From A Village Girl To A PhD Graduate In Nuclear Engineering, Meet Margaret Mkhos

SHE FINALLY MADE IT!!

Meet – Dr Margaret Mkhosi, South African born Nuclear Engineer and CEO of the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI).

Growing up in the rural village of Kopela in North West province, she never imagined that she’d become an engineer, let alone the first female nuclear engineer in her homeland.

Before she even began school, Dr Margaret Mkhosi learnt about the rotation of the earth and its revolution around the sun from her elder brother and has been fascinated by science ever since.

“We lived in a village where the only people who lived a better life were teachers or policemen. But later in high school, I learnt a little bit about engineering, and when I was in matric, I became interested in it and never looked back,” said Dr Margaret Mkhosi.

Against all odds, she obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nuclear Engineering from The Ohio State University, a Master of Science (MSc) in Physics from North-West University and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Education, majoring in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Bophuthatswana.

Dr Margaret Mkhosi previously held senior positions in various nuclear and affiliated industry organizations including Director of Centre for Nuclear Safety & Security at the National Nuclear Regulator, Senior Manager of LEMS at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, General Manager of Special Projects at Technology Innovation Agency, and Senior Specialist of Nuclear Engineering at the National Nuclear Regulator.

She is currently serving as a mentor in the European Leadership for Safety (ELSE) training program of 2022/23, and also a mentor of the IAEA-South Africa Nuclear Energy Management School of 2022.

On 29 August 2022, Dr Margaret Mkhosi will be a Guest Speaker at Senamile Masango Foundation’s exclusive Women In Energy Conference at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Source:Women Power Africa|LinkedIn

Email: elora.akpotosevbe@yahoo.com