She is a C3 National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher, and has a proven track record of having impactfully contributed to the knowledge, insight and advancement of research in her area of expertise. Prof Jeanette Maritz of Unisa’s Department of Health Studies, under the College of Human Sciences, has received the Women in Research: Research Leadership Award at Unisa’s 2022 Research and Innovation (R&I) Awards Ceremony.
Maritz continues to successfully mentor and enable the development of emerging and developing researchers, which is what the award also recognises. She remarks: "The award serves to motivate me to do more and better within the ambit of the university’s mandate of scholarship development and support, especially for the advancement of women within research, which is my passion."
The award recognises female scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in research in the last five audited years. This includes producing high-quality accredited publications in high-impact journals, exceeding the expected minimum research requirements as stipulated in the R&I policy, by at least 50% of the expected minimum required research output (RO) units.
Maritz explains: "Doctoral and master’s students needed to be supervised to completion, equivalent to the value of 2.5 RO units, with a minimum of 1.0 RO units for doctoral students. The research studies of the students that I had supervised, most of whom are women, have had an impact on both local and international nursing research support and development." She adds: "The recipient of the award must have received recognition and awards for research, mobilising grants, collaborations and community engagements." It is evident that Maritz’s contributions in various aspects of research go beyond Unisa.
Maritz’s background lies in the health sciences, specifically mental health. Her field of specialisation is on the professional and research development, with specific reference to coaching and mentoring, and postgraduate supervision. She completed her doctorate with a topic in business coaching, using coaching as a vehicle to facilitate development and mental well-being. In 2016, she received the Academy of Nursing of South Africa fellowship award, which recognises five preceding years, for her contribution to the field of health care in the country.
Her publications have been included locally and internationally on the reading lists for research developers, and used in blogs for the international audiences. "During the period 2016 to 2020, I published a total of 11 articles, two articles in leading and high-impact journals (Quentline1) namely Teaching in Higher Education and Nurse Education Today, and a book chapter. I was recognised for a total of 13.75 research output units in the past audited five years, exceeding the expectation by 99%. My Scopus profile indicates 13 influential articles," states Maritz.
Among other roles, Maritz was a member of the editorial board (2014-2019) for the journal Health SA Gesondheid, and is currently a reviewer. She serves as a reviewer for the International Journal of Qualitative Methods and Qualitative Health Research, which are Q1 journals. She also serves as an evaluator for NRF proposal/ funding applications and continues to actively mentor Unisa’s female academics to apply for an NRF rating. Her research collaborations include the Oxford Brookes Business School in the United Kingdom, Stellenbosch Business School and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
For Maritz, the award presents an opportunity to reflect on her skills and career progress. "It increases my visibility within the community of scholars and the opportunity to receive feedback for my professional development. Awards such as these assist when applying for grants to demonstrate recognition by peers," says Maritz.
However, Maritz holds that training and mentoring initiatives are not a complete "fix" to address all the challenges that women face in their scholarly careers. She affirms: "We need to delve deeper into the hidden issues such as power, exploitation, and discrimination, and address the effects that these have on the well-being of women researchers."
In conclusion, she advises early researchers to follow a career-focused approach in their scholarly work. "This starts as early as your honours degree. Work and publish smartly and with focus and ensure that your learning and teaching influence your research, and that all community and leadership activities feed into your research. Stay focused and do not give up."
* By Nancy Legodi, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement
Publish date: 2022-07-04 00:00:00.0