Scientific excellence, innovation, and impact

This Women’s Month, the National Research Foundation (NRF) celebrates scientific excellence, innovation and impact. Across the NRF and its various business units, i.e. the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRF-SARAO); South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO); South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON); South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB); and South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (NRF-SAASTA), we are pleased to introduce some of the women who are advancing knowledge and transforming lives through science.

Ms Molamu heads the Engineering and Technology Development   at NRF-SARAO, fulfilling a childhood dream of working in the space sector. Armed with a BEng, BSc IT, and MBA in IT, she directs a multidisciplinary team of engineers spearheading South Africa’s flagship radio astronomy projects. Her department is critical to the MeerKAT telescope, the global Square Kilometre Array telescopes, maintaining HartRAO, and developing novel cross-industry technologies.

She combines her expertise in telecommunications, optical tech, and power systems with a passion for transforming developing nations through technology. An entrepreneur (founding local/international tech startups) and MIT graduate (thesis on African innovation ecosystems), she champions using NRF-SARAO’s engineering excellence to foster development in underserved communities, enhance national technical capacity, and drive youth STEM engagement.

Dr Zanele Ntshidi joined NRF-SAEON as the Manager of the Arid Lands Node in 2023. She has made exceptional contributions to science through her innovative, interdisciplinary water-related research. She has led and managed multi-disciplinary projects that demonstrate real-world impact, particularly in shaping evidence-based environmental policy, and sustainable land and water use practices.

Her contributions have enabled innovation in watershed governance, and her advocacy for citizen science has helped empower communities to participate in the monitoring and protection of river ecosystems, thereby bridging the gap between science and society. She actively mentors and supervises students from various South African universities, nurturing the next generation of environmental scientists. In 2024, she was crowned a Green Champion at the Mail & Guardian’s Greening the Future Awards.

Dr Bonita de Swardt is the Programme Manager for Strategic Partnerships in Human Capacity Development at NRF-SARAO, where she drives transformative skills development initiatives across Africa. With a focus on science, technology, and innovation, she designs and implements flagship programmes that equip emerging researchers and professionals with cutting-edge digital and data science skills.

Dr de Swardt is a champion of international collaboration, forging impactful partnerships with institutions such as the UK’s Research and Innovation, Australia’s CSIRO and the European Union’s Horizon programmes. In 2024, she joined the Advisory Board of InnoGlobal, contributing to digital and green-economy workforce transformation between Africa and Europe. By nurturing talent and fostering international collaboration, she is future-proofing Africa’s STEM workforce.

Dr Daniél Groenewald is the Head of Astronomy Operations for the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) at NRF-SAAO. Her career at NRF-SAAO started as a postdoctoral researcher, after which she was appointed as a SALT astronomer to work on the polarimetry mode of the telescope.

She has dedicated her work to the maintenance and improvement of SALT’s polarimetry capability, which is uncommon among such large telescopes. She often participates in NRF-SAAO’s job shadow program, which inspires learners and shows them what professional astronomers do. Dr Groenewald was the co-director of the 2023 International School for Young Astronomers, which aimed to train and expose postgraduate students from South Africa and Africa to cutting-edge Astronomy research and opportunities in the field.

Prof Francesca Porri is a coastal ecologist whose research explores how environmental and biological factors shape coastal species across ecosystems such as rocky shores, mangroves, and urban shorelines. She pioneers innovative approaches to coastal ecological engineering by integrating marine science, Indigenous Knowledge, and the arts.

She leads the Coastal and Ocean Sciences Team (COST), comprising students, postdoctoral researchers, academic partners, and practitioner and Indigenous Knowledge holder collaborators. Together, they apply organism-to-system approaches to understand how coastal systems respond to climate change and human-induced pressures. Prof Porri is deeply committed to inclusive, action-oriented science and the development of early-career scientists. Her mentorship promotes scientific excellence, confidence, and a sense of belonging, positioning her as a respected and inspiring role model for the next generation of researchers and changemakers.

Ms Mpendulo Sibiya is a Research Communication Officer at the NRF, where she works to bridge the gap between    scientific research and public understanding. With a Master’s degree in Astronomy and Space Science, she is passionate about making science accessible and relevant to everyone.

She is widely recognised for her public talks on careers in astronomy and space science, and has delivered these inspirational sessions at schools, universities, and national exhibitions across the country. Her efforts aim to demystify science and encourage young people, especially girls, to imagine themselves as future scientists. By promoting equity in access to information and creating inclusive communication channels, she hopes to play a meaningful part in shaping a research ecosystem where excellence and impact are felt by all.

Prof Nicola James’s research focuses primarily on global and climate change as well as the importance of shallow coastal and estuarine habitats as nursery areas for juvenile marine fishes. Her work has produced 81 peer-reviewed publications and numerous technical reports. She has also published 25 papers on climate change, two book chapters and three briefing notes.

Her work has contributed to national and regional climate change and biodiversity initiatives including, among others, the estuaries component of South Africa’s Third National Communication on Climate Change. Transformation, equity and capacity development are important components of Prof James’s research as her research group is well-represented by female scientists, and young early-career and black researchers. She has graduated seven PhD, 14 MSc and 10 BSc Honours students.

Ms Zanele Kukuma graduated from the University of the Western Cape with a degree in computer science. As a mid-level software engineer at NRF-SARAO, she contributes to projects such as the WebArchive, the Observation Planning Tool (OPT), and PAWS. She has co-authored two published papers Unlocking Efficiency: Python-Powered DOI Creation Automation, and SARAO Science Repository: Sustainable Use of MeerKAT Data.

She is an active mentor to junior colleagues, promoting their growth while enhancing her own leadership and knowledge-sharing skills. She is passionate about strengthening the engineering community by encouraging open dialogue, skills transfer, and a culture of collective problem-solving where all voices are valued. Ms Kukuma aspires to leave a lasting impact on the engineering community while championing inclusivity, mentorship, and collaborative innovation.

Ms Rianelda Louw has established herself as a highly skilled and dedicated CNC machinist within the Precision Fabrication Centre at NRF-SAAO. Her expertise in high-precision mechanical fabrication has been instrumental in supporting several of South Africa’s most significant scientific and engineering endeavours.

She has played a key role in the fabrication of ultra-high-precision spectrographic slits for the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), contributing directly to the performance and reliability of one of the largest optical telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere. Her work requires not only technical accuracy but also an exceptional understanding of the tolerances and demands required by cutting-edge astronomical instrumentation. In addition, Ms Louw has contributed to the development and assembly of digital receivers for the Square Kilometre Array MeerKAT project.

Dr Lara Atkinson has been a leading Offshore Biodiversity Scientist at NRF-SAEON since 2010. Her work has significantly advanced foundational marine biodiversity science in South Africa and Africa. Among others, she led the publication of South Africa’s first Offshore Marine Invertebrate Field Guide in 2018 and was the principal investigator of the national SeaMap project (2022–2025).

Dr Atkinson collaborates with offshore industries to promote sustainable utilisation of marine resources and is an Honorary Research Associate with the University of Cape Town, where she dedicates time to capacity development through lecturing, student supervision and participation in education outreach activities. Most recently, she co-led the first science leg of the OceanX-OceanQuest Around Africa research expedition, which brought together early-career researchers from six African countries to gain their first deep-sea research experience.

Ms Sydil Kupa obtained her MSc in Physics at Rhodes University, where she developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to assist astronomers in segmenting radio sources from the high-resolution MeerKAT images. She currently works as a software engineer at NRF-SARAO where she controls and monitors the telescope and uses her AI expertise to optimise the telescope’s utilisation.

Noticing a gap in the application of AI within the field of Astronomy, she took the initiative to become a leading voice in bridging these domains. Notably, she has presented her research in seven countries. Beyond research, Ms Kupa is deeply involved in strengthening the scientific ecosystem. Her mentorship of emerging scientists, from high school learners to early-career researchers, reflects her commitment to capacity building and inclusivity in STEM.

Dr Faith Jumbi is a postdoctoral Fellow at NRF-SAEON’s Fynbos Node. Specialising in hydrology, she advocates for water security. She has conducted studies in the environmental science sphere with a focus on mitigating the impacts of climate change and preserving water resources.

She has created models that have been used to forecast different scenarios aimed at the management of natural resources in a world where resources such as water are greatly affected by the changing climate. Her work is well published and recognised locally and internationally. Dr Jumbi’s work has had a great impact on school learners and the general public. She works with a team that prioritises environmental education for a sustainable society and collaborates with researchers at different universities in these efforts.

Ms Angelique McDonald is a certified GISc Technologist based at NRF-SAEON and seconded to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment. She has provided geospatial support for a wide variety of projects, including marine spatial planning, marine protected areas, oil and gas, environmental, mining, energy, and land remediation efforts across South Africa and Africa.

She is skilled in geographic information systems, spatial data management, metadata, raster imagery processing, spatial databases, and thematic mapping for scientific and decision-making tools. Additionally, she offers advice on spatial data standards and emerging technologies. Ms McDonald actively mentors young women, especially from marginalised communities, to help develop technical skills, navigate public-sector environments, and build confidence. She has also trained interns and junior scientists, promoting a culture of inclusion, knowledge sharing, and long-term capacity building.

Dr Taryn Murray joined the NRF-SAIAB Marine Science team in 2017 as an instrument scientist. With a passion for sustainable management and the improvement of local conservation efforts, she conducts research on the movement ecology of several important fish, shark and ray species along the South African coastline.

She currently wears two hats at NRF-SAIAB—one as a researcher, and one as the manager of the Acoustic Tracking Array Platform, a nationwide marine science programme. She is equally passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of researchers through active student supervision, as well as communicating research findings to the public. Her research, conducted together with collaborators from across the country, seeks to contribute to science-based solutions for preserving our valuable biodiversity and ecosystems.

Dr Jennifer Veitch is a physical oceanographer who uses numerical models as a tool to better understand ocean processes. She is based at NRF-SAEON, where she heads up the Sustainable Ocean Modelling Initiative: a South African Approach (SOMISANA). She has driven both scientific excellence and societal impact through the development of operational ocean forecasting systems in a region where such capacity has historically been limited.

Her team’s work directly informs decision-making for national stakeholders such as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, with real-world applications ranging from tracking oil spills and search-and-rescue operations to supporting the aquaculture and fisheries sectors. To achieve the human capacity required to sustain SOMISANA, Dr Veitch regularly delivers lectures and supervises students from universities across South Africa.

With 24 years in engineering, Ms Sibongile Nong has led multi-disciplinary major infrastructure, energy, Bus Rapid Transit and Innovative Building Technology (IBT) projects. She is among the first African women to manufacture IBT products, training and coaching 50 women entrepreneurs in the IBT field.

She now contributes her expertise to the world-class radio telescope, MeerKAT, at NRF-SARAO. She leads the MeerKAT Band 5 and Hosting Infrastructure projects, supporting South Africa’s role in the Square Kilometre Array. She is also a Deputy Chairperson for Women of Worth, inspiring youth through school outreach. Her journey reflects a deep commitment to STEM through mentoring, public speaking and inspiring the next generation of women leaders. Ms Nong was recognised for her impact with the CWENA’s “Disrupter of the Year in 4IR” Award.

Ms Makhanana Nkhwashu has an MTech in Chemical Engineering. She is passionate about and specialises in mathematical modelling, simulation, and process control, focusing on carbon dioxide capture and transportation. Her speciality reflects her technical expertise and dedication to tackling climate change.

Her work involves computational models implemented in Python on the Spyder console, and has resulted in three publications, 10 citations, and currently 520 reads. At NRF-SAASTA, she works with projects such as STEM careers and educator development and oversees the development and distribution of educational resources and training workshops. She helped develop virtual role modelling sessions during the COVID-19 lockdown, which helped foster collaborations and partnerships in project implementation. Ms Nkhwashu is currently pursuing her DEng in Chemical Engineering.

Dr Kerry-Ann Van der Walt is a marine ecophysiologist with a PhD in Ichthyology whose research investigates the thermal performance of marine organisms and the impacts of climate change on urban coastal systems.       She employs techniques such as respirometry experiments, remote underwater video analysis and eDNA barcoding to study how coastal species respond to environmental changes.

Her research contributes to solving societal challenges and informing decision-making on coastal defence strategies and sustainable ecological engineering solutions. She works closely with NRF-SAIAB scientists and international experts to co-develop innovative approaches and foster knowledge exchange in coastal ecosystem management. She is committed to science communication and fosters strong relationships with science professionals and the public to translate complex scientific concepts into actionable insights.

Ms Kathryn Rosie is a mechanical engineer at NRF-SAAO, where she works on cutting-edge technology development and the mechanical design of instruments for the facility’s suite of telescopes. Her ability to bridge the gap between scientists’ ideas and engineering requirements has proven essential for numerous projects that allow NRF-SAAO’s telescopes to remain at the forefront of international science.

In particular, Ms Rosie has been responsible for the mechanical design and development of a cryostat that will enable astronomers to study the light from very faint, distant astronomical sources in more detail than before. She also played a key role in the design, manufacture and commissioning of an instrument selector port that dramatically reduces the time and effort required from astronomers to switch between instruments.

With a BSc in electrical and computer engineering and a Master’s in space studies from UCT, Ms Barbara Ojur brings both technical depth and strategic insight to her work supporting NRF-SARAO’s cutting-edge radio astronomy research. She is a member of the International Scientific Advisory Committee for ICALEPCS, a global conference series   advancing accelerator and experimental physics control systems.

She is a passionate advocate for STEM and gender equity in tech, believes in mentorship, and aims to inspire others through her belief that science and engineering can tangibly improve the world. Ms Ojur is committed to making the field more inclusive, collaborative, and innovative. Her values of resilience, service, and creative leadership guide everything she does from engineering systems that enable astronomical discoveries to building communities that uplift and empower

As a project coordinator and science communicator, Ms Nicole du Plessis leads strategic ocean science initiatives at both national and international levels. She plays a pivotal role in shaping collaborative programmes that bridge scientific knowledge and societal benefit and has contributed to the advancement of Blue Economy dialogues, and inclusive science networks in Africa and the Indian Ocean region.

Her career has focused on enabling and amplifying science that matters, particularly science that informs policy, strengthens regional collaboration, and creates opportunities for women and youth in marine and environmental research. Ms Du Plessis cares deeply about representation and belonging in science. Through programme design, mentoring, and event curation, she works to create environments where diverse perspectives are both welcomed and sought out.

Dr Michele Toucher is a scientist at NRF-SAEON’s Grasslands Node and has built a distinguished career in global change hydrological research. She actively contributes to national science-policy processes, including input into the Department of Water and Sanitation’s National Status of Water Reports.

Her expertise has led to recent invitations to speak at the GSSA Policy Workshop and brief the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on bush encroachment impacts on water. Dr Toucher is a committed mentor, known for her holistic, empowering supervision style. She has successfully graduated over 20 postgraduate students and is currently supervising three MSc and five PhD candidates. With more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, she advances impactful, interdisciplinary research that informs both science and policy in support of water and ecosystem resilience in South Africa.

As a physical oceanographer, Dr Tamaryn Morris has extensive in-field experience in the South West Indian and South Atlantic Oceans using a variety of ocean observing instruments and platforms. She oversees a team of 10 people and is the lead coordinator for the Ocean20 engagement group under the G20 Presidency for South Africa for 2025.

As co-lead of the GOOS Boundary Current Exemplar Project — endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade —she is instrumental in building international observing collaborations. She champions collaboration and capacity development, serving on key global panels such as the Argo Steering Team; SOOPIP’s Ships of Opportunity Implementation Panel; and GOOS Task Teams, to ensure South Africa’s contribution to global observation networks. Her leadership inspires emerging ocean scientists and strengthens national and international marine science communities.

Dr Yonela Sithole holds a PhD in ichthyology and specialises in the taxonomy and systematics of African freshwater   and marine fishes. Her work integrates morphological and molecular tools, placing her at the forefront of modern taxonomy. In response to the critical shortage of taxonomic expertise in Africa, she is actively involved in capacity development through mentoring students, interns, and training early-career researchers.

She has participated in three ecosystem surveys, including one as a fish expert, supporting accurate species identification and training African researchers in taxonomy, data and sample collection. Dr Sithole has discovered and formally described 10 new fish species from Southern and Central Africa, which has contributed directly to the expansion of our knowledge base of Africa’s aquatic biodiversity and sustainable fisheries.

Ms Aneshka Bothma is an innovative engineer specialising in the complex field of electromagnetic compatibility. She holds a Master’s degree in electronics and telecommunications and, through her studies and experience  at  the  various  EMC  facilities  of NRF-SARAO, she focuses on RFI/EMC testing, specifically building a solid theoretical foundation and complementing it with innovative practical solutions for real-world problems.

She overcame significant health challenges by conquering cancer (twice!) during her academic journey. Her contributions include research on advanced EMI shielding techniques and the optimisation of reverberation chamber performance in the low-frequency bands for radio astronomy observations. As secretary of the South Africa EMC Interest Group, she promotes knowledge and skills exchange to not only strengthen the research industry but also encourage young engineers and underrepresented groups to engage actively in this field.

As the Science Operations Lead at NRF-SARAO, Ms Sarah Buchner oversees the scheduling of scientific activities for the MeerKAT radio telescope. With over two decades of experience in radio astronomy, she has played a pivotal role in ensuring the scientific readiness and operational excellence of one of the world’s most sensitive radio telescopes. Her work bridges cutting-edge research with technical implementation, enabling MeerKAT to deliver world-class data to astronomers globally.

Her pioneering work in signal verification, pulsar observations, and real-time data quality assurance has enabled groundbreaking discoveries. Beyond her operations work, she actively mentors graduate students and contributes to workshops, data schools, and training sessions, particularly those aimed at empowering women and historically underrepresented groups in astronomy. She is a quiet yet powerful role model for resilience and integrity in science.

Ms Susan Janse van Rensburg is an ecologist with over 20 years of experience facilitating societally relevant research. She currently serves as Node Coordinator of the NRF-SAEON Grasslands Node, where she has pioneered one of South Africa’s flagship long-term global change research platforms. Her work spans protected area management, science-policy translation, and multi-stakeholder programme design—integrating ecology, hydrology, climate, and socio-economic systems.

Passionate about building resilience in rural areas vulnerable to climate change, she promotes the co-creation of knowledge with local communities to deliver practical solutions. A strong advocate for inclusivity and transformation, she mentors students, several of whom have received academic recognition. Known for her systems thinking, she bridges science and implementation, advancing collective impact and sustainability through interdisciplinary research that is both locally and globally relevant.

Ms Munira Hoosain is a Doctoral student at NRF-SAAO and the University of Cape Town (UCT), working on studies of the hydrogen gas in distant galaxies observed by MeerKAT. She aims to improve our understanding of the evolution of neutral gas at high redshifts (large distances from the Earth) and different environments using some of the deepest MeerKAT observations to date.

She participates in various initiatives to inspire school learners to become astronomers or take an interest in STEM. These include the job shadow program at NRF-SAAO; student visits to the UCT Astronomy Department and talks at the International Astronomy Union’s General Assembly. Ms Hoosain has appeared in the Women in STEM edition of African Science Stars and was a recipient of a DSTI-Ndoni Mcunu Fellowship.