The University of Pretoria is a leading, research-intensive university on the African continent and the South African university with the most NRF-rated researchers. It is upon this foundation of academic excellence that the University of Pretoria’s Academic Achievers’ Awards takes place annually. FABI is very proud of its four Mancom members (and one former member) that were recognised at the recent UP Academic Achievers’ Awards. These researchers all received NRF ratings in the past year:

Prof. Zander Myburg, who recently retired from the University of Pretoria where he led the Forest Molecular Genetics (FMG research) group since its establishment in 2003, received an A1 rating. This rating is in recognition of his leadership in research focussing on the genetic control of woody biomass production in fast growing forest trees and the development of genome-assisted breeding technologies for trees.

Professor Teresa Coutinho and Prof. Tjaart Krüger both received B2-ratings, Dr Trudy Paap a C2-rating, and Dr Velushka Swart a Y2-rating.