Lerothodi Leeuw
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Professor Lerothodi Leonard Leeuw | |
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| Add a Photo | |
| Born | Northern Cape, South Africa |
| Citizenship | South African |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation | Physicist, Astrophysicist, Academic |
| Known for | Physics education, Astrophysics research |
| Title | Professor and Head of Department |
Lerothodi Leonard Leeuw is a Professor and Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Pretoria (UP).
Early life and education
Lerothodi Leeuw was born and raised in the Northern Cape, South Africa. He pursued his undergraduate studies in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. He was the first black South African to obtain a BSc degree at MIT and was one of only three black students worldwide to major in Physics at the institution during his time there.[1] He obtained a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing from Columbia University in New York City. Leeuw completed a Master of Science (MSc) in Astronomy at the University of Cape Town (UCT).[2] He then pursued advanced research abroad, earning a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Astrophysics from the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom.[3]
Academic career
Leeuw joined UP's Department of Physics in 2025, as Professor and Head of the Department, the first Black person to lead the department in more that 100 years of its history. Prior to that he was a Professor at the University of the Western Cape's (UWC) Department of Physics and Astronomy, that he joined in 2020. He has held a C-rating from South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF).[3][4]
Research
Leeuw's research investigates how galaxies form and evolve, particularly through gravitational lensing, to map the distribution of dark matter and its influence on cosmic structures. His work also extends to high-energy physics, including searches for dark matter particles using data from particle accelerators.[5] As part of the ATLAS experiment at CERN's LHC, Leeuw has authored or co-authored over 450 peer-reviewed articles in international journals, with his work cited more than 15,000 times. Leeuw has also supervised postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate students, fostering research in astrophysics and astro-particle physics. His astrophysics projects integrate observations from facilities like South Africa's SALT and MeerKAT telescopes.[6]
Awards and recognition
In 2025, Leeuw was awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics alongside collaborators from CERN's ATLAS experiment; while in 2016, he received the Hamilton Naki Award for his contributions to multi-wavelength astrophysical research on elliptical galaxies.[7]
Professional Affiliations
He is an active member of the International Astronomical Union (Division J: Galaxies & Cosmology).[8]
- He is a former executive committee member of the African Astronomical Society.[9]
Public engagement
Prof Leeuw has been featured in public broadcasts, including:
- **SABC News** segment “Fourth Industrial Revolution” discussing science and society.[10]
- Explaining lunar eclipses on SABC-linked YouTube content.[11]
- Featured in public talks such as “Connecting African Culture With The Moon”, as shared via NRF’s social media.[12]
- Interviews or quotes on Cape Talk regarding Starlink satellite interference:[13]
- Featured in a **Profmed Medical Scheme** television advertisement focused on public science education, as noted in UWC’s eclipse media coverage.
References
- ↑ "Pivot Point – In conversation with Prof Lerothodi Lapula Leeuw". iono.fm. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "UWC welcomes Dr Lerothodi Leeuw as a Professor". UWC Astrophysics. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Unisa stars shine bright on research red carpet". Unisa News & Media. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "National Research Foundation celebrates science excellence for development". South African Journal of Science. 112 (9/10). 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "National Research Foundation celebrates science excellence for development". South African Journal of Science. 112 (9/10): 2. 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ↑ "2016 NRF Awards". dsti.gov.za. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ↑ "Meet Prof Lerothodi Leeuw from UNISA". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ↑ "Lerothodi Lapula Leeuw – IAU Member". International Astronomical Union. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ↑ "Officers – Lerothodi Lapula Leeuw". African Astronomical Society. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ↑ "Fourth Industrial Revolution: Prof Lerothodi Leeuw". YouTube. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ↑ "Talking Lunar Eclipse with Prof. Lerothodi Leeuw". YouTube. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ↑ "Connecting African Culture With The Moon". NRF Science Matters / AfAS. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ↑ "Starlink's 'Photo‑bombing' Impact on SALT and SKA a Concern – UWC Professor". UWC News / Cape Talk. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
External links
This article "Lerothodi Leeuw" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.