9.

Achievement awards in support of the vision and mission of the PRF

In addition to financial donations for research, technology transfer and bursaries, the PRF also budgets for five categories of achievement awards. The achievement awards are divided in the following categories:

• Best Thesis for a Doctorate;
• Best thesis for a Masters degree;
• Best scientific paper;
• A person who made an outstanding contribution to promote the mission and vision of the PRF;
• A Board member who, over time, played a significant role in the activities of the PRF.

The winners of the first four categories receive an amount of R5 000 as well as a certificate, while the winner of the fifth category receives a certificate as well as an appropriate gift.

The purpose of the first two categories is to motivate students to focus on high quality topics of study which will promote the goals of the PRF, while the goal of the third category is to motivate researchers to publish the results of their research. The purpose of the fourth category is to acknowledge persons who made outstanding contributions to promote the goals of the PRF, especially in the field of technology transfer. The purpose of the fifth category is to acknowledge those Board members who, over long periods of time, played a significant part in the activities of the PRF.

The following awards were made to deserving candidates:

1. Best scientific paper

   
   Mr R Strauss, "Ranking of dark chilling tolerance in soybean genotypes probed by Chlorophyll a fluorescence transient O-J-I-P".

2. A person who made an outstanding contribution to promote the goals of the PRF

   
   Mr PJA Lombard, Department of Agriculture: Western Cape

3. A Board Member who, over time, played a significant role in the activities of the PRF

   
   Mr SJ Malherbe

No awards were made towards categories "Best Thesis for a Doctorate" and "Best Thesis for a Master's Degree".

Two of the awards have already been handed over to the winners at appropriate functions.