South Africa mourns groundbreaking female nuclear scientist

The government confirmed that Senamile Masango, the first black female nuclear scientist in South Africa, was a pioneer who set out to inspire young women, who had passed away at the age of 37.

Ms. Masango, known as the “Queen of Science” by some South Africa, died on Sunday. The reason for her death is unknown.

Vice President Paul Mashatile said she was “a beacon of hope for many young people, especially women”.

Despite her success, she said she faced discrimination from black women because she often had to prove that she knew what she was talking about.

Nevertheless, her unwavering determination earned her respect in her field.

Ms. Masango is the first African woman to conduct an experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the world's largest particle physics laboratory.

A statement from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in South Africa said: “Masango’s relentless efforts to promote scientific education and empowerment, especially among women and disadvantaged communities will be deeply missed.”

Ms. Masango's mother was born in 1987 in the village of Nongoma, a rural village of Kwazulu-Natal, which is the historical location of the Zulu monarchy and is The royal princess, her father is an outstanding figure.

She grew up in a polygamous family with the youngest of three wives.

She told local newspaper Sowetan Live that it was a challenging home setup, but she learned how to stand up for herself.

Her parents quickly realized her early passion for learning and encouraged her to read widely.

At 11, her geography teacher talked about astronauts, sparking a lifelong interest in science.

She told Global Citizens that I was so fascinated that I learned that some people were heading to space – leaving this dimension – going to the moon. ”.

“That was when I fell in love with science.”

Ms. Masango recruited research physics at the 16-year-old University of Zululand, but after she became pregnant and failed some modules, she had to drop out.

With the support of her family, she returned to earn her degree, and later earned her master’s degree in nuclear physics from the Western Cape University and graduated with honors.

Sadly, her daughter died in a seven-year-old car accident.

In addition to her academic achievements, Ms. Masango has also established a foundation dedicated to encouraging young women to pursue science.

“Girls discouraged the acceptance of science at a very young age; this is the root cause of the lack of women in the nuclear space,” she said.

Her extraordinary achievements include being named one of South Africa’s most successful Black Female Scientists in 2019 and earning a place for the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans on the Science and Technology list.

In 2022, she won the prestigious International Women in Science Award and recognized her profound impact on the scientific community.

But throughout his career, Ms. Masango faces misogyny – a discrimination that black women face because of race and gender.

“The biggest challenge in my career is my skin color. If you look like me, no one believes you; you have to prove that you know your job, you can think of it!”

“There are still very few black female scientists. This means it's hard for women like me to prove that they are worth twice as much,” she said.

However, she persists in using her journey to help inspire a new generation, fearless and bold in pursuing science.