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30 December 2019 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Rian Horn
UFS Qwaqwa Campus
Hundreds of international botanists will be attending the 46th SAAB Annual Conference on the Qwaqwa Campus.

The University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus is gearing up to host the 46th Annual Conference of the South African Association of Botanists from 7 to 10 January 2020. Talking about the choice of venue, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen, said the unique setting in the shadow of the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains highlights the Qwaqwa Campus as a fantastic base for interdisciplinary montane studies. “This is the home of the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU), and it will also give the delegates an opportunity to explore a treasure trove of botanical diversity on a post-conference tour to the top of the Amphitheatre in the Northern Drakensberg,” she said.

International delegates

“The conference will be attended by approximately 250 delegates representing at least 10 countries.  We are very excited to host two international and two national plenaries, namely Prof Peter Linder (University of Zürich), Prof Felipe Amorim (São Paulo State University – UNESP), Prof Annah Moteetee (University of Johannesburg), and our Young Botanist award winner from SAAB 2019, Ryan Rattray from GeneLethu Laboratories.”

SAAB 2020 is open to all researchers, industry partners, and citizen scientists from any botanical field. “The theme will embrace Qwaqwa’s cultural heritage by using the Sesotho phrase ‘Dimela ke bophelo’, which translates to ‘Plants are life’. This theme emphasises the dependence of all earthly life on plants. Delegates are offered the opportunity to book residence accommodation adjacent to the conference venue, and our conference organisers, XL Millennium, are eager to help with registration and any travel arrangements,” she added.

Botanists to be awarded

The conference will also be honouring botanists for their lifetime contributions to the field of plant sciences with the awarding of gold and silver medals, and the best doctoral thesis from the previous year with a bronze medal. These will be awarded during the gala dinner at the end of the conference.

News Archive

Eusebius McKaiser delivers public lecture celebrating Library Week
2013-03-12

 

Eusebius McKaiser
Photo: Johan Roux
12 March 2013

The UFS Library and Information Services will celebrate South African Library Week with a public lecture by writer and political analyst, Eusebius McKaiser.

McKaiser, one of South Africa’s most influential figures, will speak about his book A Bantu in My Bathroom, his life, his love for reading and writing and the value of libraries.

Eusebius McKaiser is a political and social analyst at the Wits Centre for Ethics. He is also a top international debate coach, MC and public speaker, having been both former National South African Debate Champion and the 2011 World Master’s Debate Champion. His analytical articles are widely published in South African newspapers and he has a weekly column in the New York Times. He holds Law and Philosophy degrees from Rhodes and Oxford Universities

Thursday 14 March 2013
Mabaleng Auditorium (opposite the Faculty of Education)
17:00

Library week is celebrated annually in the third week of March with a different theme for each year. The main idea behind library week is to promote and increase awareness of the importance and the place that libraries hold in the broader community. The theme will also provide us with an opportunity to bring to the attention of the country and our leaders the role that libraries play in educating communities and the nation.

This year’s theme is “Educate yourself @ your library through displays and events.”

Enquiries: Marcus Maphile at +27(0)51 401 9393 or Maphilelm@ufs.ac.za

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