Wilmien Luus-Powell, Professor in the Department of Biodiversity at the University of Limpopo and incumbent of the South African Research Chairs Initiative (Ecosystem Health) was recently named the Best Overall Researcher of the University of Limpopo during the institution’s Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Research.
She was also named Researcher with the largest external research funding and National Research Foundation Rated Researcher (first time).
It was her research on ecosystem health, which focused on the effects pollution and other influences have on organisms and their health and the functioning of the aquatic ecosystems and whether organisms still cope with their environment that won her the award.
Her research also included biomarkers of fish health, the effect of increased levels of metals on fish, human health risk after consuming contaminated fish, water and sediment quality, health assessment of fish, stable isotopes in aquatic food webs, effect of parasites on their host and pathology, new parasite species descriptions as well as biology of selected parasites.
For her endeavours she won
R60 000 in prize money which she said she was going to use for her son’s education.
“That will be the best investment a parent can make. However, I am happy to have won the award. It shows that all my efforts are worthwhile and someone is appreciating the work of researchers,” Powell said.
She dedicated the award to her team for their effort, hard work and dedication towards research and for ensuring they keep a research eye on the environment.
“Although the data we collect is very valuable and it contributes towards management of our aquatic ecosystems, stimulating young minds to become independent thinkers and ultimately independent researchers are probably the most rewarding and greatest achievement in this field.
“My research group has also described ten new parasite species and a new genus, redescribed species and reported on several introduced (alien) species which may threaten our indigenous biodiversity.
“This award should thus go to the entire research team and not me as an individual. I am indebted to everyone in my research team for their efforts, hard work and dedication towards our research and for ensuring we keep a ‘research eye’ on our environment,” Powell said.
Her awards from the University include the Vice-Chancellor’s Research Awards for Research Excellence Award for obtaining a NRF SARChI Chair (October 2015); Faculty Research Award for Research Excellence 2015, awarded for the best researcher in the Faulty of Science and Agriculture for 2014 to 2015 (also in October 2015). Vice-Chancellor’s Research Awards for Best Established Researcher in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences (FSA) for the period 2010 to 2012, awarded on 1 November 2013.
She further revealed that receiving the awards Vice-Chancellor Research Excellence Award in the past felt absolutely wonderful and rewarding.
“I am truly grateful for the recognition. It makes the long hours of extra work worthwhile. I have to add that this was a team effort and the certificate should read ‘Prof Luus-Powell and Research Team’ you cannot be a winner without support and dedication from the people working with you.
“Thus I need to thank my excellent research team and other collaborators for making my research a success.
“These include my three senior researchers, post doctorate fellows, excellent postgraduate students, Willem Smit and other colleagues in the Department of Biodiversity and several national and international research collaborators. In addition, thank you to management and all staff at the Research Office for your continuous support and motivation,” Luus-Powell said.
Story and photo: Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert@mailbox.co.za
Featured photo: Wilmien Luus-Powell, Professor at the Department of Biodiversity at the University of Limpopo and winner of this year’s Best Overall Researcher Award.
