Stefan Meiring Naudé was born in De Doorns,Western Cape, on 31 December 1904. He studied Physics at Stellenbosch University and received a MSc, cum laude, at the age of 21. He continued his studies in Berlin (PhD 1928) where he was a student of the Nobel prize winners Albert Einstein, Max Planck, Nerpst and von Laue. He then studied at the University of Chicago. In 1932 he gained world-wide recognition for the discovery of the isotope N15.
Following his return to South Africa he lectured at the universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch. He was professor of Physics at Stellenbosch University, 1934 - 1945, joined the SA Wetenskaplike en Nywerheidsnavorsingsraad (WNNR) in 1946, and as President of WNNR, (1952 -1971), he installed the first National Physics Laboratory. In 1971 he accepted the position of Scientific Advisor to the South African Prime Minister.

The Meiring Naudé Medal (for young scientists under 35 years of age) of the Royal Society of South Africa is named for Stefan Meiring Naudé (1904-1985), who was President of the Society in 1960-1961. (See Medal awards)
The Research Vessel 'Meiring Naudé' is owned and operated by the National Research Institute for Oceanology.

Stefan Meiring Naudé died on 27 April 1985.

My friend Bobby Loubser's father, Coenraad, was lectured in Chemistry by Meiring Naudé. He told me that before one exam he had some problems and went to see Naudé. Naudé then asked him: 'Mr Loubser how many times did you go through the material?' Mr Loubser said he never read through anything more than once, but felt that the answer would not cut the mustard, so to speak. He decided to fib and replied: 'Three times Prof Naudé.' To which Mering Naudé replied: 'Oh, Mr Loubser, but I myself never understood things properly before I had not read nine times through the material!' (Bertie du Plessis)

Publications: 22 works in 36 publications in 4 languages (Afrikaans, English, German and Dutch)

Über die Verdünnungswärme schwach konzentrierter L&šuml;sungen ... (Inaug.-Diss.--Berlin), 1928
Brief guide to the national museums and galleries of London, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1938
Voorlopige fisiese woordelys, Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskapen Kuns, 1948
Die dringende noodsaaklikheid van opleiding van die jeug van Suid-Afrika, Die Westelike Stem, 1954
20 [twenty] days that autumn : 21st March - 9th April 1960 : novel (Co-authors: Anna M Louw and C J Malan), Tafelberg, 1963.
Six islands in the sun : Zes eilanden in de zon : Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten(Co-authors: R Gielen and Hans Hermans), Aruba : De Wit, 1960 (?]
Science and government : a problem of the present age , Cape Times Limited, 1960 (?]
Der Südafrikanische Forschungsrat für Wissenschaft und Industrie, Westdeutscher Verlag, 1964
Die kuns en die gemeenskap: referate gelewer by die jaarvergadering van die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en kuns in junie 1967 in Bloemfontein. (Editor), Nasionale boekhandel, 1969. (Lectures delivered at the annual general meeting of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns in June 1967 in Bloemfontein)
Die ontwikkeling van die menslike natuurbeskouing, S.A. akademie vir wetenskap en kuns, 1968
South Africa's contribution to science, Tafelberguitgewers for the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 1970
Die ontwikkeling van 'n wetenskapsbeleid vir Suid-Afrika (Thesis), Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit, 1973
Verslag van die Komitee van Ondersoek na Nasional Gesondheidslaboratoriumdienste, Committee of Inquiry into National Health Laboratory Services,1973
Navorsing en ontwikkeling, Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit, 1976
Toesprake en referate van Dr. S.M. Naude gelewer gedurende die jare 1948 -1976
The Rotation Structure of the Emission Spectrum of the Sulfur Molecule S2, Ft. Belvoir Defense Technical Information Center, 1978.
Geskrifte gepubliseer gedurende die jare 1927-1976, Die outeur, 1980.

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