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06 August 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Charl Devenish
Poojah Jawallapersand strives for academic excellence and to empower others through research and innovation.

As South Africa commemorates Women’s Day on 9 August 2020 and continues Women’s Month celebrations throughout August, the UFS shines a spotlight on women who are making an impact on our three campuses on a daily basis.

One of these women is Poojah Jawallapersand, a PhD student majoring in Biochemistry. Poojah is part of the Pathogenic Yeast Research Group in the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology. 

In her current research study, she is investigating whether fungal yeast cells and components from the opportunistic and fungal pathogen Candida albicans can cause Alzheimer’s disease-like symptoms, and if these symptoms can be effectively treated through drug repositioning. The study is being conducted on zebrafish larvae.

Jawallapersand explains that drug repositioning is a drug development strategy that involves finding alternative indications for existing licensed drugs for novel therapeutic purposes. “In short, the use of old drugs for new uses. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, hence this research will pave the way towards identifying effective treatment options to treat the disease,” she says. 

“Be confident and dare to be yourself because you are worth more than you think.” - Poojah Jawallapersand

An interview with Jawallapersand reveals more about the woman behind this much-needed research study. 

Is there a woman who inspires you and who you would like to celebrate this Women’s Month, and why?

“My mother and Mrs Deeya Domah (my high-school teacher) constantly inspire me and have played a pivotal role in my life. My mother taught me the value of life, encouraged me to embrace my cultural heritage and spirituality, and always urged me to be ‘original’.”

“As a teenager, Mrs Domah introduced me and made me fall in love with the study of life (biology), to the extent that I made a career out of it. She inspired me through her timeless elegance and passion for teaching and learning, her willingness to go the extra mile in helping her students, her role in environmental and ecological sustainability, her support towards the empowerment of women, and her influence as an educator and role model in the lives of numerous individuals.”

What are some challenges you have faced in your life that have made you a better woman?

“Although I have experienced several challenges in my life, the greatest challenge for me is still to master my mind and emotions. It is vital to have a strong support system to overcome these challenges; for me, this has always been my faith, my parents, and my sister. I am glad that I have gone through these trials; they taught me how to deal with some issues, to stay enthusiastic, to appreciate myself, to practice self-love, and to master the art of constantly picking myself up when I fall. I am still a work in progress and strive daily for self-improvement. However, I have become stronger, more resilient, and a better woman because of these challenges.”

What advice would you give to the 15-year-old you?

“Enjoy your adolescence, have fun, make memories, live these moments, and do not rush into adulthood. Stop trying to please other people and learn to say ‘no’. Be confident and dare to be yourself because you are worth more than you think.”

What would you say makes you a champion woman [of the UFS]?

“I am a champion woman of the UFS; I embrace my uniqueness, and I strive for academic excellence and to empower others through research and innovation. I say no to discrimination, no to gender-based violence, and no to gender inequality. I am generation equality, and this is my legacy.”

 

News Archive

UFS welcomes Constitutional Court’s ruling on its Language Policy
2017-12-29



The executive management of the University of the Free State (UFS) welcomes today’s judgement by the Constitutional Court in favour of the university’s Language Policy. The judgement follows an appeal lodged by AfriForum against the judgement and order delivered by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on the implementation of the UFS Language Policy on 28 March 2017. 
 
In a majority ruling, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng denied AfriForum’s application for leave to appeal the SCA’s ruling, and said the UFS Council’s approval of the Language Policy was lawful and constitutionally valid. The court found that the adoption of the Language Policy was neither inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution, nor did it violate the Constitutional rights of any students and/or staff members of the UFS.
 
Today’s landmark judgement is not only paving the way for the UFS to continue with the implementation plan for its Language Policy as approved by the UFS Council on 11 March 2016, but it is also an indication of the value which the university’s decision to change its Language Policy to English as primary medium of instruction has on higher education in South Africa.
 
“The judgement by the Constitutional Court is not a victory against Afrikaans as language. The UFS will continue to develop Afrikaans as an academic language. A key feature of the UFS Language Policy is flexibility and the commitment to strive for a truly multilingual environment. Today’s judgement allows the UFS to proceed with the implementation of its progressive approach to a language-rich environment that is committed to multilingualism,” says Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.
 
According to Prof Petersen, the UFS is dedicated to the commitments in the Language Policy and, in particular, to make sure that language development is made available to students in order to ensure their success as well as greater levels of academic literacy – especially in English. This includes contributing to the development of Sesotho and isiZulu as higher-education languages within the context of the needs of the different UFS campuses.
 
“We can now continue to ensure that language is not used or perceived as a tool for the social exclusion of staff and/or students on any of the three campuses, and continue to promote a pragmatic learning and administrative environment committed to and accommodative to linguistic diversity within the regional, national, and international environments in which the UFS operates,” says Prof Petersen.
 
The UFS is the first university in South Africa appearing before the Constitutional Court regarding its Language Policy. 
 
During 2017, the Faculties of Health Sciences, the Humanities, and Law started with the implementation of the new Language Policy at first-year level. This includes the presentation of tutorials in Afrikaans. The remaining faculties will start implementing the policy as from 2018.

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

Related articles:
UFS welcomes unanimous judgement about its Language Policy in the Supreme Court of Appeal (28 March 2017)
Judgement in the Supreme Court of Appeal about UFS Language Policy (17 November 2016)
Implications of new Language Policy for first-year students in 2017 (17 October 2016)
UFS to proceed with appealing to Supreme Court of Appeal regarding new Language Policy (29 September 2016)
UFS to lodge application to appeal judgment about new Language Policy (22 July 2016)
High Court ruling about new UFS Language Policy (21 July 2016)
UFS Council approves a new Language Policy (11 March 2016)

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