Science affords you the opportunity to ask questions

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Science affords you the opportunity to ask questions

31 May

‘Why pursue a career in Science? Because you have the opportunity to ask questions and Science is curiosity and question driven… Science is also real fun. So if you find the research field that interests you and can answer your questions, you will most definitely enjoy your job!’

These inspiring thoughts were shared by Prof Lucy Moleleki at the Annual Outstanding Achievers Function for students of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) earlier in May.

Prof Moleleki, Acting Head of the Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology at the University of Pretoria was the guest speaker at this prestigious function. She also shared her academic journey as well as what her current research projects entail. Prof Moleleki was recently awarded the GDARD Biotech Capacity Development Award and was a finalist for the 2014/2015 NSTF TW Kambule Award.

Ms Renate Thiede was honoured with the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s Medal for excellent undergraduate academic achievement as the best student in the Faculty. Furthermore she won the STATOMET Prize for the best student in Mathematical Statistics at 300-level.

The Dean’s Academic Merit List for current undergraduate students with an average of 80% or more was also announced during this event. This year the list included the top first-year, second-year and third-year students, as well as the top students from the BSc – Extended Programme. The winners of these categories are: Ms N Verster (Top first-year student), Ms NKD de Franca (Top second-year student), and Ms B van den Berg (Top third year student) and Mr LKG Nzima (Top BSc Extended Programme student). Mr Zima also won the Prof Nthabiseng Ogude Award for the best first-year student in the BSc Extended Programme.

The Actuarial Science students showed their prominence by winning nine of the twelve places in the category for first-year top achievers on the Dean’s Merit List.

The Dean especially mentioned all the candidates who received their doctoral degrees during the recent Autumn Graduation Ceremony.

At this prestigious event, more than 60 prizes and trophies were awarded to the top students in the Faculty. The Faculty is proud to have such outstanding academic achievers in its midst and is very grateful to all the sponsors of the prizes and trophies.

– Author Martie Meyer

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