AFRICA | 26-year-old, Shavani Naicker has made history at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), graduating with a PhD in Applied Mathematics and becoming the youngest in the school’s 2025 set to achieve the milestone.
Her academic journey began at the same institution (UKZN), where she first earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Astrophysics in 2019. The following year, she completed her honors in Applied Mathematics, earning summa cum laude distinctions.
Driven by a passion for learning and discovery, she went on to earn a master’s degree before enrolling for her doctorate, all at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Shavani's Story and How She Did It
Shavani’s fascination with the mysteries of the universe began in childhood. Inspired by the legacies of Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and Isaac Newton, she naturally found herself drawn to astrophysics and mathematics.
Her interest deepened during her honours program, where the influence of one of her academic advisors, Dr Byron Brassel, helped her commit fully to a future in research.
Shavanni carried out her research under the Astrophysics Research Centre (ARC), South Africa’s foremost institution for gravitational studies.
Her PhD focused on a highly complex area of theoretical physics, ”Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, which builds on Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity by exploring gravity in higher dimensions.
Shavani’s work involved solving difficult nonlinear equations to understand how stars and other massive objects behave in conditions where classical physics no longer holds.
Despite the complexity, she successfully derived new solutions that now contribute to global research efforts in astronomy and cosmology.
Now a postdoctoral fellow at ARC, Shavani continues her research with support from the National Research Foundation’s Scarce Skills.
Shavani plans to become a professor and eventually lead the research centre with the aspiration to guide and inspire the next generation of scientists.
For Shavani, earning a PhD in applied mathematics is more than a personal achievement; it is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. It reflects her years of hard work, resilience, and a deep curiosity about the cosmos.
As she continues to make her mark in science, she hopes her journey becomes a source of inspiration, especially to young women who dream of thriving in the world of STEM.
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