To celebrate Professor Sheena Kumari Pillai’s academic achievement and significant contributions to research, innovation and engagement, the Durban University of Technology (DUT) hosted her Professorial Inaugural Lecture titled: Decoding the DNA of Wastewater for a Sustainable Environment at the Coastlands Musgrave Hotel on Thursday, 07 March 2024.

The Programme Director was Mr Zwakele Ngubane, DUT’s Director of the Advancement and Alumni Relations unit, who applauded Prof Kumari Pillai for her dedication to research at the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT) at DUT. Her expertise lies in biological wastewater treatment, wastewater microbiome, emerging pathogens and contaminants in wastewater.

Prof Faizal Bux, Prof Fulufhelo Nemavhola, Prof Sheena Kumari Pillai and Prof Suren Singh.

Delivering the welcome remarks was the DUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola. He warmly welcomed the distinguished guests to the momentous occasion to celebrate the academic achievement of the now Full Professor Kumari Pillai.

Expanding on environmental sustainability, Prof Nemavhola pointed out that he hoped Prof Kumari Pillai during her presentation would touch on the benefits of wastewater as he was aware that wastewater carried a lot of nutrients. He also shared his concern on the daily use of tons of fresh water to flush toilets by most households. Prof Nemavhola left the question with Prof Kumari Pillai on how this could be addressed as he felt it was a total waste of fresh water. He indicated that he had no doubts that Prof Kumari Pillai would assist in answering this question soon. He commended Prof Kumari Pillai for her significant contributions to the DUT research, innovation and technology advancements for the broader community.

Sharing his congratulatory message, Prof Nemavhola said: “As the DVC: Research Innovation Engagement, I commend your efforts in contributing to the global knowledge base and making a lasting impact in your field. Your accomplishments reflect the values and aspirations of DUT, and we take great pride in your achievements. Your research also aligns with our ENVISION2030, reinforcing our commitment to sustainable practices and innovation. Once again, congratulations on reaching this significant milestone. I look forward to witnessing the continued success and impact of your research in the years to come.”

IWWT Director, Professor Faizal Bux introduced Prof Kumari Pillai, who the guests were eagerly awaiting to listen to her presentation. Prof Bux revealed that Prof Kumari Pillai joined IWWT as a Postdoctoral Fellow, a plant pathologist after completing her PhD from Mangalore University, India, in 2008. He revealed that during her 16 years at DUT, she has held various positions and was awarded the rank of Full Professor in January 2023.

“As the principal researcher on numerous institutional and external projects, Prof Kumari Pillai has played a critical role in advancing the institutional goals. Over the years, she has established research collaborations with national and international academic institutions, municipalities, industries and water boards and fostered knowledge exchange and cooperation among various stakeholders. Her research contributions were recognized by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa with a C3 rating in 2015 and a C2 rating in 2022,” shared Prof Bux.

He further revealed that the award-winning Prof Kumari Pillai has published over 100 research articles in DHET-approved high-impact factor journals (Google H-Index 33; 5000 citations), co-authored 10 book chapters, and presented at numerous national and international conferences. She has guided 15 PhD and 16 Masters graduates from various faculties at DUT. Prof Bux expressed his gratitude to Prof Kumari Pillai for her diligence and hard work over the years. He remarked that her track record clearly demonstrates that as a scientist it is not just about publishing papers in academic journals but conducting research that can make a difference to society.

Prof Sheena Kumari Pillai.

Prof Kumari Pillai delivered the much anticipated Inaugural Lecture where she highlighted that wastewater treatment has emerged as an essential component of environmental sustainability.

“Its impact is far-reaching, contributing directly to the United Nations’ SDGs such as clean water and sanitation, climate action, life below water, good health and overall well-being, responsible consumption and production, and land conservation etc. One of the key aspects of wastewater treatment is understanding the “DNA” or unique characteristics and compositions of wastewater which is essential for the development of sustainable treatment technologies,” explained Prof Kumari Pillai.

She further pointed out that wastewater contains pathogens and other contaminants that can pose significant risks to the environment and human health, if not properly managed during the treatment process. Prof Kumari Pillai explained that in wastewater treatment plants, these microbes can thrive, multiply, and acquire resistance to pollutants through horizontal gene transfer.

Prof Kumari also raised a concern about microplastics in wastewater and surface water, which have emerged as contaminants of significant concern in recent years. She reiterated that their abundance in wastewater and the inability of wastewater treatment plants to eliminate them were of grave concern.

At the end of her lecture, Prof Kumari Pillai expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the DUT management, her colleagues at IWWT, her collaborators, students, friends and her family for their support and encouragement throughout her academic journey. She extended her special thanks to her husband, Prof Santhosh Pillai, from the Biotechnology and Food Science Department at DUT and her twin daughters for always pushing her to strive for excellence.

In closing, the Executive Dean: Faculty of Applied Sciences at DUT, Professor Suren Singh, thanked all parties involved in making Prof Kumari Pillai’s Professorial Inaugural Lecture a huge success. He extended his congratulations to her on her inauguration as a Full Professor.

“The profound contributions you have made in water and wastewater technology have been outstanding, leaving a strong footprint at both national and international levels, as well as within the industry. Your arrival from India as a young female researcher has already made an indelible impact on our research landscape, and I am confident that your invaluable contributions will continue to leave an impactful mark in your research discipline. We are honoured to have you in the Faculty, and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones and achievements with you in the future,” concluded Prof Singh.

Pictured: Professor Sheena Kumari Pillai during her Professorial Inauguration Lecture.

Photographer: Khulasande Tshayile.

Simangele Zuma