Young Swazi scientist makes it big in the US

MBABANE – A Swazi scientist recently got an opportunity of a lifetime in the United States to work on attachment at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).

This is a US Department of Energy institute focusing on scientific initiatives to research health risks from occupational hazards and assess environmental cleanup. It also responds to radiation medical emergencies, support national security and emergency preparedness and also educates the next generation of scientists.

Thembi Mdluli, who hails from Makhosini in Nhlangano, has been with ORISE since last month. She is doing a post baccalaureate research fellowship and works in a virology laboratory doing research on viruses.

"I run immunoassays to determine neutralisation of some viruses by their respective antibodies. One challenge of my lab work is the fact that I’m working with highly concentrated disease causing viruses."

"So caution is highly required. I need to have all my concentration all the time to prevent contamination and causing outbreaks of diseases," she explained.

The 24 year old says being in the USA and seeing how things operate in their health system has inspired her to be involved in the improvement of health systems of developing countries, especially Swaziland.

Looking back at her life, Mdluli said she started her education at Bhunya Primary School and proceeded to Ngwane Practising Primary School. She attended high school at Nyamane High and finished in 2003.

"I was good in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. I then got a scholarship to do International Baccalaureate (IB) at Waterford kaMhlaba, United World Colleges of Southern Africa (UWCSA). I succeeded in getting a scholarship with John Hopkins University to do my undergraduate in 2006," said Mdluli.

The university is located in Baltimore, Maryland state. This year she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Applied Mathematics and Statistics.

She said the opportunity to do work at ORISE came through her university contacts. The university sent out research opportunities available to recent graduates according to their fields of studies.

"I’m doing a fellowship programme with ORISE but my contract is with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). I don’t get paid, I only get a stipend for what I do," she said.

Mdluli is a scientist that strongly believes in God and therefore attributes all her achievements to Him.

"I don’t know whether to call Him an inspiration, but I think God is always an anchor of my everyday life. I believe He works to inspire me through my mom, dad, sister and brothers," she added.

When she has enough spare time, Mdluli volunteers for social justice organisations and churches in her residential area (Washington). She also reads a lot of fiction and poetry and is also learning how to play the guitar.

In a space of five to 10 years she plans to do her PhD and then come back to Swaziland.

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