Le Roex is new Dean of Science

Alumnus Professor Anton le Roex of the Department of Geological Sciences has been appointed UCT's new Dean of Science. His appointment will take effect on 1 January 2011. He takes the helm from Professor Kathy Driver who was appointed dean in 2006. Le Roex's leadership and contributions span almost three decades.

In addition to posts at UCT, he has held teaching and research posts at the University of Hawaii and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, US.

Although Le Roex grew up in Pietermaritzburg, he travelled south to earn his BSc cum laude (geology, geochemistry) from the University of Stellenbosch (1975), his BSc Hons, first-class (geochemistry), at UCT in 1976 and his PhD (geochemistry) at UCT in 1980.

In addition to his teaching and research duties at UCT, Le Roex has held numerous administrative posts. He headed the Department of Geological Sciences from 1991 to 2005. He has been a member of the Senate since 1991, and was a student advisor in the Faculty of Science from 1986 to 2002. Since 1998 he has served on 17 UCT and science faculty standing committees and he remains active on at least 10, two of which he chairs and on two others he is the deputy chair.

Le Roex is or has been active on the following scientific committees and working groups: the South African Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SASCAR - Earth Sciences Committee; the Council of the Geological Society of South Africa; the NRF Open Research Programme Earth Science Evaluation Committee (1998 to 2001; Convenor 1999 to 2001); the NRF National Isotope Working Group; the Southwest Indian Ridge Working Group of the International InterRIDGE Programme; the NRF Proposal Funding Committee (2001 to 2004); and the editorial boards of the Journal of African Earth Sciences and the Open Mineralogy Journal.

He is a member of the Geological Society of South Africa, the American Geophysical Union, the Electron Microscopy Society of South Africa, the Mineralogical Society of South Africa, the Royal Society of South Africa and the Geochemical Society.

In addition, Le Roex has authored or co-authored 86 articles in peer-reviewed journals; two chapters in books; 23 extended abstracts and 95 abstracts. His collaborations with other academic institutions and colleagues extend to the US, France, Germany, England, Botswana and Kenya.