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16 August 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)
New member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences - Prof Pearl Sithole

Social scientist and Vice-Principal: Academic and Research on the Qwaqwa Campus, Prof Pearl Sithole, was appointed by Pope Francis as a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences for her stellar work in social sciences. 
Academicians are appointed by the Pope on the basis of their competencies in the social sciences and their moral integrity.

Prof Sithole said she was looking forward to sharing meaning and impact with the world through a space dedicated to the social sciences. “It’s a great honour. I’m feeling really humbled. The social sciences and humanities are a hugely necessary space to make meaning of the world, but for some reason, in the pecking order, they were relegated to a space that is thought of last. This appointment is to a dedicated space – to say, let’s look at issues through that lens.”
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by Pope John Paul II in 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law, and political science. To achieve its aims, the academy organises conferences and workshops on specific themes, promotes scientific surveys and research, and publishes publications. 

Prof Sithole said the academy provides a wonderful way of reminding academicians of the importance of relating science to the real world. 

“What I like about it is that it demystifies science. It says, be excellent in your field but be able to converse for impact, be able to come to a forum that worries about specific issues, it still encourages publications and pure science/scientific endeavours, advancements in their field, but sometimes people come together to look at an issue from various angles. For me, it’s such a wonderful way of saying we must remember that we are doing science in order to relate to the world, not just to understand for the sake of understanding,” she said.

Make a genuine effort to make a difference in whatever you do, and your work will speak for itself.- Prof Pearl Sithole. 

The appointment also coincides with Women’s Month, and Prof Sithole said she takes great pride in her womanhood. 

“I am a mother and a daughter. I strive to pinpoint problems and offer solutions. I am a social scientist. I’ve made it a mission to study how systems affect people by infusing humanity within the systems. Women have been made to be apologetic about the qualities that define us as women, which we bring especially into leadership. I don’t apologise for my emotions. I don’t apologise for my multitasking abilities; however, I do feel that women are often abused for having these.”

What would you say makes you a UFS woman of quality, impact, and care?

I am the sort of person who strongly believes that your work should speak for itself. I don’t work for accolades. My approach to life is to work genuinely to make a difference, and your work will speak for itself. If you wake up every day to genuinely make a difference, it is enough. You get a lot of satisfaction in life, and you sleep better because you know you have given it your best, and you know that sometimes you can actually see it making a difference.

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

I would say, be true to yourself. At a younger age, you want to chase all sorts of aspirations that look glamorous, which is not a bad thing, because you have to have appetite; but in your appetite for excellence and as someone who lives for a purpose, be true to yourself. Be able to design a life that aspires, but at the same time be adaptable to what you discover your strengths to be.

News Archive

Geology researcher wins international photographic contest
2017-06-02

Description: Dr Elizaveta Kovaleva Tags: Dr Elizaveta Kovaleva

In this winning photo, “Movement of the ancient sand”,
Dr Matthew Huber, postdoctoral research fellow in the
Department of Geology at UFS, is scaling an outcrop
of sandstone (former sand dunes) in the Zion National
Park in the US.
Photo: Dr Elizaveta Kovaleva


Dr Elizaveta Kovaleva and Dr Matthew Huber, postdoctoral research fellows in the Department of Geology at the University of the Free State (UFS), attended the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly in Vienna, Austria in April 2017, where Dr Kovaleva was declared a winner of the EGU photo contest with a photograph entitled “Movement of the ancient sand”.

Submitting the winning photo
Each participant could submit up to three photos to participate in the contest before the conference. From all the photographs 10 were selected and displayed for the entire week at the assembly so participants could vote for their three favourite photos. At the end of the week three winners were selected. The prize winners received a free EGU book of their choice, free registration for next year’s EGU and an option to judge the photo competition next year. The photos will be printed on postcards next year, so all participants can send them wherever they want around the globe.

“The picture was taken in the Zion National Park in the US. Myself and Dr Huber were travelling around the western states, visiting national parks. The person in the picture is Dr Huber,” said Dr Kovaleva.

Dr Kovaleva was also invited to participate - as a recently published author - in a workshop, called: ”Publishing in EGU journals: Solid Earth and Earth Surface Dynamics – Meet the Editors”.

At the assembly, Dr Kovaleva attended sessions on Tectonics and Structural Geology as well as on Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Petrology and Volcanology. These sessions were especially interesting in the scope of her research and are directly related to it. “I am a metamorphic petrologist, and with my PhD, I essentially studied microstructures. At the moment, I am studying the Vredefort impact crater, which has experienced both metamorphism and deformation,” she said.

“The winning photos will be printed on postcards,
so all participants can send them wherever they
want around the globe”.

Building scientific connections
For both researchers, the assembly was an opportunity to meet former colleagues and professors from universities all over the world and shake hands with authors whose papers and work they were familiar with, but had never met in person.

“EGU is a perfect opportunity to build scientific connections and relationships, advertise your research and start new collaborations and projects,” said Dr Kovaleva.

The EGU General Assembly 2017 was a great success, with 4 849 oral, 11 312 poster, and 1 238 PICO presentations. Some 649 unique scientific sessions, together with 88 short courses and 322 side events, created an interesting programme. At the conference 14 496 scientists from 107 countries participated, of whom 53% were under the age of 35. Thirty one were from South Africa.

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