Prof Bornman awarded prestigious ISAAC Fellowship

Prof Juan Bornman, Director of the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) at the University of Pretoria, was recently named a Fellow of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) at the 17th Biennial Conference of ISAAC in Toronto, Canada. The purpose of the award is to publicly honour ISAAC members who have earned distinction within the ISAAC community. Prof Bornman was acknowledged for the outstanding contributions she has made to ISAAC through her scientific and practical contributions, her leadership within the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and her dedication to the affairs of ISAAC.

Prof Rose Sevcik, a Distinguished University Professor and an ISAAC Fellow at Georgia State University, USA, wrote, 'Dr Bornman's research has focussed on individuals who use AAC to communicate. Her research has explored a range of topics; issues surrounding the use of AAC by health professionals and the legal rights of individuals have been underscored. Her work has spanned the developmental age range from toddlers to adults. She has presented the results of her research widely at invited lectures, conferences and meetings. To date, Dr Bornman has published more than 48 articles and book chapters. She is the author of three books and she has secured funding for her research. Her work has drawn substantial attention both within South Africa and from international audiences around the world. Dr Bornman has contributed significantly to multiple graduate programmes at the University of Pretoria. She is an innovative speech-language pathologist who has developed and taught courses that span a wide range of content areas. She is a dynamic teacher who actively shares her knowledge with students.  She has the rare ability to establish the critical links between research findings and clinical practice. Dr Bornman has taught and mentored a cadre of highly impressive doctoral students and clinicians in practice. I personally have had the opportunity to see some of her students in action, both during their university training and later as practitioners. Many have taken on innovative leaderships roles in their respective work settings. Dr Bornman is a highly regarded clinician who has served her local, regional, and national community by working to ensure that AAC services are made available to those who need them. Whether seeing clients at the CAAC or testifying on their behalf in court proceedings, her focus is always on the needs of the individuals who use AAC. Over the course of her career, Dr Bornman has also taken on significant service responsibilities in a range of areas. She has served as member of the Executive Board for ISAAC, a member of the board of Interface South Africa, and a consultant to several advocacy groups.'

The CAAC would like to send our heartfelt congratulations to Prof Bornman. We are extremely proud of her and all her achievements.