Dr Tebogo Mashifana has achieved an impressive academic and professional track record. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Civil Engineering, a Master of Science (MSc) Cum-laude in Chemical Engineering, a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) Cum-laude in Chemical Engineering, a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, and a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Industry, all from the University of Johannesburg. She also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Regent Business School.
Dr Mashifana is a Professional Engineering Technologist registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa. She has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters. Her excellence in teaching and research has earned her several awards, including the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for promising young teacher of the year, the Dean’s Award for the top-achieving staff member in the Faculty of Engineering, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) Award for Emerging Researchers.
In addition to her academic and professional achievements, Dr Mashifana is a Golden Key International Honour Society Honorary member, a Goodwill Global Ambassador, an Advocate for Education and STEM, and a founding member of Dr Tebogo Mashifana and Partners Foundation, an organization focused on community upliftment projects and youth empowerment. She is also a successful entrepreneur and innovator.
Dr Mashifana’s dedication to empowering young girls and women to pursue careers in STEM is a notable aspect of her work. She mentors and encourages them to develop their skills and capacities. She devotes her time to transferring knowledge and empowering them through human capacity development.
However, Dr Mashifana’s success story was not without hard work and perseverance. She spent hours in the lab, sweating, and working on samples while being employed full-time. Dr Mashifana even worked in the lab until her feet got swollen, standing for hours after spending the whole day lecturing in the classroom.
Dr Mashifana’s story is one of resilience, dedication, and perseverance. She encourages young people to embrace the process, endure their lows, and rise to their higher levels. Through her work and accomplishments, Dr Mashifana has become a trailblazer in engineering, entrepreneurship, and empowerment.
