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#UFSWomen: Prof Aliza le Roux on being bold and fearless

17 August 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)

Prof Aliza Le Roux copy — Bold and fearless - Prof Aliza le Roux.

Prof Aliza le Roux is Associate Professor in Zoology and Entomology, and Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

A researcher at heart, and with a passion for researching wild mammals, small carnivores, and primates, Prof Le Roux says she is extremely curious and loves to know about a lot of different things.

I decided that I wanted to do something with wildlife, so I completed a BSc degree at Stellenbosch University. One day a professor said: “I just got back from doing research – we were catching lizards along the Orange River” – and I remember thinking, ‘yes, I can see that as my life’. Research is a fantastic career for anyone with curiosity and perseverance. You must have a good dose of bull-headed persistence. We all have the baseline intelligence, but anyone who has studied up to PhD will tell you that it is the persistence that carries you through.

Is there a woman who inspires you and who you would like to celebrate this Women’s Month, and why?

What drew me into a career in research was Dian Fossey, an American researcher who was known for undertaking an extensive study of mountain gorilla groups. She had the guts to go out there and be there in the wilderness as the only woman there, doing stuff under extremely difficult conditions.

Recently, it will be Simone Biles – she does the most mind-blowing stuff with gymnastics – who said she could not go forward with competing in the Olympics because of health reasons. I cannot imagine what guts it takes to say no at such a high-profile sporting event. The ability to say no is something that few of us possess, so right now she is a person I would love to celebrate. I am inspired by women who have the guts and the fact that you believe enough in yourself to do something, despite what others might have to say about it.

What is your response to current challenges faced by women and available platforms for women development?

There is never enough support or platforms available for the development of women while you have domestic violence and GBV at such insane rates in this country. It’s still a women’s problem, whereas its men perpetrating this and women implicitly supporting it in the way we raise young men and respond to things such as rape accusations.

It’s a societal problem, and I personally will not be happy until I see this changing in the country. You can look at the massive inequalities and gender biases and the things that are stacked against women, and then feel overwhelmed and step back and say this is too big a problem, I can’t do anything about it. You might not be able to tackle the big problem, but you can chip away at it. Everybody must contribute in a small way.

What advice would you give to the 15-year-old you?

Be bold. Be fearless. I slowly started becoming like that at that age, but I could have started earlier. I should have told her I was gay; that would have helped.

What would you say makes you a woman of quality, impact, and care?

There’s a healthy dose of guts and believing in yourself – that is the only way to make an impact. You cannot make an impact if you are doubting your own value, and this is difficult, because we are raised in many instances to be meek, raised to not be leaders but followers, and it’s difficult to overcome that and realise that you are bringing something unique to this world.

The university is taking some very good steps with the mentorship programmes that it supports. But I would love to see more mentorship for students. Young men and young women in our care being inspired to talk and rethink how they treat women and what equality really means. We need to create more reflective people.

News Archive

UFS changes format of graduation ceremony

2011-04-17

The highest number of qualifications in the history of the University of the Free State (UFS) will be awarded at the autumn diploma and graduation ceremony from 9-11 May 2011, which will be held in the Callie Human Centre on our Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

From this year, the format of the ceremony will change to make it more visible to students and the public. For the first time, all the doctoral and master’s degrees from each respective faculty will be conferred during one ceremony on 11 May 2011, instead of each faculty handling these qualifications individually. Another change in the format is that the procession will gather on the Red Square in front of the Main Building and move to the Callie Human Centre from there. Both academic staff and graduands will partake in the procession.

A total of 3 674 qualifications will be conferred during this year’s graduation ceremony, including 629 diplomas, 2 613 Bachelors and honours degrees, 372 master’s degrees and 58 doctorates.

An honorary doctorate in Drama and Theatre Arts will also be awarded to theatre stalwart Mr Pieter Fourie. He is one of the most acclaimed Afrikaans playwrights in South Africa and probably the only person to have left his mark as an actor, director, artistic director and writer.

Mr Fourie was awarded the Gerhard Beukes prize for drama , was honoured for his contribution to the arts by the South African Academy for Science and Arts and was appointed as trustee of the Arts and Culture Trust of the State President in 1997. He has also served as a committee member of the South African Academy for Science and Arts.

Mr. Fourie has also been the proud recipient of the Hertzog prize for drama, two FNB-Vita awards and a Fleur Du Cap award.

The full programme for the respective ceremonies is as follows:

Monday, 9 May 2011:

At 08:30, certificates and diplomas, excluding PGED and PGES, will be awarded to graduates from the Faculty of Education and at 12:00 PGED, PGED and B and honours degrees will be awarded to students from the same faculty. At 15:30 on the same day, certificates and B and honours degrees will be awarded to students in the Faculty of the Humanities.

At 19:00, the Faculties of Education, the Humanities and Economic and Management Sciences will have their prize-giving ceremonies for outstanding achievers.

Tuesday, 10 May 2011:

At 08:30, students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences will graduate and at and 12:00 the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science will join them. This includes students in BML, B.Admin., B.Pub. and related honours degrees. At 15:30, 503 students from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will receive their certificates, diplomas and B and honours degrees.

At 19:00, the Faculties of Health Sciences, Natural and Agriculture Sciences, Law and Theology will have their prize-giving ceremonies.

Wednesday, 11 May 2011:

The Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Theology will be awarding their certificates, diplomas and B and honours degrees at 08:30. At 12:00, all faculties will award a total of 372 master’s degrees and at 15:30 a total of 58 doctorates will be conferred.

The Chancellor’s Dinner will take place in the Centenary Complex on the Main Campus of the UFS at 19:00.

The graduation ceremony of our Qwaqwa Campus will take place in the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall on the Qwaqwa Campus on 7 May 2011 at 10:00. All the faculties at this campus will confer their degrees, certificates and diplomas at this ceremony.

Media Release
21 April 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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