Prof Bernard Slippers, Director of the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and a professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, received the prestigious Christiaan Hendrik Persoon Medal at an awards ceremony of the Southern African Society for Plant Pathologists (SASPP), which took place on the campus of the University of Pretoria in August.

This award is the highest honour that the SASPP can bestow on one of its members and must reflect the highest level of scientific achievement at an international level as well as service to the Society. The Persoon Medal (as it is commonly known) has been awarded only seven times in the 60-year history of the Society, reflecting the very high level of achievement that it represents. Previous recipients of the Persoon Medal include Prof. James E Vanderplank (1979), Prof WFO Marasas (1987), Prof Mike Wingfield (1999), Prof Pedro Crous (2005), Prof ZA Pretorius (2009) and Prof Brenda Wingfield (2015). Thus, there are now four recipients of the award that members are linked to FABI, with Prof Brenda Wingfield being the first female recipient.  In presenting the award, SASPP President Prof Wijnand Swart outlined the vast contributions that Prof Slippers has made to plant pathology globally, not only based on exceptional scientific accomplishment but also in the many roles he has played and continues to play in science leadership.

Prof Slippers said that it was a highlight of his career and a tremendous honour to receive the Persoon Medal from the SASPP. He added, “the SASPP is the first scientific conference I ever attended, and it has been a key academic society in my academic career ever since. I am thankful to everyone in the society who has been instrumental in the opportunities the SASSP has created for me. It is a special occasion for me to share this award with all four of my PhD supervisors, including Profs Mike and Brenda Wingfield, Pedro Crous and Teresa Coutinho. I look forward to continuing to work with them and the incredible other colleagues and students with whom I have the privilege to share a passion for biology and plant health in particular.”