Teaching Excellence
Vice Chancellor's Award for teaching that puts engineering thinking in front of real students.
About · Academia
Academic Profile
Research excellence, teaching innovation, and academic leadership across Wits University and Singularity University.
32+
Publications
4
Academic Awards
7
Leadership Roles
2
Current Positions
01 Academic
Academic
Experience
2018 - Present
Faculty Member (Expert)
Singularity University
Singularity University is a future think tank from California presenting concepts from technology to the public through large-scale education summits. Have engaged in addressing audiences from around the world (5 continents) as well as advising on strategy for international companies.
February 2025 - Present
Strategic Advisor and Adjunct Professor
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Senior Advisor to the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation.
August 2024 - February 2025
Angela & David Fine Chair in Innovation
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Heading up innovation at the University from a strategic perspective to move the University in a new direction.
February 2023 - July 2024
Director of the Wits Innovation Centre and the Angela & David Fine Chair in Innovation
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Heading up innovation at the University to move the University in a new direction.
March 2009 - February 2023
Senior Lecturer
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Conceptualised, developed, and lectured multiple courses, including HSD II (Medical Students); Software Development; and the Lean Launch Pad (Engineering Innovation). Supervised a number of PhD, Masters, and Honours students. Served as IP Scout for Wits Enterprise (2014, 2015); MIT Mentor for AITI Student Group (2013); Established Lean Launch Pad course & integration of methodologies to coursework; assisted in establishment of Tshimologong (innovation hub in Braamfontein). Select innovation projects include an eye controlled wheelchair; brainternet (tens of thousands of media); through brain wireless transmission system; Real-time CPR efficacy feedback system; a VOR driven mouse; and others.
02 Notable
Notable
Awards
2015
Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Award (Team Category)
2008
SAIMM Gold Medals Award (for the best student in any Engineering discipline)
2008
Bernard Price Prize (For the most distinguished final year student Electrical Engineering)
2006
Colin G. Caro Award (Awarded jointly for the best student in Biomedical Engineering)
03 Academic
Academic
Publications
32 peer-reviewed contributions
2026
Systems Thinking with Causal Loop Diagrams in Medical Education: An Exploratory Study
DM Rubin, S Achari, XL Richards, A Pantanowitz, A George
journal-article
2024
Rapid prototyping of multi-compartment models for urea kinetics in hemodialysis: a System Dynamics approach
DM Rubin, RFR Letts, XL Richards, S Achari, A Pantanowitz
journal-article
2023
A machine learning approach to the non-invasive estimation of continuous blood pressure using photoplethysmography
B Tarifi, A Fainman, A Pantanowitz, DM Rubin
journal-article
2022
Design and construction of a cost-effective, portable sign language to speech translator
MR Cassim, J Parry, A Pantanowitz, DM Rubin
journal-article
2022
Neurocartographer: CC-WGAN Based SSVEP Data Generation to Produce a Model toward Symmetrical Behaviour to the Human Brain
SE Karabulut, MM Khorasani, A Pantanowitz
journal-article
2021
Evaluating the clinical realism of synthetic chest x-rays generated using progressively growing gans
B Segal, DM Rubin, G Rubin, A Pantanowitz
journal-article
2021
Estimation of body mass index from photographs using deep convolutional neural networks
A Pantanowitz, E Cohen, P Gradidge, NJ Crowther, V Aharonson, ...
preprint
2021
Facilitating understanding, modeling and simulation of infectious disease epidemics in the age of COVID-19
DM Rubin, S Achari, CS Carlson, RFR Letts, A Pantanowitz, M Postema, ...
journal-article
04 Student
Student
Leadership
2008
Chairman of Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment Students Council
2005 - 2008
Class Representative
2006
IEEE Student Branch Co-Founder, Secretary
2007
IEEE Student Branch Chair
2005
School Council Founding member & Education officer
2007 & 2008
School Council Chair
2006
School Council Vice Chair
◆
Academic Impact
Research Leadership
Former Innovation Director driving applied research at the edge of biomedical and electrical engineering.
Publications
Peer-reviewed academic contributions spanning engineering, healthcare and neural interfaces.
Student Impact
PhD and Masters supervision growing the next generation of researchers and engineers.
Impact
An academic career built on impact
Teaching that wins awards, research that breaks new ground, and a steady pipeline of supervised students — academic work measured by what it changes, not just what it publishes.
[ Academic & research talks ]
Bring this
to your stage.
Keynotes and workshops on research, innovation and the human side of technology — calibrated to your audience, in person or virtual, anywhere in the world.