UP lecturer receives recognition from National Research Foundation

Dr Bertha Jacobs, a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Consumer and Food Sciences, is among the latest cohort of UP academics who were recently allocated a National Research Foundation (NRF) rating.

The rating is in recognition of her contribution in her field of study and the high-quality research outputs produced taking into account the evaluation made by local and international peers.

It identifies researchers who count among the leaders in their field of expertise and gives recognition to those who constantly produce high-quality research outputs.

Jacobs said the NRF rating is a recognition and acknowledgement by her peers that she is an established researcher in clothing retail and merchandising.

She said the rating is a clear indication that she is on the right track when it comes to research and making an impact.

“I find that very fulfilling and rewarding. It reassures me that the gruelling process you go through with each postgraduate student’s study and every research publication is worthwhile,” Jacobs said.

“At first, the research aspect of my work was difficult, but now it has become one of the things I enjoy.

I have been at UP for 25 years this year.
My teaching has spanned clothing retail management, merchandising (buying, planning and sourcing), fashion forecasting, the social psychology of clothing and aesthetics. My research areas build mostly on my undergraduate teaching, and include clothing retail and merchandising, experiential retailing and customer experiences, sustainable clothing practices, socio-cultural aspects of clothing, graduate skills and employability.”

 

https://x.com/UPTuks/status/1804031737065808321

What is now a clear-cut career path based on a keen childhood interest in all things fashion, didn’t start that way.

Jacobs said she had a few detours in finding her way into clothing retail and merchandising.

“I wasn’t drawn to clothing and retail as a career initially,” Dr Jacobs said.

“When I started studying at UP in 1991, I was enrolled for architecture. Within the first week, I changed to a BSc in Mining and Geology. After six months of studying towards the BSc, I was incredibly unhappy. I didn’t enjoy the subjects and was more confused about what to study. As a last resort, I went for aptitude tests at Student Services.”

One of the options suggested as a great fit for her was home economics, and the rest was history.

“They were right, the social science, design and clothing modules were my favourites. This made sense because my favourite school subject was art, which had all the elements of design and history.”

She said one of her favourite modules still is Aesthetics, which is about store design, visual merchandising and consumers’ experiences of retail environments.

While studying, Jacobs also worked in a small-scale factory that manufactured children’s clothing.

After graduating, she worked as a clothing store manager for three and a half years.

During that time, the academic bug didn’t relent, so she returned to UP to continue her studies a year after graduating while she carried on working.

“I learned so much about buying behaviour, retailing and merchandising.”

ALSO READ: Students network at annual campus breakfast

She said she realised she wanted to learn more and possibly teach.

“So I returned to UP a year after graduating in 1997 to enrol in an honours degree in Clothing Management and, after that, a diploma in tertiary education. My master’s followed in 2000 where I examined professional women’s adoption of online clothing shopping – something that wasn’t as popular as it is today.”

In 2014, Jacobs enrolled for a PhD in apparel, merchandising and design at Iowa State University in the US, following a 10-year wait.

“I felt like they were at the forefront of our field,” she said.

“For a long time, they only offered a hybrid PhD in Hospitality Management. I kept enquiring about the possibility of a hybrid PhD in Clothing and Merchandising. Eventually, in 2014, they offered a hybrid PhD for working professionals.”

As her academic career progressed over the years, Jacobs said what she finds most fulfilling continues to evolve.

“In the first 10 to 15 years, I would say teaching was what I enjoyed the most. I enjoy students and the group dynamics.”

ALSO READ: TUT lecturer the first South African to obtain a fashion design doctorate

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram