46th SAAB ANNUAL CONFERENCE
UFS QWAQWA CAMPUS | 7-10 JANUARY 2020
SAAB 2020 LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE
The Local Organising Committee for SAAB2020 is comprised of staff and students of the Department of Plant Sciences, Qwaqwa Campus, and UFS Qwaqwa Campus Management staff.
| Chairperson | Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen |
| Secretary | Dr Rudo Ngara |
| Treasurer | Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen, Dr Nicholas Le Maitre |
| Publicity Officer | Mr Thabo Kessah |
| Student LOC | Ms Sellwane Moloi, Mr Lehlohonolo Donald Adams, Ms Thumeka Ayanda Tiwani |
| Venue and Facilities officer | Mr Teboho Pitso |
| Hospitality Officer | Mr Ngaka P. Mzizi, Dr Pheello Mojau, Miss Dipuo Mosea |
| Scientific Program Officer | Dr Lisa Komoreng, Dr Rudo Ngara, Dr Fatai Oladunni Balogun, Prof Anofi Ashafa |
| Adjudication Officer | Dr Lisa Komoreng |
MEET THE TEAM!
Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen
Specialised in researching plant-animal interactions, Dr Steenhuisen is a Senior lecturer in Plant Sciences and curator of the Qwaqwa Herbarium, lecturing plant taxonomy and vegetation ecology. Her research expands into the impact of invasive alien plant species on montane grasslands in collaboration with the Afromontane Research Unit, Centre for Biological Control (Rhodes), and Centre for Invasion Biology (Stellenbosch).
Dr Lisa Komoreng
Dr Komoreng has been lecturing plant physiology and biochemistry for nearly seven years as a Senior lecturer in the Plant Sciences department, leading a very productive research group investigating the phytomedicinal properties of local indigenous plant species.
Dr Rudo Ngara
Dr Rudo Ngara is a lecturer in the Department of Plant Sciences at the UFS, Qwaqwa Campus. Her research focusses on the adaptive mechanisms of plants to a range of abiotic stress factors.
Mr Thabo Kessah
Mr Thabo Kessah is a Senior Officer in Communication and Marketing at the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa campus.
Mr Ngaka P. Mzizi
Mr NP Mzizi is a Professional Officer in the department of Plant Sciences, Qwaqwa campus.
Dr Nicholas Le Maitre
Dr Nicholas Le Maitre, Post Doctoral Researcher in the Plant Sciences Department at UFS QwaQwa, focusing on the application of molecular techniques to conservation and invasion issues.
Dr Fatai Oladunni Balogun
Dr Fatai Oladunni Balogun is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa. His research focus is on phytomedicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of South African medicinal plants with particular interest on those from the Basotho tribe of the eastern Free State.
Miss Dipuo Mosea
Miss Mosea is doing an MSc in Botany (Plant Biotechnology). The research project that she is currently undertaking involves investigating sorghum’s responses to drought stress. Additionally, she works as an academic facilitator in the Department of Plant Sciences UFS-Qwaqwa Campus.
Miss Sellwane Jeanette Moloi
Sellwane Jeanette Moloi, PhD candidate in Plant Biotechnology at the University of the Free State, QwaQwa Campus.
Mr Lehlohonolo Donald Adams
Lehlohonolo Donald Adams is in his second year of Masters in Botany (Research), researching seed dispersal and pollination of an invasive alien plant species (Pyrancantha angustifolia) in order to address factors exacerbating its spread.
Miss Thumeka Tiwani
Thumeka Tiwani is a PhD candidate in the Plant Sciences Department, specialising in the field of Ethnobotany.
Prof Anofi Ashafa
Associate Professor Ashafa’s research focuses of the ethnobotanical uses of plants and has served as the assistant Dean of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on the Qwaqwa campus for the past five years.
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