A University of Johannesburg lecturer Buyisiwe Sondezi recently made history in her PhD research.
Buyisiwe was awarded a doctoral degree for her thesis on Experimental Physics of Highly Correlated Matter, making her the first woman in Africa to obtain a PhD in her study.
The Roodepoort resident informed that she is humbled by her achievements.
“The university announced it recently during my graduation. I was also shocked because I wasn’t expecting it at all. I am trully humbled,” shared Sondezi.
Sondezi studied toward her PhD for seven years at UJ.
“There are hard times and difficult times when you do research, but quitting was never an option. The aim was to always finish the study,” she said.
Her research is based on quantum criticality (QC) in matter, which is a quantum mechanical property that characterises the birth of collective behaviour in matter at extremely low temperatures, she explained.
Sondezi added, “It is also based on researching and finding new physics on rare-earth compounds at low temperatures. This fundamental study opens up new interesting physics and properties of materials at low temperatures”.
As we settled for a chat in her physics department, Sondezi highlighted that studying physics was not always part of the plan. Growing up, she always wanted to study medicine, however, she fell for physics.
“I started enjoying it since my first year of university because of my lecturer, and I hope I also inspire my first year students to enjoy it as well,” she said.
“I had always wanted to be number one in Grade 12 – especially because I had experienced that position in lower grades – but that never happened,” she chuckled.
“But now I am not just the first in the province or the country, I am the first on the whole continent,” staid the beaming Sondezi.
Sondezi lectures first year students at the institution and hopes to inspire students to work hard.
She also shared that she will never stop learning and working hard.
