The first nuclear scientist in South Africa, Senamile Masango, Trailblazer, who undertook to inspire young women, died at 37, the government confirmed.
Masango, called the Queen of Science by some in South Africa, died on Sunday. The cause of her death is unknown.
Headstrong and ambitious, she “was a beacon of hope for many young people, especially for women,” said a statement by Deputy President Paul Mashsht.
Despite her success, she said she was facing discrimination as a black woman, as she constantly had to prove that she knew what she was talking about.
Nevertheless, her unwavering determination gained deep respect in her area.
Ms. Masango was the first African woman to join an African team, conducting experiments at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), which is the largest particle physics laboratory in the world.
“Masango's tireless efforts to promote scientific education and empowerment, especially among women and disadvantaged communities, will be deeply missed,” a statement from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in South Africa said.
Born in 1987 in the village village of Nongoma, Quazulu-Naal, the historical seat of Zulu's monarchy, Mrs. Masango's mother was a princess in the royal family, and her father was a prominent figure.
She grew up in a polygamy family, with her mother being the youngest of three wives.
It was a challenging family setting, she told the local Sowetan Live newspaper, but learned how to stand up for herself.
Her parents quickly recognized her early passion for learning and encouraged her to read broadly.
At the age of 11, her geography teacher spoke about astronauts, provoking interest throughout life in science.
“I was so fascinated to learn that there are people traveling to space – leave this dimension – and go to the moon,” she told Global Citizen, an organization dedicated to termination of final povertyS
“Then I fell in love with science.”
Masango signed up at the University of Zulland at 16 to study physics, but after getting pregnant and failing some modules, she had to drop.
With the support of her family, she returned to complete her diploma and later won a master's degree in nuclear physics at the University of Western Cape, graduating with honors.
It is tragic that her daughter died in a car accident at seven years.
Beyond its academic achievements, Masango has set up a foundation dedicated to the encouragement of young women to continue science.
“The girls are discouraged at an early age to accept science subjects; this is the main reason for the lack of women in the nuclear space,” she said.
Her remarkable achievements included that she was named one of the most successful scientists from black women in South Africa under 35 in 2019 and winning the list of 200 young South Africans at Mail & Guardian in Science and Technology.
In 2022, she received the prestigious international award for women in science, recognizing her deep impact on the scientific community.
But throughout her career, Masango has faced Misogynoir – the discrimination that black women face because of their race and gender.
“The biggest challenge in my career is the color of my skin. If you look like me, no one believes in you; you have to prove that you know your work and that you can think!”
“There are still very few scientists from black women. This means that women like me have to work twice as difficult to prove their value,” she said.
Still, she stubbornly, using her journey to help inspire a new generation to pursue a fearless and bold science.