The 36th Annual Meeting of the Catalysis Society of South Africa (CATSA 2026) is the flagship national gathering of the South African catalysis community. The conference brings together academic researchers, postgraduate students, early-career scientists, and industry practitioners to share advances in catalysis, exchange ideas across disciplines, and strengthen collaborations that support both scientific progress and practical impact. Over the years, CATSA has developed a strong identity as a meeting where rigorous fundamental science and real-world relevance are not treated as separate priorities, but as mutually reinforcing parts of catalytic innovation.

CATSA 2026 is presented under the theme “Catalysing Innovation in an Intelligent Age.” This theme reflects the rapidly evolving scientific and technological environment in which catalysis research is now conducted. Catalysis remains central to progress in energy, chemicals, materials, environmental remediation, and sustainable manufacturing, while the broader research landscape increasingly includes advanced modelling, computation, automation, digital workflows, and data-driven tools.

Importantly, CATSA 2026 is not defined by a single methodology or trend. The conference welcomes contributions across the full spectrum of catalysis, including heterogeneous, homogeneous, electro-, photo-, and theoretical catalysis, together with the growing role of biocatalysis in modern synthesis. It also reflects the increasing priority placed on greener reactions, sustainable process design, improved resource efficiency, and responsible chemical innovation. In this way, the meeting creates space for both foundational scientific insight and forward-looking approaches that can accelerate discovery and translation where appropriate.

In keeping with CATSA tradition, the conference will provide a strong platform for student participation and development through oral and poster presentations, the student challenge, and direct engagement with leaders from academia and industry. CATSA 2026 aims to foster scientific excellence, meaningful discussion, and long-term collaboration in a setting that supports both formal technical exchange and the broader community-building that has become a hallmark of the annual meeting.