Prof Soraya Malinga is an Associate Professor and co-Director for the Joint Research Centre for Water, Environmental Science and Technology (JRC-WEST) at the University of Johannesburg, Department of Chemical Sciences. Prof Malinga’s research involves finding sustainable solutions to solve problems relating to water quality. This approach involves applying the principles of nanoscience and nanotechnology to develop membranes for drinking water and wastewater treatment. She has graduated and mentored over 20 postgraduate students at Honours, MSc and PhD level and continues to supervise students at all these levels. As a principal investigator in all her projects, she has managed to successfully raise funding to support her research, including the recently attained South Africa-India Joint Science and Technology Research Collaboration which will advance her research career on an international platform. She has served as a reference group member and panel member for several scientific bodies such as the Water Research Commission and the National Research Foundation. She was honored for her research as a runner up under the ‘Distinguished Young Women Researchers-Natural (Physical and Life) and Engineering Sciences’ category by the South African Women in Science Awards in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology. Prof Malinga was recently named as a National Science and Technology Forum-South32 awards finalist in the Engineering Research Capacity category.

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