The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, hosted the 2019 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) to recognise the contribution of women in research at the Boardwalk Hotel in Port Elizabeth, last week.
This year’s awards were held under the theme “Making the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) work for women”.
“The 4IR is a new era in technological development that blurs the lines between physical, digital and biological systems. It integrates cyber physical systems and the Internet of Things, big data and cloud computing, robotics, artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing,” said Minister Nzimande.
Awards in the categories of Distinguished Women Researchers and Distinguished Young Women Researchers were awarded for research in the Natural (Life and Physical) and Engineering Sciences, the Human and Social Sciences, Research and Innovation and the awards in the Research and Innovation category were awarded in the areas aligned to the 4IR, confirmed the Minister.
Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Dr Sheena Kumari was chosen as First runner-up in the Distinguished Young Women Researchers for research in the Natural (Life and Physical) and Engineering Sciences; recognising and rewarding excellence by women scientists and researchers, and profile them as role models for young women. The award was also given for her outstanding contribution to building South Africa’s scientific and research knowledge base.
Dr Kumari is the Senior Researcher at the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT). Her current research focuses on biological wastewater treatment, emerging pollutants and pathogens in wastewater, and bioenergy production from waste. She is currently leading the wastewater research group at the Institute and serving as the South African coordinator for a multi-institutional collaborative project between South Africa and the Netherlands funded through the Orange Knowledge Programme (Nuffic).
On hearing the news, Dr Kumari said she was deeply pleased and honoured to have received the prestigious award. “Research and Postgraduate student training are my core business as an academic at DUT. An award of this stature, a national recognition, will continue to inspire more young female researchers, especially from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, to excel in their chosen fields of research, and achieve their dreams while balancing their personal life,” she said excitedly.
She also added that she is grateful to Professor Faizal Bux, Director, Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology for believing in her research abilities and for providing the platform and freedom to perform at her highest level. “I sincerely thank Professor Sibusiso Moyo, DVC Research, Innovation and Engagement, for nominating me for this award and for her motivation and constant support throughout my career at DUT. I am also thankful to all the postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, collaborators and my colleagues at IWWT for their valuable contributions in my research. I am indebted to the relentless support of my family, who motivates me to pursue my dreams,” added Dr Kumari.
She said that with the theme being making the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) work for women. Most of her current research projects also align to the theme of 4IR, where digital online platforms are used for generating and sharing knowledge with researchers and stakeholders across the globe. “Water and sanitation has been identified as one of the foremost crisis that the world is going to face in the coming years. Over the last 10 years, my research has primarily focused on biological wastewater treatment systems, giving emphasis on understanding the contribution of key functional microbial communities using advanced molecular techniques and bio energy production from waste. Through these projects, collaboration with leading universities, municipalities and research Institutions at national and international levels were established,” she added.
Dr Kumari is also serving as an academic member of the Global Water Microbial Consortium (GWMC); an initiative led by the University of Oklahoma, USA, co-investigator in Grand challenges project and Joint programme initiative on water (JPI-water) funded by the European Union and also involved in active collaborations with many other leading International Institutions (Aalborg University- Denmark, Columbia University-USA, Gdansk University of Technology- Poland) for various Institute projects. She is also engaged in collaborations with national institutions such as UKZN, CPUT, CSIR, NICD and various municipalities and water utilities.
With an NRF C3 rating obtained in 2016, she has published over 52 peer-reviewed articles in leading ISI journals, co-authored 7 book chapters and 4 Technical reports. Dr Kumari has also presented her research at more than 60 conference platforms and serving as a reviewer for over 15 ISI journals. She has successfully mentored Postdoctoral fellows, supervised 4 PhD, 5 Masters and 15 honours students and currently supervising 10 Doctoral and 12 Masters’ students.
Pictured: Dr Santhosh Pillai, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Professor Faizal Bux, Director of the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Dr Sheena Kumari, (First-runner up) and DVC: Research, Innovation and Engagement Professor Sibusiso Moyo, at the event.
Waheeda Peters
