Twenty undergraduate students will gain hands-on scientific research experience as mentees in the CTHB Mentorship Programme. The 2020 cohort were welcomed into the programme at a ceremony in FABI on 28 February. For the next nine months, the mentees will work closely with their mentors – postgraduate students and postdoctoral Fellows in the Institute – learning various lab techniques. Professor Martin Coetzee welcomed the group and encouraged them to make the best of the opportunity and maintain their academic aptitude. Prof. Brenda Wingfield spoke of the benefits for mentors and their mentees in participating in the programme. The mentors gain a “helping hand” while imparting valuable skills to their charges, said Prof. Wingfield. 

The DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) has run the programme since 2005, preparing second and third year BSc students for when they pursue their individual research studies from Honours until PhD level.

The mentors and their mentees in 2020 are:

• Felipe Balocchi and Mokawane Mohlamonyane 
• Dr Vuyiswa Bushula-Njah and Luka van Wyk 
• Claudette Dewing and Tanya Pretorius
• Firehiwot Eshetu and Tiphany Nkomo
• Dr Felix Fru and Faranani Lishivha 
• Caitlin Gevers and Marcelle Booysen 
• Ginna Granados and Melandre van Lill 
• Christoff Joubert and Adri Grobler 
• Dr Nicholas Kagimu and Lesego Malekana 
• Frances Lane and Deanne du Plessis 
• Angel Maduke and Sheldon Viviers 
• Nomaswazi Maseko and Daniella Kramer will mentor Megan van der Merwe 
• Nam Pham and Boipelo Mokhara
• Jane Ramaswe and Nhlanhla Simelane 
• Lizzy Ramela and Yolandi Scholtz 
• Boitshoko Rammuki and Dr Quentin Santana will mentor Pamela Wakoli 
• Dr Michelle Schroder and Bradley Viljoen 
• Benedicta Swalarsk-Parry and Jared Wood
• Dee Twiddy and Susanna Anbu
• Stephanie van Wyk and Hilda Modise