FROM CLEANING PETROL PUMPS TO OBTAINING A PHD IN CHEMISTRY – A STORY OF RESILIENCE

A brief stint as a garage cleaner did little to dim the light or divert the path of one WSU lecturer’s academic aspirations as she’d use her initial hardships to propel her to obtaining a PhD in chemistry recently.

From cleaning petrol pumps in Cape Town to support her family following her graduating with a national diploma in 2008, Analytical Chemistry nGAP lecturer Dr. Vuyelwa Ncapayi has gone on to defy the odds and obtain her doctoral degree in Chemistry from the University of Johannesburg on 21 October earlier this month.

“This marks a significant moment in my academic path, and I feel a sense of achievement for conquering the hurdles that came my way. This achievement not only validates my efforts but also instills in me a sense of confidence and motivation to continue striving for excellence in my future pursuits,” said Ncapayi.

Her thesis, "Synthesis of quaternary core/shell quantum dots conjugated to porphyrin as a dual-modality imaging probe for photodynamic therapy," was premised on mitigating the deadly results of cancer by exploring the use of quantum dots to intervene in the high modality rate due to cancer. The focus area is to offer a device that can provide lower-stage cancer diagnosis using the fluorescence and magnetic properties of quantum dots.

Following a very short-lived six-month stint in Cape Town, Ncapayi, who hails from the rural town of Tsolo, would come back to the Eastern Cape in August of 2008 and take up an internship position as a research assistant under the tutelage and mentorship of one of WSU’s most revered researchers, Prof Denis Ndze Jumbam, at the then Department of Chemistry at the Mthatha Campus.  

After impressing the good professor with her wits and natural abilities in the chemistry lab, Ncapayi was employed by the university as a lab technician in 2009 – an opportunity she grabbed with both hands to ascend the academic ladder.

“This journey has taught me resilience, determination, and the importance of setting goals. Transitioning from a cleaner to obtaining a PhD required hard work and perseverance, revealing my capacity for growth and the value of education. It has instilled in me a profound appreciation for diverse experiences and the belief that one's background does not define one's potential,” she said.

Ncapayi glees with excitement at the prospects the future holds, indicating her intent, in light of being an nGAP scholar with a PhD in the 4th industrial revolution era, to focus on integrating technology into teaching and learning to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

In enhancing her work output, Ncapayi said she’d leverage her academic training by applying analytical and critical thinking skills to problem-solving, ensuring that decisions are data-driven and well-researched.

“I also plan to use my work ethic and time management skills to organize myself, get everything done on time, and still have a lot of productivity. Ultimately, my goal is to become a valuable asset to the departmental team by enhancing academic work, providing exceptional support, and contributing to the organization's success.

By Thando Cezula