The FABI yearend function ends another successful year for the Institute 2025-01-06
FABIans celebrated the end of another successful year at the yearend function held at the Sanlam Conference Centre on the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield Campus. Several invited guests from the university and industry and government partners also enjoyed the evening along with visiting research collaborator, Prof. Marc Stadler and three of his PhD students who were visiting the Institute as part of the Mycobiomics Project. The guest speaker was Ben Durham, Chief Director: Bio-innovation at the Department of Science and Innovation, who gave a thought -provoking talk entitled “Sustainability: A view from inside Government”.
A highlight of the evening is always the announcement of the winners of the FABI Awards by Prof. Irene Barnes. These awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of FABIans and others towards achievement of the goals of the Institute. The most sought-after award, FABIan of the Year, went to PhD candidate Kira Lynn. This is the Institute's premium award for students that recognises excellence across a broad range of contributions including research, mentorship, support to the maintenance of the structure of the institute, and is chosen by FABI students.
Other award winners were:
Best FABI MSc Student: Melandré van Lill
Best Student Publication: Alicia Fick
Best Postdoc Publication: Dr Tanay Bose
FABI Mentorship Awards: Melandré van Lill, Anja Piso and Chanel Thomas
Best FABI Postdoc: Dr Felipe Balocchi
Outstanding Research Fellow Contributions: Dr David Read
Photographic Award (FABIans at Work): Alicia Fick
Photographic Award (FABI Research): Dr Ariska van der Nest, Alicia Fick and Sizwe Mthembu
Creative Arts Awards: Matthew Jackson, Christoff Joubert
Recognizing Contributions by a person External to the Institute: Dr Eric Droomer (York Timbers), Johan Nel (TWK Agri) and Craig Norris (NCT Forestry)
Recognising Contributions by a Staff member of the University of Pretoria: Cuan Hendricks
The 2024 cohort of FABI Honours students were also recognised and each given a unique t-shirt to celebrate the completion of their year of postgraduate study.
Closing the formal part of the evening, FABI Director Prof. Bernard Slippers thanked all of those present for their hard work and dedication throughout the year that made the Institute a success. He also spoke of Infinite versus Finite Games as the scholar James Carse describes in his book “Finite and Infinite Games” in the context of long-term success. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play. Infinite Games are open-ended where the rules evolve, and players can change while you play but it is also about growing and contributing so that other can play long after we are gone. He said that one should not just ask yourself “what have I won?”, but rather “what have I sustained?”. And not just “how far have I come?”, but rather “how far have I helped others to go?”.
At the end of the evening those FABIans that were in a festive mood took to the dancefloor and partied till late.