First female South African to obtain PhD in Mathematics at Univen

University of Venda (Univen) Mathematics lecturer Dephney Mathebula made history on Friday by becoming the first female to obtain a doctorate in Mathematics at the institution.
Mathebula’s academic history speaks of determination and perseverance starting with her failing Mathematics in Grade 12 and having to repeat the year in order to chase her dream of pursuing a career in Mathematics.
Having passed Grade 12 in 2001 she enrolled for a BSc degree in Computer Science and Mathematics at Univen where poor performance forced her to change her course to a BSc in Mathematics and Statistics. Having struggled for five years to complete a three-year degree motivated her to work even harder and she eventually obtained a BSc Honours in Mathematics at the same institution in 2009.
A statement released by Univen quoted her to have said: “While I was still doing my honours degree I got an opportunity to attend a workshop at the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences where applications of Mathematics in real life, Biomathematics, were introduced. After the workshop, I was awarded with a National Research Foundation (NRF) bursary to pursue a second honours degree, this time in Biomathematics, at Stellenbosch University from where I graduated in 2010.”
Her research interests are in mathematical modelling of infectious diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis and influenza, it was reported.
The statement further informed that in 2011 she graduated with an MSc in Mathematics sponsored by NRF, also at Stellenbosch University, and the following year enrolled for her PhD at Univen. As a result of her PhD research one paper published in Mathematical Biosciences Journal, a peer reviewed magazine, was rated number three among the 25 hottest articles in world in 2014.
Mathebula made a prsnetation at the Sixth International Conference on Infectious Disease Dynamics held in Spain last year, an opportunity to which responded that it had taken her 29 years to reach the top.
Apart from doing Mathematical modelling research and lecturing, Mathebula has also been involved in outreach activities that aim to contribute in uplifting young girls from rural areas to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem).

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za