Professor Ronél Ferreira is associate professor and head of the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Pretoria. She is also one of five theme leaders in the Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being at the same institution, leading a group of researchers across faculties in an interdisciplinary research project. She has been involved in various research projects, some of which involve international affiliations. Her research focus areas are psychosocial support within the context of vulnerability, HIV&AIDS, asset-based psychosocial coping and resilience, and the use of action research in combination with intervention-based studies that could improve community-based coping. Professor Ferreira’s research accomplishments are signified, amongst others, by her being a NRF-rated researcher (C3) and recipient of the Samuel Henry Prince Dissertation Award of the International Sociological Association (2009), the Young Researcher Award of the University of Pretoria (2009), the Young Researcher Award of the Education Association of South Africa (2007), the Faculty of Education (University of Pretoria) Best PhD Dissertation Award (2006), and the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Master’s degree supervision, Faculty of Education (University of Pretoria) (2011). In 2012, she was visiting professor at both Fordham University (USA) and Providence College, Road Island (USA). She is associate editor of the Global Journal of Counselling and Guidance and co-editor of the South African Journal of Early Childhood since 2010. She currently serves as chairperson of the Education Association of South Africa (EASA).

Her research focus areas are psychosocial support within the context of vulnerability, HIV&AIDS, asset-based psychosocial coping and resilience, and the use of action research in combination with intervention-based studies that could improve community-based coping.