We chat to Julia Jenjezwa, a brilliant mechanical engineering graduate who has broken barriers and proven that there is no such thing as natural sciences being a preserve of the male gender. She is passionate about education, engineering, global health and the ways in which they intersect.
Tell us a bit about yourself - Where were you born, and what was your childhood like?
I am Zimbabwean. I was born and spent most of my formative years in Bulawayo before my parents relocated to Nyika, Bikita, when I was thirteen.
What are some of the things that have shaped your outlook and values in life?
My work is deeply inspired by my experience growing up in Zimbabwe. Making do with the little is essential for surviving in Zimbabwe.
Natural sciences are often deemed to be a boy child & men's forte. What inspired you to pursue natural sciences and a career in engineering? What are some of the challenges that you have had to navigate as a young woman in this field?
I have always had a lot of curiosity. As a child, I pestered my father with constant questions about why and how things came from. My father was an avid reader with a wealth of knowledge. He encouraged us to read widely and question the world. Growing up, I was eager to learn how to understand the world to make a change in the world. Science offered a window into the workings of our very universe. Although I went into college as a physics major, I later switched to engineering, eager to go beyond understanding and to move toward applying science to solve problems.
I find so much beauty in science, and my passion for scientific enquiry is what has emboldened me to continue with this career. The label 'minority' has followed me throughout my education and work. I was one of two girls in Upper Six Physics, a subject that, at the time, my teachers had told me was a 'boys' subject'. By deciding to study and work in the US, I was forced to negotiate with minorities beyond gender as my difference in race, nationality, immigration status, and socioeconomic background brought new challenges. Through it all, I have drawn strength from the community in its multiple forms- my network of African peer scientists, foremothers in science who have prevailed before me and mentors who have nurtured and encouraged me through the challenges. However, through it all, my passion for learning and using technology to practically solve real-world challenges is my greatest asset. My curiosity and interest in science dwarf the struggles. In the most difficult times, I am strengthened by the work and its potential for impact.
How did you end up at one of the world's leading academic institutions? What motivated you to return to Africa?
I was selected for the United States Achievers Program (USAP) in my Ordinary Level. The program offered college preparation. The liberal arts system of education in America, geared at developing students holistically, offered the ideal learning environment for my goals. In college, I had the opportunity to take Chinese, Global Health, History and Economics coursework in addition to my major engineering coursework. This education has directly informed my worldview and allowed me to better understand the world – an important aspect of an engineer interested in making an impact in it.
After graduation, I was keen to develop my technical skills and decided to stay in the US, taking roles which challenged me to expand on what I could do. After a few years, I felt the pull to apply the skills I had learned to the problems that originally motivated me to pursue science. Further, I found a unique role within my former organisation, Rice 360° Institute for Global Health, that allowed me to enact much of what I had been envisaging.
COVID-19 presented the world with unprecedented challenges requiring a lot of innovation. What are some of the innovations that you (your team, if possible) came up with to meet the challenges created by the pandemic. Also, there is a perception that no inventions are coming out of Africa, what is your response?
Everything related to COVID-19 can be found here.
As a manager at a university maker space, I had the unique opportunity to witness and nurture the next generation of our continent's innovators. I think there is nuance lost within curt statistics about African research and development statistics. There is no death of invention in Africa. Africans, especially the young, can and are creating functional solutions to the problems within our community. Within our small design studio, I have seen our students repair and reinstall critical medical devices at under resourced hospitals, create novel devices to solve uniquely Tanzanian/African problems and strive to launch businesses out of their ideas. However, young innovators and their inventions are often met with obstacles from blurry intellectual property guidelines that do not protect them internationally, regulators without an understanding of novel technologies/local development procedures, minimal industries capable of mass manufacturing at scale and a lack of capital investment. These innovators need institutional, national and regional policies that spark, protect and bolster local innovation.
What advice would you give to other young Africans interested in pursuing a career in sciences/engineering?
Look up other scientists who have similar backgrounds to yours. It helps to know others have come before you.
Surround yourself with the things that remind you why you love science/engineering (friends, books, movies, old science projects etc.)
Focus on building your skillset. Remember, there is a lot that you can learn online/on your own that can be valuable for advancing you forward.
In your leisure time, what do you enjoy doing?
I read, make candles, program pet projects and play with my cat.
Lastly, share what you find beautiful about being an African and your favourite holiday destination in Africa.
My favourite thing about being African is community.
Holiday destination- Lamu, Kenya
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