Lise Korsten

Lise Korsten
Nationality	South African
Education	Stellenbosch University, University of Pretoria
Occupation	academic
Known for	first woman President of the African Academy of Sciences
Relatives	(step father)

Lise Korsten is a South African Professor at the University of Pretoria who is an expert in plant pathology. In 2024 she became the first woman to lead the African Academy of Sciences.

Life

Korsten was born about sixty years ago. ^[1] She credits her step father who was a plant researcher with inspiring her interests. ^[2] She attended Floridase Hoërskool in Gauteng before studying at Stellenbosch University and the University of Pretoria. ^[1]

African Academy of Sciences

In August 2023 she became the first woman to lead the African Academy of Sciences, ^[3] succeeding Felix Dapare Dakora. As its president she aimed to make the academy more inclusive and gender balanced. The academy should she believes be widely recognised as a leader in African sciences. ^[4] She leads the academy's governing council of ten people and three of these Jane Catherine Ngila, Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli and Peggy Oti-Boateng who was the executive director from 2022 are also women. ^[5] She will be president until 2026. ^[3] Kortsen had taken over the leadership of the academy after a difficult period. The academy had found that its staff and budget had grown to 60 staff controlling $250m supported by the Wellcome Trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Internal disagreements led to the loss of the academy's financial supporters. Korsten and her executive secretary had to re-establish the academy's role. ^[6]

Her research

Korsten's research includes the regulation of food and she takes an interest in South African Law. She has argued for a body to be appointed that would oversee food consumption. ^[2] In January 2025 she spoke out warning about the hazards of street food and then need for the South African government to bring in controls. ^[7] Later that year she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Ghent University. ^[8]

In 2025 the National Science and Technology Forum recognised her work with a Lifetime Achievement Award. ^[9]

Selected publications

• Karoney, Edwin M.; Gokul, Jarishma K.; Siyoum, Nazareth; Molelekoa, Tintswalo; Korsten, Lise (2025-08-19). "Persistence of pathogens and biocontrol potential in the bell pepper fruit mycobiome from flowering to postharvest". Frontiers in Horticulture. 4. Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/fhort.2025.1656887 . ISSN   2813-3595.
• Molelekoa, Tintswalo; Karoney, Edwin M.; Siyoum, Nazareth; Gokul, Jarishma K.; Korsten, Lise (2025-08-01). "Quality and Quantity Losses of Tomatoes Grown by Small-Scale Farmers Under Different Production Systems". Horticulturae. 11 (8). MDPI AG: 884. doi: 10.3390/horticulturae11080884 . ISSN   2311-7524.
• Aneck-Hahn, N. H.; Van Zijl, M. C.; Quinn, L.; Swiegelaar, C.; Nhlapo, N.; de Bruin, W.; Korsten, L. (2024-09-16). "The use of in vitro bioassays and chemical screening to assess the impact of a minimally processed vegetable facility on wastewater quality". Frontiers in Toxicology. 6. Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1439126 . ISSN   2673-3080.
• Ogega, Obed M.; Korsten, Lise; Oti-Boateng, Peggy; Odongo, Dorine; Thorn, Jessica (2024-02-12). "How to transform Africa's food system" (PDF). Communications Earth & Environment. 5 (1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01250-9 . ISSN   2662-4435 . Retrieved 2025-09-06.
• Muwanga, Tracy SN; Korsten, Lise (2025-02-03). "The right to food in South Africa: A consumer protection perspective". African Human Rights Law Journal. 24 (2). Academy of Science of South Africa: 632–658. doi: 10.17159/1996-2096/2024/v24n2a10 . ISSN   1609-073X.

References

1. "Lise Korsten (60)". Mail&Guardian – Women changing South Africa. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
2. "Professor Lise Korsten | Researchers | University of Pretoria". www.up.ac.za. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
3. "Lise Korsten". World Economic Forum.
4. "Lise Korsten". www.interacademies.org. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
5. "The African Academy of Sciences (AAS)". aasciences.africa. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
6. "A fresh start for the African Academy of Sciences". Nature. 627 (8004): 465–465. 2024-03-19. doi:10.1038/d41586-024-00814-1.
7. Fulepu, Iva. "Toxic treats: Expert tells Parliament of urgent need to regulate informal food sellers". News24. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
8. "UP's Prof Lise Korsten receives Honorary Doctorate from Ghent University | Newswise". www.newswise.com. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
9. "CoE-FS Co-Director Professor Lise Korsten Honoured with 2025 NSTF–South32 Lifetime Achievement Award". Centre of Excellence. Retrieved 2025-09-06.