Young women dreaming of a career in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields were left inspired after visiting the University of Western Cape (UWC) campus. There they rubbed shoulders with some of the leading women scientists and connected with their mentors at the launch of this year’s STEM MentHER programme.

The UWC STEM MentHER programme is led by Dr Sibaliwe Maku Vyambwera, Dr Rechelle Jacobs, and Dr Philomene Nsengiyumva, who are committed to driving the initiative.

The programme, founded in 2022 (https://www.stemmenther.co.za), pairs up 10 female matriculants who are passionate about STEM with women mentors to help guide them - not just through the rigours of Grade 12, but also the adjustment required when they eventually come to university.

Professor David Holgate, UWC’s Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, welcomed the ten latest matriculants to the programme. He said the transition from high school to university is not always easy.

“That’s part of what the mentorship programme is about, because for different reasons, that transition can be easier or more difficult for different people. Part of it is just to make sure that you can transition from school to university with confidence and knowing that there are people standing alongside you,” he said.

The mentorships line-up include:

• Elham Mehdi-Nezhad (Associate Professor of Pure Math at the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics), who will be mentoring Beyonce van Wyk.
• Manogari Chetty (Prof, HOD: Craniofacial Biology Pathology & Radiology), who will be mentoring Imaan Ajam.
• Eloise Braaf, attending (Chief Officer at the School of Pharmacy and Practical Coordinator and Laboratory Manager at Pharmacology), who will be mentoring Sarah Harris of Paarl Vallei High School, who wrote to the University expressing an interest in pharmacology.
• Omowunmi Isafiade (Professor of Computer Science, Data-driven decision support and applications of AI across various domains), who will be mentoring Lwandle Ngantweni.
• Louise Leenen (Professor and Head of Department: Computer Science), who will be mentoring Asenathi Ruze.
• Julia Keddie (Dr, Statistics & Population Studies - Industry Expert), who will be mentoring Bailee Coetzee.
• Sumaya Clarke (Dr, Environmental Science), who will be mentoring Kaitlin Ernstzen.
• Ms Tammy Hartel (Lecturer, PhD candidate, Department of Medical Biosciences), who will be mentoring Farida Omari Badeul.
• Chontrelle Willemse (Dr, Lecturer, Department of Medical Bioscience), who will be mentoring Esihle Mndaweni.
• Monique Bennett (Dr, Lecturer, Department of Medical Bioscience), who will be mentoring Sesethu Siphunga.

Prof Holgate said gender diversity is the bedrock that strengthens the faculty of Natural Sciences.

“I’m not going to tell you you must do science; you must do what you enjoy. But I’m hoping that you are feeling motivated and passionate about going forward with science,” he said to the matriculants. “I know that there are some wonderful colleagues who care deeply for you and your futures, and we hope, of course, that you end up choosing UWC for that future as well.”

Keynote speaker at the event to mark this year’s programme commencement, Dr Natasha Ross - an NRF-rated scientist and a senior lecturer in Chemistry at UWC since 2013 - conducts research focused on developing cutting-edge nano materials to enhance the efficiency of lithium and sodium ion battery storage for renewable energy.

She said the induction ceremony to welcome the 10 new mentees to the MentHER programme should be the start of a transformative journey in the lives of the young women.

“I know what it feels like to be in your shoes. Excited, planning for tertiary (education) ...You are passionate yet uncertain of what the future holds, but being here today and being accepted into this programme is a statement that you are meant to be here and that you have worked hard to come this far,” Dr Ross said. 

Reminiscing on her first year at UWC in 2005, she joked that she almost set the chemistry laboratory on fire. Fortunately there were no fatalities.

“The transition (to university) was totally brutal. I come from a small fisherman’s village. Teaching was in Afrikaans and I was still thinking of ‘stikstof’ and ‘waterstof’, studying with a dictionary. It was terrible, and I couldn’t understand how I was failing at something that I was so passionate about. Chemistry was my thing,” said Dr Ross.

She said she had become so despondent and questioned her abilities to the extent that she called her parents in a panic, saying she might not make it through her first year. 

 

Her Chemistry lecturer, seeing her struggles, assigned her to a mentor, and Ross said: “it completely changed my life forever.”

Dr. Ross emphasised the invaluable role of mentorship in STEM, highlighting how it extends beyond the academic programme. 

“My mentor didn’t just teach me formulas; he showed me how to cope, how to study effectively, how to push forward and adapt to new environments,” she explained. 

“That’s why I truly believe mentorship is a STEM superpower. Firstly, it provides a personal guide - like a GPS - offering support and reassurance, much like a parent holding a child’s hand on their first day of school. Secondly, it opens doors to opportunities such as workshops, scholarships and industry exposure. And thirdly, it keeps you sane - because, let's be honest, studying STEM will have you questioning your life choices at 2am,” she added, drawing laughter from the audience.