Tebello Nyokong

Tebello Nyokong(born 20 October 1951) is a South African chemist and distinguished professor at Rhodes University, and a recipient of South Africa's Order of Mapungubwe. She received the L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science representing Africa and the Arab States in 2009, the South African Chemical Institute Gold Medal in 2012, and was named one of the Top 10 Most Influential Women in Science and Technology in Africa by IT News Africa.

Quotes

Tebello Nyokong’s Letter to her 18-year-old Self

Dear Tebello

• I know you think you are poor. You have to wear second hand clothes and often walked barefoot to school in winter when you were young. The other learners laugh at you since you are not as well off as they are. But you get the top marks in mathematics and science. You see, being poor in material things does not make your brain also poor. What matters is that you are focused, disciplined and respectful. * Remember you grew up herding sheep and had to fend for yourself from the boys in the fields? That you had to go to school on alternate days and you had to do many other jobs which boys had to do such as working in the construction company, which involved mixing cement, laying bricks, etc? All this hard work was good for you. It gave you discipline and taught you never to shy away from hard work. It gave you the strong belief in yourself and capabilities. And you you learned all you had to do while maintaining your pride and dignity. What about your family? Will they understand why you need to go to University? Let me tell you, they will not. They would like you to work and support your brother and sister so they can complete their schooling. Also Tebello, remember that even though you are good in mathematics and general science, you decided not to do these two subjects when you entered high school? Do you know why? Let me tell you. You listened to your peers. Be wary of peers. You have always been an independent thinker. You never went along with the crowd. Why start now? Eventually, with two years of high school left, you realize that arts is not for you. So you are now doing Physics, Biology and Chemistry and an advanced mathematics course. You are worried that you cannot do all the courses in two years. But you will, since you are excited about being a scientist. Do you doubt you can make it? Do you think you have what it takes to be a scientist? Let me tell you this: you do have what it takes. You like nature, this may have come from your shepherd days. You like to ask deep questions about your environment and you like to fix things around the house. You like to see plants grow, you love to listen to birds and identify them. You do not realize that this is what science is about. Being a scientist means being in touch with your environment, having an inquisitive mind and asking questions about how things work. You like challenges, you like to do the impossible. All the hard work you did when you were younger was preparing you for the discipline needed for doing in TWO years what others did in THREE years. Yes, you will have to work very hard to catch up with the others, but then I know you would never shy away. You will thinking of going to University, later. Your peers will be there again, telling you that you will never get married if you are too educated. They will say men do not like educated women. Are you going to listen to them again after your experience in high school? I know you, you learn your lessons very quickly. You will ignore peers this time. In fact you will encourage some of your peers to go to University with you. What about your family? Will they understand why you need to go to University? Let me tell you, they will not. They would like you to work and support your brother and sister so they can complete their schooling. You know this is fair since you were supported. The family believes you have enough education. All they wanted was for you to be more educated than they were. Now you are going too far, they are now worried about when you will get married and have children. So what are you going to do? You cannot disrespect your family. But I know you, you will find a way out. You want to remain challenged by science. So you will decide to work for a year to support your family and to see your younger sister complete her high school. And you will be even more determined to go to University. The reason is you will not enjoy your job. It will not be challenging enough for you! You believe education will equip you to have a more fulfilling career. But you have been told endlessly that women do not need a career, they just have to marry well. But you are different. You have an independent mind. You believe you can be a wife and a mother and still be a bread winner and contribute to society. And you will.
  • Tebello Nyokong’s Letter to her 18-year-old Self
• You didn’t dream too far because in that environment, there aren’t many people who have gone far.
• I completely object to the notion that there is anybody special in this world. We are all good at what we do. We just have to find a way of understanding what we want to do, and not ask for short cuts.”
• After school, I knew that I was a scientist, one way or the other. How far I would go with the science, I did not know. I didn’t know what chemistry was about, I didn’t even know what I would do with chemistry, but it was challenging and I liked it.
• I learnt a lot from being in the fields. You have to learn about the birds. You have to learn the sounds. That is science, you know. You had to learn in the field what kind of plants are edible, and so science started there in my view. I think that is when a scientist was born.
  • [1]
• Our whole aim is to make molecules that are cancer-specific so that healthy tissue will not be affected.
• In our research, PDT is combined with nanoparticles that absorb and re-emit light, thus enabling for visualization in addition to cancer treatment. In cancer therapy, nanoparticles act as delivery agents of the drugs selectively to the cancer tissue.
• At the start my father influenced my path. He believed that the apartheid system could only be defeated through education and I was encouraged to excel at a very young age.
• The teachers accepted me after this mad move from arts to science and when I entered the University of Lesotho, I was greatly influenced by my lecturer, Dr Gray. After that I was driven by my desire to beat the odds.
• I had academic loneliness, since there were very few women when I started. Now my past students have become professors and are my academic colleagues.
• I am driven by being an African, completely, I’m passionate to see us succeed.
• I urge all young people in the country to study to the highest possible level [PhD]. The development of South Africa will depend on highly skilled labor. No country can have lasting economic.
• Sometimes I think gosh, that is not me. I’m just doing my work, that’s all it is. I love my students and I embarrass them a lot sometimes.
  • From Shepherd To scientist

• I keep telling people I’m no longer a role model, I’m too old, too straight and not hip enough.
• There were no role models to look up to back then. You just learned to follow your peers. They told me science was too hard and way beyond me, but I was adamant I wanted to do it and with two years left switched courses.
• I was brought up to work hard, whether it was as a young shepherd or working long hours mixing cement and concrete for my father’s company. I was just used to touching things. Now when I talk to schools or parents, the first thing I say, is let your children touch and explore, it’s the first path to science.
• In South Africa we have this system that constantly strives for 100% pass rates at schools. Many of the teachers themselves find science hard, as very few are trained in teaching the discipline, and therefore under great pressure, they discourage students from courses. It is a deeply flawed system.
  • Challenging expectations
• Science is not just part of our culture, it is part of our everyday life, and role models are crucial in promoting this. I didn’t have any, other than my teachers. Nobody knew what a chemist was back then. Students need people to look up to, as well as a mentality of if someone from that background can do it, why can’t I?” exclaims Nyokong, who often refers to her humble background as proof of this.
• Over the years I have become very passionate in making people aware of science in the marketplace. I used to run a programme for high school learners where I would take them to the supermarket and show them how the products they buy everyday are influenced or impacted on by science.
  • Changing attitudes
• South Africa has made the right policies and in terms of output is beginning to show on the world map. Where the limitations are noticeable and the government is very aware of, is taking those outputs, not all but some, and turning them into products through innovation. That is where we really struggle.”
• When I collaborate internationally, I see a culture where scientists will pitch an innovative idea to the industry and a company can choose to take or fund it if they are interested. However in South Africa, we just don’t have that, which puts a lot of strain on the market. My frustration comes on the medical side. I’m not into development, I’m into research and training young people to develop, and if industries, particularly pharmaceutical industries and others were to really invest in research, we would see a massive boost in productivity.”
  • Cutting edge of science
• Many students in Africa have excellent theoretical scientific knowledge, but lack the tools for research. It is a travesty in a continent where we need that critical mass of young people with great ideas coming through academia. It is worrying because many of the productive researchers at African universities are aging and there is a major gap in between developing.
• We immediately needed engineers and could have trained many in South Africa and neighbouring African countries if we had young people with maths and science from high school. Sadly, the harsh truth was we didn’t have enough and work was outsourced.
  • Africa’s Innovation Chasm
• The aim is to take African lecturers in and equip them with the right training before sending them back to their respective classrooms. Many go back with a renewed confidence and vigour, but frustratingly return to facilities that are not fit to teach or carry out research.
  • Building for the future