Patricia Berjak

Patricia Berjak
FRSSAf
Born(1939-12-29)29 December 1939
Died21 January 2015(2015-01-21) (aged 75)
Alma mater
  • University of the Witwatersrand
  • University of Natal
Scientific career
Fieldsbotany

Patricia Berjak FRSSAf (29 December 1939 – 21 January 2015) was a South African botanist known for her work on the biology of plant seeds, especially seed recalcitrance.[1][2][3] She was professor for 48 years at the University of Kwazulu-Natal (UKZN).

She earned a B.Sc. degree in biochemistry at the University of the Witwatersrand (1962), then went on to the University of Natal (now UKZN), earning a M.Sc. in mammalian physiology and biochemistry (1966) and PhD in seed biology (1969). She was a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, and a Fellow of the University of Natal, the Royal Society of South Africa and the Third World Academy of Sciences. She was awarded the Order of Mapungubwe (Silver) in 2006.[4] The standard author abbreviation Berjak is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[5]

  1. ^ Rondganger, Lee (28 January 2015). "UKZN scientist dies after short illness". IOL.
  2. ^ Mycock, David (2015). "Professor Patricia Berjak (1939–2015): World-renowned plant scientist and exceptional mentor". South African Journal of Science. 111 (5/6). doi:10.17159/sajs.2015/a0106.
  3. ^ Farrant, Jill M. (2015). "Patricia Berjak FRSSAf (1939–2015)". Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 70 (2): 191–192. doi:10.1080/0035919X.2015.1051341.
  4. ^ "Patricia Berjak (1939 - )". Order of Mapungubwe. The Presidency, Republic of South Africa. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  5. ^ International Plant Names Index.  Berjak.