Meet the new members of SAEON’s Graduate Student Committee

The new GSN Committee for 2012. From left: Melissa Boonzaaier, Tanja van de Ven, Caswell Munyai, Manqhai Kraai and Paula Pattrick. Click to enlarge The outgoing committee made an outstanding contribution to the success of SAEON's Graduate Student Network. They are, from left: Dirk Snyman, Paula Pattrick, Caswell Munyai, Rachel Cooper and Ander M. de Lecea. Click to enlarge

Paula Pattrick, GSN Committee Member

Three enthusiastic and highly motivated new members were democratically elected to the GSN (Graduate Student Network) Committee in February 2012. They are … Melissa Boonzaaier, Manqhai Kraai and Tanja van de Ven.

Melissa is pursuing a PhD at the University of the Western Cape and has a passion for nature, conservation and science communication. Manqhai, an ambitious and dedicated student, is studying towards her PhD in plant-mega herbivore interactions at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). Tanja is studying towards her PhD at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town.

Melissa, Manqhai and Tanja will serve on the GSN committee for a two-year term (2012-2013). These new committee members replace outgoing members Rachel Cooper, Ander M. de Lecea and Dirk Snyman, who retire from the GSN committee having served an exceptional two-year term (2011-2012) during which their participation and efforts made an outstanding contribution to the success of the GSN thus far. 

Martin Baloyi, Caswell Munyai and Paula Pattrick remain on the GSN Committee for 2012.

The GSN promotes a fair, open and democratic election process whereby members of the GSN judge applicants and vote according to information provided by the candidate. The 2012 committee application and voting process was a huge success where nine competitive and excellent applications were received for election.

The GSN committee would like to thank all the members who participated in the election -- as candidates and as voters.