Name: Phylis Makurunje
Role/Occupation: Materials Engineer
Country: South Africa
Phylis Makurunje’s work revolves around one of the biggest concerns facing the materials industry when it comes to building hyper-fast aircrafts- creating aircrafts using the appropriate materials to withstand the high temperatures experienced at hypersonic flight. At hypersonic speeds most metals melt. “As such, the aim is to have reusable materials that give the planes as many flights as possible before replacement. That is why I work on ultra-high temperature composites (UHTCs),” says Makurunje.
Makurunje’s childhood dream was to make a helicopter one day. She was not entirely sure how to achieve her dream but pursued a career in STEM. She achieved a BEng (Bachelor of Engineering) in Chemical Engineering from the National University of Science and Technology. She then worked in the metallurgical industry for a few years after which she enrolled for MSc Materials Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. It was here that the doors to outer space world opened for her and she began an incredible journey of working on UHTCs for rockets and future hypersonic space aeroplanes which can travel across continents in just one hour. She reached the realisation that she, “had incredibly leaped into [her] childhood dream field with the opportunity to work on aerospace materials.” And hence she proceeded with doctoral studies, following her MSc and has also been simultaneously working in the armour materials industry. With time, the “Materials Engineer” label has replaced the “Chemical Engineer” one.
She wakes up every morning and asks herself, “Why can’t it be from Africa?” “Why can’t it be inexpensive?” “Why can’t it be accessible to all?” Makurunje thinks on these questions as she handles the challenges that come her way. She feels, “Just like the Internet of Things revolutionised the globe and essentially how everything is running our lives today, the Space of Things as I call it, is the next revolution and it is already here,” and is constantly driven by the potential impact that space technologies have on humanity.
She describes her experience as a woman in the STEM field as having “been fun, fascinating and, of course, one’s fortitude has to be continually put to the test.” Makurunje believes one of the biggest issues facing women in STEM is mentorship, “Mentoring efforts that have gathered significant momentum are mostly directed at school-going girls. When young women try to reach out to women in STEM who have made it, they usually get no response at all or a passive one.” She feels that good mentoring at this level should be modelled and promoted and that senior STEM women should volunteer as dedicated mentors.
Makurunje believes like many others that the 21st century may belong to Africa, “It is up to Africa to shake off the historical narrative of perpetually trailing on technological issues.” Many African countries have already increased the number of school students taking STEM subjects. Her message to the continent is simple and succinct yet insightful, “Enlarge your capacity. Spread out. Think big. Spare not.”
Read more about Phylis Makurunje as she travels through the STEM world faster than hypersonic flight, setting the STEM world alight with her bright ideas.
Phylis Makurunje was interviewed by Dhruti Dheda, the founder of the African Steminist on behalf of Geeky Girl Reality. The full interview can be found here.
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