Ms Chantelle Sonnekus: A Research Management Professional
Ms Chantelle Sonnekus: A Research Management Professional
By Manani Hlongwane – 12 July 2021
The Director of Research, Dr Speech Nelana, and the VUT community would like to congratulate Ms Chantelle Sonnekus for being conferred the designation of Research Management Professional (RMP) by the International Professional Recognition Council (IPRC) under the auspices of the South African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA). This is an exceptional achievement and a first for VUT. This milestone is crucial for Ms Sonnekus as it highlights her vast experience in research administration and management. Chantelle has been with VUT since 1996, when she served as the secretary to the then Director of Research and as the Directorate grew, she climbed the ladder to become the Senior Administrator: Research and, in 2013, she was appointed to her current position of the Research Development Officer. In her current position, Chantelle manages the collection, processing, and submission of research outputs to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). She also provides operational support to researchers in the administration and management of National Research Foundation (NRF) grants.
IPRC recognizes Ms Sonnekus research management professional competencies through her vast experience in Research Management. This also means that Ms Sonnekus will extend the work of the IPRC into our institution and various professional communities. She has committed to uphold the professional code of conduct and will continue her professional development in the field of research management.
On accepting this award, Ms Sonnekus thanked IPRC for bestowing her with such a huge recognition. She is also grateful to the Research Directorate and faculties for their continued support in her professional journey.