This prestigious award, which is the highest that is given to forestry researchers, will be bestowed on her at the next IUFRO World Congress in October this year. One award is given every five years in each of nine categories and Prof Roux will receive the award for research accomplishment in the field of Tree Health.

In 2012 Prof Roux also won the NSTF-BHP-Billiton Award (sponsored by Eskom) in the category Female Researcher who made an outstanding contribution to SETI through Research Capacity Development over the last five to ten years. In 2011 she was awarded the Queen’s Award for Forestry, by the Commonwealth Forestry Association, when she met Queen Elizabeth II. Prof Roux has received many other forms of recognition for her work, notably the DSTs Distinguished Young Women in Science Award, also in 2011.

Prof Roux is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, a member of the management committee of FABI and the manager of the Tree Protection Cooperative Programme’s field and extension services.

Her research focuses on tree diseases and she is particularly passionate about tree health in general and more specifically, fungi that cause diseases of trees on the African continent. She collaborates with researchers in many other parts of the world and has travelled widely to undertake her research.

Prof Roux has published over 120 papers in her research area and has successfully supervised numerous PhD and MSc students. She serves on a number of international committees and is currently the coordinator for the Division Research Group on Forest Pathology of the International Union of Forestry Research Organisation.

She is currently the Vice-President of the Southern African Society for Plant Pathology, serves on the editorial boards of the South African Journal of Science, Forestry and Forest Pathology, and is an honorary professor in the Chinese Academy of Forestry.