MS HUMNA MALIK Engineer, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
number of different projects in a variety of fields and with different stakeholders, including the South African Police Service, the Mandela Mining Precinct, the Department of Defence, the South African National Defence Force, Armscor, and others. In addition, she is involved in improving the business strategy for national clients, and the implementation of capabilities, technical systems and policies in the CSIR. Malik is inspired by the fact that the work she does at the CSIR is being used for the greater good and is improving the lives of everyone in quantifiable and often life-affirming ways. The one thing she would change about her work is the ‘hurry up and wait’ process in the government sector where a lot of time and effort is spent drafting proposals with no knowledge of whether the projects will see the light of day or not. But despite these frustrations, she is clear that she is exactly where she should be. MEng in Engineering Management, 2016 work with and teach students from diverse South African backgrounds. Msomi’s research is focused on the development of membrane fuel cells that can produce energy with alcohol. Energy is an important issue in South Africa as we look for solutions to stabilise our energy sources and move towards cleaner forms of energy generation and storage. In his drive for excellence Msomi keeps two principles: “to be consistent, and to be committed”, in all that he does. He was able to finish his PhD in record time while also being a full-time lecturer at UJ. He is the youngest researcher in his faculty and he has already published research papers. Now he is working to build his international research profile, forming research
Malik moved to South Africa with her family when she was in primary school. Her early impressions of being in South Africa include her unbridled excitement at the potential to explore a new place to call ‘home’ with her siblings. Due to parental influence and her own curiosity, she found herself being drawn to maths and science from a very young age. And when the time came, she elected to enrol for two degrees at once: engineering and IT, two strands along which she was determined to grow. It was a major challenge which would terrify most, but Malik took it in her stride. “My family believed in me, and I wanted to make them proud. I was told on many occasions by other people that it would be too much burden or it would be difficult to manage as a female in a male- dominated field, but this only gave me more will power to prove everyone wrong,” she says. Today this multiple award-winner works with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in its defence and security department, with a bill to improving the community’s safety and security. She has responsibility over a a National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) before moving on the Tshwane University of Technology to obtain his BTech. He went back to UJ to then complete both a master’s and PhD in chemistry. He has spent time at different organisations such as Columbus Steal, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Rand Water. Msomi is a young and vibrant lecturer in chemistry at UJ. He enjoys teaching and believes that “education is the foundation for future growth and development”. He prepares his students for the real world by helping them to be independent thinkers and responsible South African citizens. He is excited about being able to
If you ever find yourself at the admin block or boardroom of the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) department of electrical and electronic engineering during scheduled load-shedding and you look around and wonder why the lights are still on, you probably have 26-year-old Humna Malik to thank. In 2014, during her honours year at UJ, she completed a project in renewable energy and converted her department’s boardroom and admin block to run on solar power, and the system is still up and running today. Born in Pakistan,
DR PHUMLANI MSOMI Chemistry lecturer, University of Johannesburg
Dr Phumlani Msomi hails from Lamontville in KwaZulu-Natal, where he completed all of his basic schooling. He went on to complete
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