received the Oppenheimer memorial trust award and in the same year, he received his SASLHA fellowship award. In 2020, he received the African Academy of Science Olusegun Obasanjo Prize for Scientific Breakthrough and/or Technological Innovation. In the same year he was elected as a member of the African Academy of Sciences.