WSELOP-2024

Hendrik C Swart is a B1 NRF rated researcher (Internationally acclaimed researchers) and currently a senior professor in the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State. He brought luminescence materials to South Africa in the beginning of 1996 after a highly productive sabbatical spend in the lab of Paul Holloway, Florida University, Gainesville. This laid the foundation for his subsequent research at the UFS and was one of the most exhilarating times of his academic career. Since than he has led research in the area of the degradation of phosphors for field emission displays, as well as developing materials for nano solid-state lighting. He has been key in the development of processes to synthesise and deposit thin films of various types of semiconductor nano-particles, which will enhance the colour, luminescent intensity and lifetime of such displays. His research led to the establishment of a strong group working on luminescent materials and to the establishment of several smaller groups all over South Africa. He has more than 830 publications in international peer reviewed journals, 120 peer reviewed conference proceedings and editor/author or co-editor/author of 80 book chapters and or books with more than 23200 cited author references, H-index of 66, i10 index of 563 on google scholar (51 and 434 since 2019) and more than 730 national and international conference contributions (authored and co-authored). He has an ISI H-and scopusindex of 55 (rid=g-2696-2012) and 58, respectively.He is a reviewer for more than 100 international and national professional journals in his field (or in related fields), and a member of the editorial board of the high impact factor journal ‘Critical Reviews in Solid State and Materials Sciences” (IF-10.367). He was awarded with the Institutional Research Development programme award for the Highest scoring RNA on Nano Solid State Lighting in 2007 (NRF). He has received the South African National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) award in 2009for research capacity development of students in the niche area of nanophysics. His commitment to the next generation of scientists is also reflected by the awards he received from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State, South Africa for excellence (deans medal) (2012), research (2014), mentorship (2008), for academic entrepreneurship (2009), best researcher (2018). He received honorary membership of the Golden Key Association (2012). The Radio Rosestad, a local radio station, award for outstanding research and post graduate teachingin 2017. He received the Havenga Prize for original research from the South African Academy of Art and Science in 2022.He was chair of national and international conferences. He has supervised more than 100 PhD and MSc studentssuccessfullyin the past with another 20 in progress and has established a National Nano Surface Characterization Facility (NNSCF) containing state of the art surface characterization equipment. A research chair in Solid State Luminescent and Advanced Materials was awarded to him from the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) at the end of 2012 which was renewed for another 5 year at the end of 2017 and again at the end of 2022. The main focus of his research group is the improvement of luminescent materials for applications in flat panel displays, solar cells, solid state lighting, dosimetry, and thermometry.