The first black nuclear scientist in South Africa, Senamila Masango, Trailblazer who intended to inspire young women, died at the age of 37, the government confirmed.
Mrs. Mashango, whom some in South Africa called the “Queen of Science,” passed away on Sunday. The cause of her death is unknown.
Terrible and ambitious, “she was hoping for many young people, especially women,” said Deputy President Paul Mashatile.
Despite her success, she said that she faced discrimination as a brunette because she kept having to prove that she knew what she was talking about.
Still, her unwavering determination deserved her deep respect in her field.
Mrs. Mashango was the first African to join the team to run Africa to conduct experiments at the European Nuclear Research Organization (CERN), which is the world’s largest parcel physics laboratory.
“The relentless efforts of Masango to promote scientific education and empowerment, especially among women and communities in an adverse position, will be deeply missed,” the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in South Africa said.
Born in 1987, in the rural village of Nongoma, Kwazulu-Nanal, the historical headquarters of the Zulu Monarchy, Mrs. Mashango’s mother was a princess in the royal family, and her father was a prominent figure.
She grew up in a polygamous family and her mother was the youngest of three women.
It was a challenging family lineup, she told the local newspaper Sowtan Live, but she learned how to advocate for herself.
Her parents quickly recognized her early passion for learning and encouraged her to read broadly.
In 11, a geography teacher spoke about astronauts, causing a lifelong interest in science.
“I was so fascinated when I found out that there were people who travel to space – they leave this dimension – and go to a month,” she told Global Citizen, a organization dedicated to the end of extreme poverty.
“Then I fell in love with science.”
Mrs. Mashango enrolled at the University of Zululand at the age of 16 to study physics, but after pregnancy and missed some models, she had to leave.
With the support of her family, she returned to graduate from her diploma, and later acquired MSC from nuclear physics at Western Cape University, graduating with decoration.
It is tragic that her daughter died in an accident of cars at the age of seven.
In addition to her academic achievements, Ms. Masanongo founded a foundation dedicated to encouraging young women to continue science.
“The girls are discouraged at an early age from taking scientific subjects; this is the fundamental cause of the lack of women in the nuclear space,” she said.
Her extraordinary achievements included the appointment of one of the most successful scientists from a black woman in southern Africa under the age of 35 in 2019 and earn a place on the list of Mail & Guardian 200 young South Africans in science and technology.
2022 received the prestigious International Women in Science Award, recognizing her deep impact on the scientific community.
But throughout her career, Mrs. Masango faced Misoginoir – with whom discriminatory blacks face because of her race and gender.
“The biggest challenge in my career is my skin color. If you look like me, no one believes in you; you have to prove that you know your job and that you can think!”
“There are still very few black man scientists. This means that women like me have to work twice as difficult to prove their value,” she said.
Still, she persisted, using her way to help inspire a new generation to fearlessly and bravely follow science.
