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16 May 2025 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied
Dr Lisa Rothmann
Dr Lisa Rothmann, a plant disease epidemiologist from the University of the Free State (UFS), has been nominated in the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher category for this year’s NSTF-South32 Awards.

Dr Lisa Rothmann, a plant disease epidemiologist from the University of the Free State (UFS) who was nominated in the TW Kambule-NSTF Award: Emerging Researcher category for this year’s NSTF-South32 Awards, says that the nomination is a reminder that service through science matters.

“I am humbled by the nomination. For me, it reflects not just individual recognition, but also the shared effort of the team of postgraduate academics, research assistants, partners, and farmers with whom I've had the privilege to work with. It is affirming to see plant pathology and field-based research recognised in this way; it highlights the consistent (hard) work we do to make a meaningful contribution to agriculture and to serve the grain industry and farmers,” says Dr Rothmann. 

She was nominated by Grain South Africa (Grain SA), with whom she has been working closely since 2018 to contribute research that aligns with the organisation’s mission to strengthen the grain sector. They play a key role in supporting sustainable grain production and farmer development. 

Dr Rothmann, who is one of eight UFS researchers and a research team nominated for the NSTF-South32 Awards – also known as the ‘Science Oscars’ – is nominated for her contribution to interdisciplinary, team-based research to develop practical solutions for plant diseases in order to protect crops and empower communities. 

 

Motivation to keep growing

The Senior Lecturer in the Department of Plant Sciences within the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) says that while she is proud of the work she has done, she sees this recognition as a team effort. Says Dr Rothmann: “It motivates me to keep growing as a researcher, rooted in impact and integrity. I’m not a prolific peer-reviewed publisher; my academic record includes 10 journal articles and one book chapter, but I have written around 50 popular articles – often as a solo author, in collaboration with postgraduates and peers.” 

“These pieces translate plant pathology topics such as the Sclerotinia life cycle, disease surveillance, and management into accessible information for producers and the public. To me, this nomination is a symbol that making a meaningful impact doesn't only come from journal impact factors. This nomination has reminded me that building a career in academia is a relay, not a race, and that lasting impact comes from investing in others.”

As a plant disease epidemiologist, she specialises in field pathology – an area of plant pathology that explores how disease epidemics in crops develop, spread, and can be effectively managed within agricultural systems. Their work centres on understanding and managing Sclerotinia diseases in oilseed and protein crops such as canola, soybean, and sunflower, as well as disease surveillance in key grain crops including dry bean, sorghum, and sunflower.

 

New research

After participating in the US-based National Sclerotinia Initiative in 2017, she was inspired to establish a South African Sclerotinia Research Network with the support of Grain SA, creating a platform for researcher collaboration, farmer engagement, and the development of on-farm management strategies. Over time, explains Dr Rothmann, their research has expanded to include cultivar screening, national disease surveys, fungicide registration trials, and the development of disease-assessment tools. More recently, they have embedded sociological surveys into sorghum disease work to better understand farmers’ knowledge and needs, ensuring that research remains practical and co-created with producers.

According to Dr Rothmann, they have been privileged to work in a space that supports producers and protects crops through applied plant disease management strategies. While high-value crops often attract attention due to export markets, the grain that feed the nation forms the backbone of food security. As part of their new research, Dr Rothman and the research team are currently contributing to the Sorghum Cluster Initiative's pre-breeding programme, where they have screened 160 accessions for diseases to support future cultivar development. 

They are also going to explore how both emerging and commercial farmers will adopt these new cultivars. She is actively seeking collaborators in sociology/psychology or similar fields to better understand farmers’ decision-making. They are developing a plant disease dashboard to map disease occurrences across South Africa – an effort aligned with the Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Act 35 of 2024 to help guide appropriate disease risk categorisation. In the long term, concludes Dr Rothmann, they hope to establish a diagnostic hub for central South Africa in partnership with Agricultural Research Council-Grain Crops to strengthen local disease identification and support producers in real time.

News Archive

Team UFS flexes its debating muscles
2015-08-07


Photo: Nkahiseng Ralepeli debates his way to the finals of the English as a First Language category at the UCT Open.

Team UFS flexes its debating muscles

Friday 24 July 2015 marks the day when the University of the Free State Debating Society (UFDS) outperformed the University of Cape Town (UCT) at the UCT 150th anniversary celebration of its debating union.

Representing Kovsies were Zola Valashiya, Ntsapi ‘Neko, Nkahiseng Ralepeli, Lehakoe Masedi, and Thabang Thembani, who fought bravely for a spot in the finals.

Masedi and Ralepeli broke into the semifinals after seven preliminary rounds, eventually winning the competition. The two students were up against three UCT teams, comprising the current National Champions and Pan African finalists.

This follows the debaters’ outstanding performance at the 2015 South African National University Debating Championship (SANUDC), hosted by the University of Venda. The UFDS commemorated a decade in existence by participating in its 10th national tournament.

After nine preliminary rounds, two teams broke into the grand finals of the two categories: English as a second language (ESL) and English as a first language (EFL). Devon Watson and Nkahiseng Ralepeli were the EFL team who fought their way through to the finals, beating UCT and the University of Botswana.

The inaugural Wits Women’s Debate Open (2014) title holders, Lerato Leteane and Lehakoe Masedi, represented Kovsies as the ESL finalists against the University of Nambia. The ladies rose to the occasion, but eventually emerged just one point short of the Namibian team’s four-point win.

Nonetheless, they were satisfied with their competitive skills, utilising the platform to address the lack of female debaters in the Southern African debating circuit.

 

 

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