Prof Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya

It is my second term as an NRF Board Member and I serve on the Research Development Committee. In this role, I have contributed to the governance of the organisation in the advancement of its mandate, and ensuring that it remains relevant and continues to occupy a significant space in the NSI sector towards a transformed research and innovation society that improves the quality of life for all.

I am the Founding Director of the first-ever South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)/University of Johannesburg (UJ) Pan-African Centre for Epidemics Research (PACER) Extramural Unit; a Scarce Skills Professor (Full Professor) of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences, UJ; a Research Associate at the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA; a Visiting Scholar at the Pan-African University of Life and Earth Sciences Institute; and a Mentor for the Department of Higher Education and Training Future Professors Programme.

I have put my institution, the University of Johannesburg, on an upward trajectory by successfully acquiring PACER, a 15-year partnership initiative between SAMRC and UJ with an annual baseline funding of R1m based on my scientific stature: “The most important criterion for the EMU is the scientific excellence of the individual applying as the Unit Director (UD). The UD, as Principal Investigator, is expected to be a scientist of note with an outstanding publication track record, including several highly-cited articles. The awarding of EMU flows from the track record of scientific leadership of the UD, as demonstrated by the number of impactful scientific papers from studies led by the UD. Further consideration is accorded to the UD’s leadership, stature, track record, as well as recognition by peers in the field.”  – SAMRC-RFA-EMU-06-2021, criteria for EMUs

This is an historic achievement for UJ, contributing specifically to new research entities, strengthened research infrastructure, individual and institutional research capacities, and broadly to national building, societal impact, pan-Africanism, global excellence, and internationalisation. I have developed PACER as a credible mechanism for epidemiological and public health research training – building the new generation of scientists for handling current epidemics, future pandemic preparedness, and sustenance of the knowledge enterprise.

In this role, I have successfully led research teams, administered projects, and collaborated with researchers locally and internationally, e.g. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public, Baltimore, USA; Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA; and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana, in conducting cutting-edge HIV research projects in over 30 African countries. The studies provided strategic information to inform comprehensive and equitable HIV responses; guide the design strategies to expand national and continental programmes; disrupt HIV interventions and policies; inform future research directions, and strengthen the public health care system using robust novel scientific methods that also informed vital national statistics.

In my role, I have expanded professional contacts and networks, and enabled the scale-up of proven interventions and approaches. 

I have nurtured cohorts of emerging scientists – recruited, initiated, sustained, and supported them in research careers; and exposed them to research mentorships, networks, memberships, Fellowships, internships, and supervisions within my research projects.

What inspired you to become the leader that you are today?

I reached the pinnacle of my science career despite a severe shortage of African women who ascended to scientific leadership due to a number of factors. Coming from a humble family in Limpopo Province, being one of the seven children, and raised by semi-literate parents, the prospects of being a research or science leader seemed far-fetched. However, through my noble vision to make a meaningful difference, living a life of higher moral purpose seeking to change society for the better, motivated by targets, governed by goals as well as Christian parental teachings while I was still young, I developed strong personal values and principles of hard work, determination, perseverance, and focus that attracted mentors of influence, virtue, and stature.

My mentors became a support system that ignited my passion to pursue my research career against all odds, exposed me to greater opportunities, and exploited my potential which led to me becoming an award-winning scientist, scarce-skills Professor, a qualified epidemiologist, and an excellent public health scientist, a woman in science leadership, research management, and governance who has been honoured institutionally, nationally, and internationally including as the Queen of Research in the Abeadze Kingdom, Central Ghana.

I have become publicly recognised as a titan against HIV, a science role model, a science superstar, a world-class scientist, and a science ambassador in my field.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Believe in yourself: When I was young, I never thought I could be where I am today. I doubted myself. I lacked self-confidence.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?”  -Marianne Williamson

Do not judge your career success by your background. Your humble background is not a measuring stick of how far you can go.

Never stop learning. When I was young, I thought that learning was a once-off process where you go to university, get your degree and that’s it. Over the years, I have learned that life is a life-long process of self-discovery and self-mastery. Throughout my career, I moved from learning curve to learning curve, sometimes not even realising how useful each learning curve would become in the future. What differentiated me from others was the learning curves I went through.