Cerene Rathilal is a mathematician who wants to positively impact the education system by ensuring that educators have the skill sets required to teach maths in engaging ways.
Her pursuit of this is refined by personal lessons concerning career choices and connected with creativity and compassion through her programme, STEM MentHER. This initiative aims to guide girls pursuing a STEM career and assist in keeping them in the field. The programme is supported by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the Northcliff Rotary Club, and involves schools, educator workshops, career festivals and mentorship programmes.
Rathilal is a pointfree topology researcher and lecturer at the UJ department of mathematics and applied mathematics. Her expertise serves collaborative efforts with colleagues, collaborators and students in Africa. She just published her first mathematics research paper in an international journal.
“I wish to see a future South Africa where gender equity in the sciences and beyond is achieved, and where women lead in significant spaces.”