NRF 25 years: Dr Nokubonga Mbandzi-Phorego

NRF 25 years: Dr Nokubonga Mbandzi-Phorego

This year, the NRF is celebrating a major milestone in our history as we commemorate 25 years of Research, Innovation, Impact and Partnerships. It always gives us great joy to share the accomplishments and impact of the many students and researchers we have supported during various stages of their careers. We thank all participants for submitting their stories and hope you enjoy reading about their journey with the NRF. 

Dr Nokubonga Mbandzi-Phorego is an NRF Professional Development Programme (PDP) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB) under the Coastal and Ocean Sciences Research Team. She also received NRF funding throughout her postgraduate studies.

How did your journey start?

As a young girl, I dreamed of becoming a medical doctor but instead, I became an academic doctor. My career journey has been challenging but rewarding, and it’s a story I’ll always share. I grew up in the villages of Port St Johns and attended school at Cwebeni J.S.S and Ngubezulu S.S.S. Unlike today, we didn’t have career guidance or professional advice at my high school. The main career options one could consider, amongst others, were a doctor, teacher, or lawyer.

My parents have always been my cheerleaders when it comes to my education. Unfortunately, after the passing of my father in 1999, my mother raised us alone and I was motivated to succeed and help her. I believed education was the key to achieving this dream. During my final year of high school, my physics teacher gave us application forms for university. I only submitted two applications due to the lack of funds for more, and I was accepted at Fort Hare University for a BSc.

In my second year, a research tour to NRF-SAIAB sparked my research interest. I was fascinated by a video of the Coelacanth fish because I had never seen any fish move like that before and imagined myself as a diver. Perhaps that was too ambitious. I must say one thing that stood out from that tour was seeing different age groups, genders, and ethnic groups having an interest in fish research and as such, at the end of the tour, I knew that I wanted to go back to NRF-SAIAB. I thought fish research would be easy because I grew up fishing, but I soon learned about the hard work involved.

My dream of returning to NRF-SAIAB came true. In 2015, I pursued an MSc at Fort Hare University and was based at the facility. After completing my MSc, I was eager to do a PhD but my mentor advised me to take a break to decide on my next project for a PhD. He said science is accurate and precise so you need to be sure that you want to do for a PhD as it is quite a journey. He further emphasised that success in a PhD depends on various factors, including resources, skills, and supervisors. Following his advice, I took a DSTI-NRF internship with the South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON), Elwandle Node.

After the internship, I knew what I wanted to do for my PhD. I enrolled at NMU in 2018, but unfortunately, I had to leave the project due to differing goals with my new mentor at that time. With the support of my colleagues and friends, I registered for a PhD at Walter Sisulu University in 2019 and graduated in 2022. My PhD research focused on the distribution of heavy metals in selected macroalgae and limpet species, and the factors affecting the trophic transfer of heavy metals through the food chain using stable isotope techniques. During my PhD journey, I acquired the basic skills needed for my early research career journey.

How has your affiliation with the NRF impacted your studies/career?

I believe I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without the support of the NRF. Whenever I told my mom that I was continuing my studies and reassured her that I had NRF funding, she would say, “Oh! Siyabonga, NRF” (thank you, NRF).

Throughout my postgraduate studies, I have been funded by the NRF. I received a Thuthuka grantholder-linked and ACEP Phuhlisa/NRF-SAIAB funding for my Honours; ACEP Phuhlisa/NRF-SAIAB funding for the first year of my MSc; NRF Freestanding funding for the second year, and NRF-RVCS funding for my PhD.

My internship was also through the NRF, and I am currently undertaking the PDP Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the NRF.

What is your area of expertise?

My research focuses on pollution in marine ecosystems, exploring its complex causes stemming from human activities and climate change, its risk effects, and potential mitigation solutions. The nature-based solutions are promising practices in mitigating the climate effect, hence my research interest also focuses on using biogenic intertidal shellfish organisms, e.g. mussels & oysters, as bioremediators of metal pollution along South Africa’s south coast.

My expertise encompasses marine and coastal ecology, which involves understanding the dynamics of coastal ecosystems and the interactions among various marine species and their environments.

Additionally, my knowledge of chemical pollution and toxicology helps me understand the properties of pollutants, their sources, pathways, effects on marine organisms, and their impact on the food web using stable isotopes and the potential impact on human health. I also focus on remediation techniques, such as bioremediation, to mitigate pollution.

Why is your work/studies important?

Given the ongoing degradation of marine ecosystems due to climate change and pollution, this research is crucial for both South Africa and the global community. It addresses real-world environmental issues relevant to current studies on marine pollution and coastal conservation.

Health organisations, such as the WHO, have highlighted the detrimental impact of excessive toxic metals in coastal environments – both on the ecosystem and human health. Therefore, monitoring and mitigating pollution, particularly metal contamination, in coastal areas is essential for environmental and societal well-being.

I am dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge in my field and aim to achieve this through interdisciplinary research, collaborating with experts from various fields to develop holistic approaches to tackling marine pollution.

What are some of your proudest academic achievements?

Achieving my PhD after being told that it’s not for everyone is the proudest academic achievement for me – I am proud to say that I am not everyone, but I am me. My scientific contributions are available on my ORCiD profile.

The rights to this article (content and images) are reserved by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. This work is licenced under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED) license: this implies that the article may be republished (shared) on other websites, but the article may not be altered or built upon in any way. Credit must be given to the National Research Foundation and a link provided back to the original article.

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