women-scientists-from-south-africa

"People who are immunocompromised face greater risks of adverse outcomes from infection with SARS-CoV-2."

"The presence of some domestic animals proves that these animals were available to the inhabitants of the site. Their status in the community is, however, uncertain. Possible explanations for the small number of cattle fragments could be the result of paucity of livestock for environmental or other reasons, or may reflect differential disposal of cattle bones as part of ritual expression."

"The faunal sample from Kadzi, an Early Iron Age site in the Zambezi Valley, is the first substantial sample for that period and region in Zimbabwe."

"The reason why much of Stone Age history has remained a secret for so long is not that it may not be told or that it has not been told in other books, but rather that it has to be individually discovered. Because we are remote from the past, we have to find it and immerse ourselves in it, if we wish to understand it and unlock its secrets. Pursuing the past is rewarding, and we hope it is a challenge more will follow."

"Theory is part of the romance of archaeology and is vital if we want to breathe some life into the snippets of information drawn from stone and other artefacts."

"The site appears to have been a permanent or semipermanent settlement. The sample consists mainly of bovid remains, dominated by buffalo as a single species, suggesting special hunting skills."

"Together, we will build a legacy of excellence that resonates across borders. I am ready for the CHALLENGE!."

"Believe in yourself: When I was young, I never thought I could be where I am today. I doubted myself. I lacked self-confidence."

"True mentorship dismantles barriers and creates equitable pathways for innovation."

"We drive transformative and sustainable change by supporting research that changes lives, informs policy, and empowers communities. Africa must see itself not merely as a consumer of knowledge, but as a producer of solutions."

"Every human being has God-given potential which is theirs to exploit. My background, which I had originally considered a hindrance, became the ideal sword to empower and inspire others who see themselves in me."

"Leadership is about creating opportunities for others to excel."

"I’m Nancy Hafkin. I live now in Boston, Massachusetts in the US. And the bulk of my work years were spent in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where I was working at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa."

"We have come to tolerate ineptitude and leadership, management and governance failures; we do not have a fully functional district health system (DHS), which is the main vehicle for the delivery of primary health care; and we have not dealt decisively with the health workforce crisis."

"I think my proudest achievements were to be able to set up and launch the first program at the United Nations to promote information technology in a region. And the region was of course Africa. I got into it, as I’ve gotten into many things, starting out from a personal interest. I had been in charge of a research and publications program on women and development. And in order to do it, publications were produced using Selectric typewriters and pink correction fluid."

"I know what it feels like to be at the bottom of the health hierarchy, in a racially segregated and unequal health care system."

"The social and economic impacts affect the poor disproportionately. They are less likely to withstand, cope and recover. Climate change is exacerbating poverty and inequality in society. We need to deal with global warming in an unequal and unjust world."

"All science communication begins with the ability to write clearly and engagingly."

"The defining moment that drove my interest in immunology was an inspiring talk delivered by Prof Yechiel Becker from Israel, who was visiting the then National Institute for Virology (now the NICD)."

"I am a cosmologist, which means that I spend my time thinking of the universe and how it formed and evolves with time. I work with a combination of data and theory – it is important to me to make sure that our theories actually match the data we observe!"

"I always knew I wanted to work with nature. Plant pathology became a calling, combining my love of biology with real-world impact. It connected my scientific interest with a moral purpose: to make food safer for everyone."

"Hearing from a young age that you are a “words person” can heighten your anxiety about math. As a result, you may avoid it."

"You need to love what you do – enormously. Things don’t always work out as you may think, you need to persevere, be proactive and be resilient. See failure as opportunity – more is often learnt from facing challenges."

"In science stories, math helps the reader understand real-world phenomena."

"I am currently involved in a number of larger projects which aim to understand how species (individuals / populations) respond to change."

"Science became my life’s work, research my passion and mentoring students my mission."

"Poverty is a human-nature disaster. We have to understand the broad context of poverty and climate change, and the impact of both on humans and nature. We must look at ending poverty from a much broader scope than just social justice. Both poverty and climate change require a fight against all forms of injustice."

"Because I analyse data as well as testing theories, a lot of my time is spent writing (and debugging) computer code, and doing statistical analysis. It is very rewarding to go from a theory that you think might explain our universe, to the nitty gritty of data analysis. I’m lucky to be able to work in both areas."

"I tune in on what is happening in the world, looking at current events through a science communication lens which helps me to identify new opportunities for research."

"I have always thought that animals are interesting and wondered why they act in certain ways. Why do some dogs get on well, while others fight? How do bees know where to find flowers and pollen, and how do they get back to their hives? Are they really all female? Why are some species so successful while others are continuously threatened and faced with extinction; especially considering that our world is changing much faster than ever before?"

"The world needs fearless women like myself who can avail themselves and serve as mentors for young women because having a mentor early on can help them build confidence."

"Young people need to be taught from a young age that there is no easy way in life and the road to success is never easy. There will always be obstacles but with determination and hard work, these can be overcome."

"My late father, Dr M J Masango, is one of them. Nine years after his passing I still live by his teachings. He grew up in the apartheid era in a poor family without a father, but that didn’t stop him from achieving his dreams."

"It was her first day at a new school. She left in the morning and never came back. What kept me going was my faith in God. He has greater plans for my life and I know that he can never give me what I cannot handle."

"The 25 years of freedom have not removed barriers to young women advancing in the science technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. No one believes in you and you constantly need to prove yourself first that you can do the job and belong here. It’s worse when you are black. What works for me is that I have a never-say-die spirit and want to break barriers."

"The biggest challenge in my career is my skin colour. If you look like me, no-one believes in you; you must prove that you know your job and that you can think! There are still very few black women scientists. This means women like me have to work twice as hard to prove their worth."

"Girls are discouraged at an early age from taking science subjects; it is the root cause of the lack of women in the nuclear space."

"When my teacher explained astronauts to us, it was fascinating to learn that there are people who can leave this dimension and go to the moon. When I learned that no one in Africa had ever traveled into space, that is when I fell in love with science. I wanted to create history and be the first to travel to space and was so hurt when Mark Shuttleworth beat me to it,"

"This was a life-changing experience for me as it is every scientist’s dream to go to CERN. The competition for spaces is too high and everyone from Professors to Doctors want to go there. To be there makes one hungry for knowledge and success and it remains one of my greatest achievements. I learned a lot there."

"Senamile Masango was more than a nuclear scientist; she was a beacon of hope and inspiration to countless young women aspiring to pursue careers in science and technology. Her passing is a profound loss not only to her family, friends, and colleagues but to the entire country. Her contributions to the National System of Innovation (NSI) will forever remain part of South Africa’s scientific and developmental legacy,"

"Ms Masango's was a beacon of hope for many young people, especially women. Her passion for developing critical skills among the population and women in science in particular, will be sorely missed,"

"I knew that it was not the end of the world and I had to pick myself up, accept my failure, and learn from it. My family also supported me and this helped me pull through."

"As the country's first black nuclear scientist, Masango's remarkable achievements paved the way for future generations of scientists and inspired countless young minds. Masango's tireless efforts to promote science education and empowerment, particularly among women and disadvantaged communities, will be deeply missed."

"Our mission is to use biotechnology and nanotechnology to develop accessible and affordable diagnostics for disease detection and monitoring."

"The great thing that we give our students at MIT, in terms of employability and flexibility to respond to shifts in careers, is the ability to solve problems, a training that is applicable across every field."

"Engaged research is not merely about conducting studies; it's about creating meaningful partnerships that translate scientific innovation into tangible benefits for communities."

"The greatest professional honor of my life has been to be a Member of Whitehead Institute and a Professor of Biology at MIT. To be part of the extraordinary research landscape, to educate our outstanding MIT students, and to have had opportunities to contribute to governance and international activities, has been quite wonderful."

"Even common practices such as burning large expanses of veld or ploughing them and planting mielies alter the quantity."

"Our water resources are also highly variable and sensitive as regards quality."

"Interacting powerfully with other substances."