AN ACCLAIMED Dundee scientist has been awarded the Scottish Crop Research Institute Peter Massalski Prize for meritorious research.

Dr Alison Roberts (35), who works at the Invergowrie institute, was described as a “role model for any youngster aspiring to a career in science.”

Born and brought up in Dundee, she is the author of more than 30 scientific publications and a host of articles and papers.

She leads the cell biology and imaging group at SCRI and was presented with the award at the SCRI’s annual general meeting yesterday.

Dr Roberts is a fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society, a Scottish Enterprise Tayside science ambassador to Scottish schools and an honorary lecturer and examiner for Dundee University.

In 2002, she won the Irene Manton Prize, awarded by the Linnaean Society for the best botanical Ph.D. thesis submitted at a UK university or institution.