USolwazi Patricia Berjak wazalwa ngomhlaka 29 Disemba 1939 eGoli,wathola izqu ze-B.Sc. Hons (1st Class) kwi-Biochemistry e-Wits University kanye nePhD ngokuguga kwembewu yommbila egcinwe eNyuvesi yaseNatali (ngaleso sikhathi). Waziwa umhlaba wonke ngezifundo zakhe.
Her early achievements included five papers from her doctorate thesis being published in international literature; the findings of which contributed to a major chapter in the definitive book Seed Viability by E.H. Roberts. Professor Berjak mentored many young researchers across the spectrum of race and gender. Since 1978 she supervised (to graduation) 37 MSc students and 16 PhD students, many of whom have gone on to establish successful scientific careers of their own, both in South Africa and abroad.
Impumelelo yakhe yokuqala ihlanganisa amaphepha amahlanu omqondo wakhe wobudokotela owawushicilelwa ezincwadini zomhlaba wonke; ulwazi lwakhe lwadlala indima enkulu esahlukweni esikhulu encwadini i- Seed Viability ebhalwe ngu-EH. URoberts. USolwazi Berjak weluleke abacwaningi abaningi abasebasha kulo lonke uhlanga nobulili. Kusukela ngo-1978 ubengamele (ekuthwesweni iziqu) abafundi be-MSc abangu-37 nabafundi be-PhD abangu-16, iningi labo eliqhubeke nokusungula imikhakha yezesayensi ephumelelayo, eNingizimu Afrika nakwamanye amazwe.
Ukuhlwanyela imbewu
USolwazi Berjak wayengumholi ezifundweni zembewu futhi wazuza impumelelo ebonakalayo emsebenzini wakhe. Uthole iziqu ze-BSc e-University of the Witwatersrand ngo-1962 waphothula izifundo ze-biochemist ngaphambi kokwenza iziqu ze-Masters kwezobudokotela. Ube ngusosayensi wezinto eziphilayo wamaseli wagxila kwi-biology yezimbewu ngemuva kokwethulwa kwimbewu kanye ne-microscopy ye-electron ngumfundisi wesayensi yezinto eziphilayo u-Trevor Villiers ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yama-1960.
Ucwaningo lukaSolwazi Berjak lwanconywa kabanzi. Wayengumuntu waseNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali, i-Royal Society yaseNingizimu Afrika, kanye ne-The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). Ubeyilungu elisebenza isikhathi eside njengelungu le-Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Council kusukela ngo-2006 futhi wakhethwa waba yiPhini likaMongameli ngonyaka ka-2008. Wayeyilungu loMkhandlu elithembekile futhi elizinikele, esebenzela i-Academy ezinhlakeni ezahlukahlukene, muva nje uSihlalo weKomidi Lezabasebenzi loMkhandlu.
Ngonyaka ka-2001, uProf. Berjak waklonyeliswa ngeSiliva Medal ye-South African Association of Botanists ngokwenza kahle kocwaningo. Ngo-2004, wathola umklomelo woMnyango Wezesayensi Nezobuchwepheshe Ozihlukanisile Wesifazane Isazi Somklomelo ngeminikelo engaguquguquki yesayensi. Lokhu kwalandelwa ukuklonyeliswa ngeNational Order of Mapungubwe (Silver) ngo-2006 kwalandela umklomelo weNational Research Foundation weLifetime Achiever Award ngo-2008. Ngo-2010, wahlonishwa nguMasipala weTheku (eThekwini) nge-Living Legends Award yakhe ngembewu yakhe. ucwaningo lwesayensi.
Ngo-2005, i-Darwin Initiative kaHulumeni wase-UK yamnikeza isibonelelo esikhulu sokuncintisana ngokubambisana ne-Millennium Seed Bank, i-Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. KwaZulu-Natali. Wayengu-Professor Emeritus and Head of the Centre for Plant Germplasm Conservation Research e-School of Life Sciences eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali, lapho ayesebenzela khona iningi lomsebenzi wakhe wokufunda ovelele weminyaka engU-40.