The Department of Botany in the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences participated in the Joint Congress of the 45th Annual South African Association of Botanists (SAAB). The congress was held at the University of Johannesburg from 08 to 12 January 2019. The 2019 SAAB conference was a joint conference held in association with the African Mycology Association (AMA) and the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology (SASSB).
Mr Dakalo Muthego (middle) being congratulated by the SAAB President Prof Paul Hills (Stellenbosch University) and the Co-Chair of the Local Organizing Committee Prof Annah Moteetee (University of Johannesburg) after receiving his award during the Gala Dinner
During this annual conference, Mr Dakalo Muthego, a University of Venda (Univen) BSc Honours student in the Department of Botany has received an award for the Best Poster in Ecology/Plant Conservation session. His award is comprised of a certificate and cash that were handed to him during the gala dinner on the final evening of the conference. The Department of Botany highly appreciated the award that reflects what they strive for, that is to create future leaders even in research.
Univen was represented by a delegation of 11 postgraduate students and three staff members. Some of the students presented their research work orally while others presented their posters. The conference had several sessions that included Invasion Biology, Ecology/Plant Conservation,
Ecophysiology/Physiology/Biotechnology, Mycology, Systematics/Taxonomy, and Ethnobotany/Medicinal Plants.
The conference was well attended by delegations from universities across the country. It was also graced by the delivery of plenary lectures from international eminent scholars in the field of plant sciences like Prof Pieter Baas (Leiden University), Prof Jeff Doyle (Cornell University), Prof Luke Harmon (University of Idaho), and Prof Elisabeth Wheeler (North Carolina State University).
University of Venda SAAB 2019 delegation
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Department of Communications & Marketing
University of Venda
Tel: (015) 962 8525
Date: 07 February 2019
