Prof I.G. Horak > University of Pretoria
Prof I.G. Horak
Prof Ivan Gerard Horak is 'n buitengewone professor by die Universiteit van Pretoria se Departement Tropiese Veterinêre Siektes. Hy was ook die eerste ontvanger van 'n DVSc-graad (Parasitologie) van UP, gebaseer op publikasies. Sy navorsingsbelangstellings sluit dietaksonomie, verspreiding, gasheervoorkeur, seisoenale voorkoms en beheer van interne en eksterne parasiete van geselskaps- en wilde diere in Suid-Afrika, asook van die geografiese verspreiding van bosluise in die oostelike streek van die Oos-Kaap en in die Vrystaat,
Mosambiek en Namibië. Een van sy grootste prestasies was die beskrywing van sewenuwe spesies en een nuwe parasietgenus. Twee nematodes is na hom vernoem. Hy word as 'n internasionale kundige op die identifikasie van Afrika-bosluise beskou. Ná die behalingvan sy BVSc-graad aan UP in 1957, het Prof Horak sy DVSc-graad (Helmintologie) in 1966 aan die Universiteit voltooi, 'n PhD (Dierkunde/Helmintologie) aan die Universiteit van Natalin 1980 verwerf en in 1989 'n DVSc-graad (Parasitologie) behaal. Kort ná die voltooiing van sy eerste graad het Prof Horak as veearts op 'n private beesplaas in KwaZulu-Natal gewerk. In 1961 het hy by die OnderstepoortVeeartsenykundige Navorsingsinstituut (OVNI) aangesluit as 'n staatsveearts, voordat hy in 1966 die pos van navorsings- en ontwikkelingsveearts by 'n farmaseutiese maatskappy opgeneem het. In 1974 het hy na Onderstepoort teruggekeer waar hyeers as senior dosent, en later as adjunkprofessor in UP se Fakulteit Veeartsenykunde gedien het. Hy het hierdie pos tot aan die einde van 1981 beklee, toe hy eers as Adjunkdirekteur en toe as Direkteur van die Bosluisnavorsingseenheid aan Rhodes-universiteit aangestel is. In 1987 het hy na UP teruggekeer nadat hy 'n Leerstoel in Entomologie by die Fakulteit Veeartsenykunde aanvaar het. Hy het in 1996 afgetree, waarna hy as buitengewone professor aangewys is, 'n pos wat hy vandag nog beklee. Hyis ook 'n buitengewone dosent aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat. Prof Horak het verskeie navorsingstoekennings ontvang, van onder meer die Suid-Afrikaanse Veterinêre Vereniging en die Parasitologiese Vereniging van Suidelike Afrika. Hy is ook as Landbouwetenskaplike van die Jaar vir die Oos-Kaap deur die Landbouskrywersvereniging aangewys, en as erelid van die World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology verkies. Daarbenewens het hy vir drie agtereenvolgendedriejaar-siklusse UP se Uitnemende Presteerderstoekenning ontvang. Prof Horak was skrywer of medeskrywer van meer as 250 wetenskaplike publikasies, en is ook 'n medeskrywer van die gesaghebbende boek oor die 76 bruin bosluisspesies van die wêreld.
Prof Ivan Gerard Horak is an extroadinary professor in the University of Pretoria’s Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases.He was also the first recipient of a DVSc degree (Parasitology) from UP based on publications. His research interests include the taxonomy, distribution, host-preference, seasonal abundance and control of internal and external parasites of domestic andwild animals in South Africa, as well as the geographic distributions of ticks in the eastern region of the Eastern Cape and in the Free State, Mozambique and Namibia. One of his major achievements has been the description of seven new species andone new parasite genus. Two nematodes have been named after him. He is considered a world-expert on the identification of African ticks. After receiving his BVSc degree at UP in 1957, Prof Horak went on to complete his DVSc degree (Helminthology) at the University in 1966, a PhD (Zoology/ Helminthology) at the University of Natal in 1980 and a DVSc degree (Parasitology)in 1989. Shortly after completing his initial degree Prof Horak worked as a veterinarian on a private cattle ranch in KwaZulu-Natal. In 1961, he joined the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute (OVRI) at as a state veterinarian before taking up aposition as research and development veterinarian at a pharmaceutical company in 1966. In 1974 he returned to Onderstepoort where he was appointed as senior lecturer and later associate professor in UP’s Faculty of Veterinary Science. He retainedthis position until the end of 1981 when he was appointed Deputy Director and later Director of the Tick Research Unit at Rhodes University. In 1987, he returned to UP after accepting a chair in entomology in the Faculty of Veterinary Science. Heretired in 1996 and was appointed as an extraordinary professor, a position he still retains today. He is also an extraordinary lecturer at the University of the Free State. Prof Horak has received several research awards from, amongst others, the SouthAfrican Veterinary Association and the Parasitological Association of Southern Africa. He was also selected as the Agricultural Scientist of the Year for the Eastern Cape by the Agricultural Writer’s Association and elected an honorary member of the WorldAssociation for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology. In addition, he has appeared on UP’s list of Exceptional Academic Achievers for three consecutive periods, each spanning three years. Prof Horak has authored or co-authored more than 250scientific publications, and is also a co-author of the definitive book on the 76 brown tick species of the world.