Emeritus Professor Status Conferred on Wits Health Sciences' Professor Cooper
- L.R.
After nearly 40 years of service to the University of Witwatersrand, Professor Peter Cooper has been honoured with the status of Emeritus Professor or his outstanding contribution to the University.
Academic Head in the Department of Paediatrics at Wits, Professor Peter Cooper’s dedication to Paediatrics and Neonatology began in 1978 when he joined the Wits Department of Paediatrics as a registrar. After completing his registrar training he joined Prof Alan Rothberg as a neonatologist at the then Johannesburg Hospital becoming Head of the Unit in 1985. In 1988 he took over from Prof. Keith Bolton as Head of the Neonatal Unit at Baragwanath Hospital where he remained until 1995. In April 1995 he was appointed Professor, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Wits and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital CMJAH). In 2003 he was appointed Academic Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health until October 2016
Prof Cooper held a number of executive positions in South African paediatric and neonatal organisations, including : Immediate Past President of the Union of National Paediatric Societies and Associations (UNAPSA), UNAPSA representative on IPA Standing Committee 2007-2010, Chairperson of Scientific Committee for the 26th International Pediatric Association Congress of Pediatrics 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa , UNAPSA/IPA representative to the Partnership for Maternal, Neonatal and Child health and Countdown to 2015, a Member of the Council of the College of Paediatricians of South Africa from 2003 to 2009, Convenor and Examiner on numerous occasions for Part I & Part II of the examinations for the Fellowship of College of Paediatricians and past Secretary of the South African Paediatric Association.
He also served on numerous University and Hospital committees and was Chairperson of the Medical Advisory Committee at CMJAH from 1998 to 2009.
A passionate teacher, Cooper mentored many young paediatricians some of who are prominent today including Sithembiso Velaphi, Haroon Saloojee and Glenda Gray. His dedication to teaching was recognised across the Faculty and also won him the Convocation Distinguished Teacher’s Award and the Philip V. Tobias Medal for Distinguished Teaching in 1995.
He is author or co-author of over 70 publications in national and international peer-reviewed journals and author of several chapters in books, mainly neonatal and nutrition related and is also a reviewer for a number of local and international journals.
More recently Prof. Cooper was appointed as Chair the Clinical Steering Committee for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. He will continue to make a significant impact of the paediatrics and neonatology at that hospital and in the Faculty.
The Faculty would like to thank Professor Cooper for his service and congratulates them on their Emeritus Professor appointment.