Pilasande Mlatha

I come from Ngobozana, a small village in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape. Raised by my grandmother, I learned early that education was not only a personal achievement but a responsibility to my family and community. When my grandmother passed in 2023, I started running to process my grief. Running soon became a passion and taught me that progress is built on endurance, discipline, and the strength of community. Those same lessons have guided my work in science. I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Chemistry at the Durban University of Technology, and my studies have taken me from Durban to Valladolid and Groningen. Along the way, I have worked as a teaching assistant, laboratory demonstrator, mentor, and intern at Technology Transfer and Innovation. These roles taught me that science is more than research — it is service. In Lusikisiki, I saw the joy of Grade 7 learners when a difficult concept finally clicked. At TTI, I learned how research can leave the lab and transform livelihoods. Through the Be A Nelson movement, I have grown in empathy and leadership. I started a pay-it-forward project in 2022 to help disadvantaged students from Lusikisiki apply to university and navigate the transition. Seeing a mentee become the first in their family to register at university reminded me that leadership is measured by how many people you bring with you. My journey is shaped by resilience, community, and a deep sense of service. From the quiet hills of Ngobozana to international classrooms, I am determined to use science to sustain people, potential, and purpose.