FABIans were treated to a special seminar by renowned forest pathologist, Prof. Drawing on years of research in the areas of forest pathology and the management of forest tree diseases, Prof. Following his seminar he was hosted on a visit to the FABI biocontrol facility where Prof.
Scientists hope that genetic engineering approaches will revive Castanea dentata, the American Chestnut. American Chestnut blight has contributed to the expansive death of the trees, which are not only economically important but are also socially and culturally significant. Katie is visiting the Forest Molecular Genetics research group and other departments at the University of Pretoria as she explores these themes of her research by focusing on genetically modified trees in South Africa and New York State.
On 5 and 6 May the Ceratocystis Genome Jamboree was held in the Bioinformatics computer centre at FABI.
FABI welcomed a group of tree growers from Argentina visiting South Africa to acquaint themselves with the local forestry industry. FABI entomologist Dr.
As the challenges we face in the world, and especially in Africa, become more complex, a different style of science leadership is required. Prof Bernard Slippers, who leads the Future Africa and ASLP initiatives at UP said that: “It is a feather in the cap of the University of Pretoria that it has so successfully supported the establishment of this programme, in collaboration with leading global institutions. The eight-day ASLP workshop commenced on 11 April and focused on the new group of twenty-two fellows for the first 6 days of the intensive programme. Professor Derick de Jongh, the Director of the Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership at UP joined the workshop on day one as a provocateur. The leadership programme identifies early-career academics who have demonstrated leadership potential and an interest in developing key leadership skill. The workshop covered elements of collective leadership, creative and systems thinking, development of effective networks, stakeholder engagement for change, maximising the efficiency and impact of collaborative efforts, advanced dialogue and communication skills, effective problem solving and decision making, and much more. The programme aims to, within Africa, continue the formation of a community of like-minded researchers who possess qualities that will contribute towards solving the complex challenges that face Africa. “The ASLP initiative gave me an unexpected new vision of what leadership is, and our collective roles in the development of African science.
The second FABI monthly tea hosted by the 2016 FABI Social Club was held in the FABI courtyard on May 4.
With winter fast approaching, contributions to the annual FABI Blanket Drive have been filling up the FABI reception area. The annual FABI Blanket Drive is headed by Prof.
Wearing his IUFRO "hat", FABI Director Professor Mike Wingfield spent three days during the week of 20 April with colleagues at the IUFRO Headquarters in Vienna.
Monday 25 April at 15h00 and a historic moment for the University of Pretoria, for Science in Africa and for FABI. At the sod turning ceremony, University of Pretoria Principal and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Although this need for trans-disciplinary research is recognised globally, there is still a shortage of spaces that encourage and enable collaboration of scientists from different disciplines. In his address at the event Bernard made the point that: "Future Africa will first and foremost be a people and team-centred space that is focused on developing the future generation of leaders and research teams and networks on the continent. Numerous activities of Future Africa will be very closely aligned with research projects in FABI and they will build on the cross-disciplinary vision and team approach to research that has underpinned the remarkable 18-year history of FABI. A short video of the ceremony can be viewed here.
The annual board meeting of the International Mycological Association (IMA) took place on Saturday 18 April 2016, in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The IMA is the overarching body for all mycological associations across the world and acts as custodian of the four-yearly International Mycological Congress (IMC).
Dr Ritesh Mewalal, a postdoctoral research associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORLN) and a recent FABI PhD graduate, reunited with his FABI family to deliver a special seminar on April 22. Dr Mewalal completed his PhD degree under the supervision of Prof.
From 13 to 15 April the Annual Symposium of the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS) took place at the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. From 13 to 15 April the Annual Symposium of the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS) took place at the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This meeting, organized by the CBS under the leadership of their director and FABI extraordinary professor Pedro Crous, has become one of the
Prior to the annual Spring symposium of the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS) based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, a group of Fusarium researchers gathered in Utrecht to develop the core structures of a new global Fusarium Research Centre. The International Centre for Fusarium Research will have Prof.
Forty postgraduate students affiliated with FABI were awarded their degrees at the Autumn Graduation Ceremony of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on April 18. FABI applauds the 12 PhD, 14 MSc and 25 BSc Honours graduates capped on the day. Listed below are the graduates and the titles of their dissertations as well as the Honours students with projects in FABI over the past year.
Two Grade 7 students from Irene Primary School have been working in the FABI laboratories again. Last year these smart and aspiring young scientists received a Gold Medal at the Expo for Young Scientists for their project entitled "Testing the susceptibility of different sweet potato varieties to the black rot fungus, Ceratocystis fimbriata", and also won the Merck Junior Microbiology prize.
Professor Jeremy McNeil of the Department of Biology at the University of Western Ontario in Canada presented a special seminar at FABI on April 13. http://www.
FABI hosted a meeting of the Forest Invasive Species Network for Africa (FISNA) aimed at revitalising the network’s activities and stimulate communication and networking between all persons and official bodies engaged in forest pest and invasive species research in sub-Saharan Africa. The meeting was headed by Dr. FISNA was established in 2004 by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to coordinate the collation and dissemination of information relating to forest invasive species in sub-Saharan Africa for sustainable forest management and conservation of biodiversity. FISNA’s objectives are to: - Facilitate exchange of information and provide a link for communication about forest invasive species - Alert and provide policy advice on trans-boundary movement, phytosanitary measures and other relevant information. - Raise regional awareness on forest invasive species issues. - Encourage the publication and sharing of research results, management and monitoring strategies. - Facilitate taxonomic support. - Act as a link between and among experts, institutions, networks and other stakeholders concerned with forest invasive species. - Facilitate the mobilisation of resources for critical activities in management of invasive species. - Provide technical guides on research and control of invasive species for sustainable forest protection and health issues in Africa.
Several members of FABI’s management committee were among the “academic stars” honoured at the University of Pretoria’s Academic Achievers’ Awards function on April 5.
The first FABI tea organised by the new 2016 Social Club was held at the Institute on April 6. The Easter egg-themed tea party was sponsored by supplier of scientific and laboratory equipment, Lasec.
Seven papers including contributions from seven FABI authors were published last week as part of a Special Issue on the Biological Invasions of Insects in the journal Biological Invasions. First author papers included contributions from Prof. Mike Wingfield on insects and microbes as drivers of forest pestilence, from Dr. Jeff Garnas on the ecological, evolutionary and management consequences of complex global movement of invasive insects, and from Dr. Brett Hurley on the increasing rate of intr
During the week of 29 March – 1 April FABI hosted a workshop on the Biological Control of Eucalyptus Insect Pests. The workshop, organised by Dr Brett Hurley, Dr Michelle Schröder and Ms Samantha Bush, gathered 15 participants from Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to share knowledge and build capacity and collaborative networks within the region.
A delegation from the New Forests Company (NFC) visited FABI on 31 March to better acquaint themselves with the Institute’s work in forestry-related research. The team was led by NFC’s Head of Business development, Phillip Hird and accompanied by Head of Forests, Anton Greeff and Head of Planning, Tim Ross.
Members of the MPPI group in FABI participated in a Farmers Day for small-holder maize farmers at PANNAR SEED Pty (Ltd) in Greytown. MSc student Katrien De Ridder from the group of Prof. The MPPI team also crisscrossed KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape with PANNAR collaborators, evaluating maize hybrids for disease resistance. UP’s involvement in these kinds of public-private partnerships are bringing hybrid seed and improved production practices that are contributing to the “A green evolution in Africa” recently featured in an upbeat article in The Economist.
Plans are afoot to rollout Wi-Fi to lecture halls at the University of Pretoria. Kleynhans was one of three speakers at the talk hosted by the Scital Forum, a science initiative on teaching and learning. Chief Innovation and Information Officer at Project Isizwe, James Devine spoke about how the non-profit organisation had partnered with the City of Tshwane to bring Wi-Fi access to disadvantaged communities in the city.
Our world is faced with a myriad of complex problems. These were some of the questions addressed during two meetings attended by Prof. The first was a workshop jointly organised by the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) and the Academy of Science of South Africa on Science Advice for African Scientists, had as its theme "enhancing capacities in providing science advice to governments". Learn more and see resources on Science Advice to Governments on the INGSA website, and join if you are interested! Subsequent to this Bernard also attended the meeting of the IAP: Global Network of Science Academies conference and general assembly that happens once every three years. For more information on the conference click here. A short report of the event is available here.
The launch of the 2016 DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) mentorship programme was held at FABI on March 4. Each successful candidate is then interviewed by a selection panel before being paired with a postgraduate mentor. Prof.
As has become custom, FABIans will once again embark on the annual FABI Blanket Drive in the months leading up to winter. Prof. Last year the TuksFM Woolly Winter campaign collected and donated cash and goods – including food – worth more than R300,000 to the Student Nutrition and Progress Programme (SNAPP) and welfare organisations in the city.
FABIan and senior lecturer in the Department of Genetics Dr Albé van der Merwe has made a name for himself with his students for being innovative and going the extra mile. Dr van der Merwe also made sure that students who did not have access to the Internet could still access his lectures by making them available on CD.
The new FABI "CONNECTING THE DOTS" T-shirt was launched at the Institute’s January 2016 formal opening. The illustration on the "CONNECTING THE DOTS" t-shirt comes directly from one element of the research on tree pathogens and pests conducted in FABI. Photos: The 2016 Microbiology Honours students who joined the FABI team this year, proudly wearing the new FABI T-shirts, and a close-up of the design.
The NRF and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) led a delegation to Oman to participate in the Agri-biotech and Water Researchers’ Conference and Workshop from 23 to 25 February 2016. Oman is one of South Africa’s prospective research partners in the fields of agri-biotechnology and water and the objectives of the workshop were to identify areas of expertise in these fields as well as to prioritise sub-themes for joint research proposals to the NRF and SQU. Photographs: Top/Left: The South African delegation.
Waheed Mahomed delivered his prestige seminar – the first FABI prestige seminar held off-campus from the University of Pretoria – at the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s Biodiversity Auditorium in Pretoria on February 23. Waheed’s study focused on the defence strategies of Persea americana (avocado) against the pathogen P. Though native to Mexico, avocado is an important commercial crop in many countries, including South Africa.
Cape Citizen Science is a FABI driven project led by PhD student Joey Hulbert. On February 16-17, 2016, a workshop was offered to Protea garden staff from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden to improve awareness of microorganisms as the cause of plant disease and the risks of invasive species. Two presentations were provided during the workshop followed by an activity to conduct field isolations of Phytophthora species: Recognising plant disease: why and how and Introduction to Phytophthora: plant destroyers in South Africa Joey believes these workshops will help raise awareness and promote early detection of invasive species and plant disease epidemics in the future.
FABI has teamed up with national drought relief campaign, Operation Hydrate, to deliver water to communities affected by water shortages. Hundreds of 5l bottles flooded the FABI reception area in the two weeks set aside for the collection drive, with FABIans donating about 400 bottles. Operation Hydrate was formed in January in response to the nationwide drought.
Central to the process of completing a postgraduate degree is the relationship between a student and their supervisor. Prof.
