Professor Genevieve Langdon from the Department of Mechanical Engineering was the first runner-up for the title of Distinguished Young Woman Scientist in Physical and Engineering Sciences.

"Women have been sidelined in all fields and facets of life for centuries (and still are), but their exclusion from and marginalisation in education has made it more difficult for them to join the mainstream in every area," said Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor in the August Mail & Guardian supplement marking the winners. "This is one of the reasons that every year in August, Women's Month, the Department of Science and Technology stages the Women in Science Awards to celebrate women by recognising and rewarding their research achievements, as well as encouraging young women to pursue science-related careers."

Professor Genevieve Langdon is part of the Blast Impact and Survivability Unit (BISRU) and seeks to make the world a safer place through an improved understanding of structural responses to explosion loading. She conducts research on blast-resistant materials for use in structural and transportation applications, and is considered a leader in experimentation on lightweight materials and blast loading. The quality of her research in the area of experimental mechanics has garnered international recognition as well as numerous research grants.