Page 25 - Science in Africa

rofessor Londiwe Nkiwane is an Professor Londiwe Nkiwane
associate professor and the
project coordinator in the
department of textile
technology at the Namibia Empowering
PUniversity of Science and
Technology (NUST).
She joined NUST in 1999 after obtaining
her PhD at Leeds University.
She has developed and taught several
courses, including Weaving Technology, Knitting with textiles
Technology, Fabric Structure and Properties,
Material Physics and Non-woven Technology
and 3D Materials. Her research interests
include the application of fibres science in
rural settings to enhance development. the National Research Foundation. She has She is a member of several professional
Professor Nkiwane has been involved in also worked with Soroptimists International organisations such as the International
the development and implementation of in identifying underprivileged girls in Institute Engineering and Technology. She
several projects that focus on the Matabeleland and the Midlands served as a member of the board of
development of women, and that contribute provinces and eventually adopted a directors of the Scientific Institute
to poverty reduction. family of orphans, whom she of Research and Development
Professor Nkiwane also initiated and helped obtain an education. Council Zimbabwe (2006 to
coordinated the UK Department for Professor Nkiwane has 2009) and she was a member
International Development-sponsored high written and published articles of the regional scholarship
education links between NUST, the department in international and local committee of the Academy for
of textiles and the University of Manchester journals. She has presented Educational Development (2007
(UK), William Lee Innovation Centre from 2002 several papers at local, regional to 2008). Professor Nkiwane is
to 2005. From 2006 to 2009, she initiated the and international conferences. also a member of several
DelPHE project that was conducted in She has had successful organisations that work towards
collaboration with three other institutions, consultancies in Botswana and Europe. gender empowerment She is currently
namely Moi University in Kenya, the Nelson Professor Nkiwane was involved in a the chairperson of the NUST academic
Mandela Metropolitan University in South national programme in Botswana where she women researchers.
Africa and the University of Manchester. provided capacity-building to college lecturers She is the 2013 recipient of the Research
She has been the principal researcher from from all over the country. At the University of Council of Zimbabwes’ award in the social
NUST in the Wild Silk project in Manchester, she developed a teaching module sciences and humanities category. She is the
collaboration with the Council for Scientific for the EU called K4i Knitting Module, whose currently the deputy editor of the Zimbabwe
and Industrial Research and sponsored by copyright she shares with the university. Journal of Science and Technology.

SCIENCE IN AFRICA 25