Dr Chioniso Kuchwa-Dube has always been curious about how things work. As a child, she dismantled remote-controlled toy cars to understand what made their wheels move. Her father and uncle were engineers, so engineering felt accessible. Her interests also extended to visual arts and creative writing.
Kuchwa-Dube's aptitude for Stem, curiosity, creativity and passion for problem-solving eventually drew her to engineering. At university, a conversation about robotics with a speaker at a women in engineering event led to her first job at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
She spent several years applying mechatronics and robotics research and innovation to complex, practical problems while completing her master's degree. She Eng in mechatronics engineering degree. also served as chair of IEEE Women in Engineering South Africa and was a founding member of its Star programme, which promotes Stem opportunities for girls. She later joined the University of the Witwatersrand as a lecturer and enrolled for a PhD. Today, as a senior lecturer and head of mechatronics engineering at Wits, Kuchwa-Dube work spans teaching, mentoring, research and innovation, postgraduate supervision, curriculum development, Stem outreach, industry engagement and university committees.
She is proud of leading the vision, design and curriculum development of Wits' BSc Eng in mechatronics engineering degree. Her aim is to equip students with technical engineering competence alongside innovation and entrepreneurship skills, enabling them to contribute to socio-economic change in Africa.
Her research focuses on mechatronics, robotics, intelligent and autonomous systems to improve safety, increase productivity and create jobs in mining, precision agriculture and manufacturing. Kuchwa-Dube encourages young people to explore their interests and build supportive networks.