Giving knowledge and adding to it

Dr Buyisiwe Sondezi works for the University of Johannesburg in the physics department. She tells Margaret Harris that her brand of physics allows her to get her hands dirty

What do you do at work?

I lecture mostly first-year students and am involved with the second- and third-year students' laboratory work.

Outside my lecturing duties, I conduct scientific research - specifically experimental physics of highly correlated matter. This is followed by an analysis of the results. The results are then presented and published in various journals.

What is experimental physics?

It is a branch of physics concerned with the observations of various phenomena as obtained from conducting experiments. This kind of physics allows the researcher to be hands on - getting one's hands dirty - since in most cases experiments start from the fabrication of materials (compounds/samples) to be studied. This step is followed by characterisation, or a verification process, of your samples, before measurements can be undertaken.

Measurements are dependent on the hypothesis - or the objective - of the whole experiment.

The observations are then analysed and interpreted, after which formal presentation and publication of the results is expected.

What drew you to your career?

The satisfaction of giving knowledge took me to lecturing. The satisfaction when students finally open their minds to new realities, which is the result of learning new concepts. I believe that providing knowledge and information is the highest level of input and contribution that one can give to anybody. Knowledge has the power to change one's life and one's circumstances.

Curiosity drew me to experimental physics research.

My field of research is constantly being flooded with new findings.

The reason is that the field of low-temperature physics hasn't been widely explored and every finding becomes an important addition to the knowledge base in this field of highly correlated condensed matter.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

I wanted to be a medical doctor. As I heard and learnt more about people who were getting infected with HIV and getting sick with Aids, I felt compelled to do medicine and eventually go into medical research. My main aim was to become the first person to find the cure for Aids.

As a female physicist you are breaking new ground in Africa. How hard has it been for you as the only woman in this field?

The journey has not been easy. Like most journeys, the road was manageable at the beginning of my studies, while the expectations were lower.

As time went on, a lot more was expected. That expectation was universal, meaning I was not treated differently from male researchers, despite the fact that, generally, women researchers face more challenges than their male counterparts. I had to perform at the same level as other researchers, even though conditions were different for me. My greatest challenge was laboratory time and raising children.

A number of times I brought my daughters to the lab, even at odd hours of the day (midnight, 1am or 2am) and even on weekends.

I learnt that there are circumstances when gender is not a measuring stick, when performance is measured uniformly.

So there was no difference between me and male researchers - the distinction was only observed after the completion of the study: when statistics come into the picture, it is significant that I'm actually a woman. I have to mention, though, that I never experienced discrimination of any kind.

How would you encourage women to follow in your footsteps?

Men and women have the same opportunities and capabilities to achieve whatever they set their minds to. Women can do it, despite the extra challenges they face, even though this requires extra effort too. Chance and opportunity happen to all of us.

What do you most enjoy about the work you do?

Experimental research. The most enjoyable time is when measuring and collecting data, because that tells if your experiment was successful . If successful, what new information have you found?

When lecturing, I enjoy imparting knowledge to students, because it gives me an opportunity to help to change their lives for the better.

What part of your job would you like to outsource if you could?

In research, I'd like to outsource sample preparation, because it is time consuming. In lecturing, I'd like to outsource marking, because it takes a lot of time.

What advice would you like to give to this year's matriculants?

Everyone has the time and opportunity to make a difference. This starts with you as an individual, then your family, neighbour, country and continent. We don't have time to waste; a lost opportunity may never be recovered, so use your time and opportunities wisely.