Mary Nel is a senior lecturer in the Department of Public Law. She received the Rector’s Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2002 and 2017. In addition to criminal law, criminology, and human rights, she has an interest in the teaching and learning process, especially regarding integrating innovative electronic teaching techniques and traditional teaching methods. In 2004, Dr Nel was awarded a full Commonwealth (Cambridge) Scholarship to study at Cambridge University. After completing an MPhil in Criminology, she received the Manuel Lopez-Rey Graduate Prize for the highest marks obtained for the course in 2004 to 2005. She is the academic director of the Ubuntu Learning Community, an initiative creating the opportunity for incarcerated individuals to learn alongside SU students and academics. This is South Africa’s first prison-university partnership.