The laboratory changed the direction of that journey. Her growing interest in the research around her eventually led to an opportunity to study chemistry through the University Preparatory and Extended Programme, despite not having taken science subjects at school. She went on to complete postgraduate qualifications in polymer science and a PhD, while continuing to build her academic career.
Today, her research focuses on sustainable and biodegradable polymeric materials, including applications related to water. Alongside her research, Prof Mofokeng has built experience in teaching, postgraduate supervision, and academic leadership, most recently serving as acting Subject Head of Chemistry on the University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus.
This combination is important to the CGC, because its work requires researchers to move between disciplines and between the university and the communities it serves. Prof Cias Tsotetsi, Campus Vice-Principal: Academic and Research, sees particular value in the connection between Prof Mofokeng’s research expertise and the centre’s work.
“Prof Mofokeng works in polymer science, with specialised expertise in biodegradable polymers, polymer nanocomposites, graphene oxide, and sustainable materials for water purification,” says Prof Tsotetsi. “Her research focus is therefore highly relevant, particularly given the persistent water scarcity challenges experienced in the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality.”
That relevance is especially clear in a region where water insecurity remains a longstanding concern. At the same time, Prof Mofokeng sees the CGC as a place where such challenges can be approached differently, by bringing expertise and experience from beyond a single field into the same conversation.
“Climate change, water insecurity, energy challenges, environmental degradation, and social vulnerability cannot be adequately addressed by one discipline working in isolation,” says Prof Mofokeng. “They require scientists, social scientists, communities, government, industry, and other stakeholders to bring different forms of expertise and knowledge to the same table.”
A centre grounded in its community
The approach that Prof Mofokeng describes gives the CGC a role that extends beyond producing research. Its position on the University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus places it close to communities where many of the issues under study are experienced directly.
Prof Mofokeng wants to build on that proximity by strengthening the centre’s work in water security, climate resilience, sustainable materials and technologies, energy, and environmental sustainability. She also wants to broaden collaboration across the university, nationally, and internationally, while creating opportunities for postgraduate students and emerging researchers.
That vision extends to how the centre understands the communities with which it works. Prof Mofokeng does not see local knowledge as something that should simply be collected by researchers. She wants it to form part of how research questions are shaped, and solutions are developed.
“Our role should not simply be to conduct research about communities, but increasingly to conduct research with communities and other stakeholders,” says Prof Mofokeng. “When local knowledge and lived experience are brought into conversation with scientific expertise, the solutions that emerge are more likely to be relevant, sustainable, and capable of creating meaningful impact.”
Prof Tsotetsi believes the centre can build on the work already done while gaining greater participation from researchers across different disciplines. He also points to Prof Mofokeng’s experience in securing research funding and supervising postgraduate students as assets for the centre’s continued development.
As Prof Mofokeng looks towards the next three years, she is also thinking about what she wants to leave behind. Her ambition is not simply to grow the centre’s profile, but to develop a research environment in which people and partnerships can continue to flourish beyond her tenure.
“I would consider my tenure successful if, when I eventually leave the position, the centre is stronger than I found it and the people within it are better positioned to take it even further,” says Prof Mofokeng. “Leadership should ultimately create something that continues to grow beyond the individual leader.”
The appointment brings Prof Mofokeng back into the research environment where her own curiosity first took hold. This time, however, she is not standing at the edge of the laboratory watching others conduct research. She is leading a centre that wants to take that research further, across disciplines, and into the communities whose realities give the work its urgency.
“Global challenges demand interdisciplinary thinking. The Centre for Global Change is well positioned to advance research that is both innovative and responsive. From laboratory assistant to research leader, Prof Mofokeng's achievement exemplifies the transformative power of higher education. This appointment signals a bold chapter for collaborative scholarship addressing climate resilience, water security, and social sustainability. Leadership is not only about advancing knowledge; it is about creating conditions in which others can thrive. Prof Mofokeng's appointment reflects precisely that promise,” observed Prof Reddy.