After years of dedication and a long-held dream, Dr Khanyisa Shirinda steps onto the stage, marking the powerful culmination of her PhD journey and the beginning of her impact in driving innovation.

The Central University of Technology is celebrating a new generation of women who have reached the highest level of academic achievement by earning doctoral degrees in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology. Dr Khanyisa Shirinda, Dr Tsholofelo Priscilla Gaonwe and Dr Nthabiseng Nhlapho are among the standout graduates whose research is driving solutions to real world challenges in energy, healthcare and advanced technology.

Dr Khanyisa Shirinda, who earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering, is tackling one of South Africa’s most pressing issues, energy security. Her research ‘Optimal Energy Management for a Grid-Connected Pumped Hydro-Battery Hybrid Storage System Supplied by Renewable Energy’, focuses on improving the efficiency and reliability of renewable energy systems by optimising energy management in grid connected storage systems. Inspired by the gap between energy generation and consumption, her work advances sustainable power solutions. She describes her graduation as a significant milestone, marking the achievement of a long-term goal she set for herself years ago.

Dr Tsholofelo Priscilla Gaonwe, who obtained a Doctor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, is contributing to more efficient energy use in the commercial sector. Her research ‘Optimising Energy Management of a Dual Source Renewable Energy System with Thermal Storage for a Quad Water Production’, explored how renewable energy systems can improve water heating efficiency, using a Mediclinic hospital as a case study. By integrating thermal energy storage, solar assisted heat pump systems and renewable energy sources, her study demonstrates how energy demand can be shifted away from peak periods, significantly reducing operational costs. “My study impacts society by reducing the cost of operation, especially with the electricity challenges we are facing in South Africa,” she explains. By utilising renewable energy to reduce reliance on conventional electricity systems, her work contributes to more sustainable and cost-effective energy use in high-demand environments such as healthcare facilities.

Women at the helm of innovation: Dr Tsholofelo Priscilla Gaonwe (left) and Dr Nthabiseng Nhlapho (right), happy to have successfully completed their journey. They both agree that it was a long and worthy journey.

Dr Nthabiseng Nhlapho, who earned her doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, is advancing innovation in biomedical engineering. Her research ‘Laser Powder Bed Fusion of TixCu Alloy for Biomedical Applications’, focuses on additive manufacturing technologies used to produce metal-based implants for patients who have experienced trauma or limb loss. “My study impacts society by assisting patients who have lost limbs and need implants that restore both functionality and appearance,” she explains. Her research contributes to advancements in biomedical engineering, offering innovative solutions that improve both the quality of life and recovery of patients.

These achievements highlight the growing influence of women in science and research. CUT continues to produce doctoral graduates whose work drives innovation, supports sustainability and contributes meaningfully to national development.