A Conversation with Prof Tshilidzi Marwala; Vice Chancellor, University of Johannesburg: Part 1
Part 1
LM:
Prof, it’s an incredible honor to have an opportunity to have this conversation Profs Tshilidzi Marwala, Africa and the world’s foremost thinker on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). I know that our young leaders, across Africa will be inspired, not only by your personal and professional journey, but your insights and perspectives on the future. I truly appreciate your willingness to engage with our future leaders.
TM:
Thank you for having me. I hope this is a valuable conversation for your readers and that these insights and observations based on my experience in higher education and in the 4IR sphere will be provocative enough for you.
LM:
Where were you born, tell us a bit about your early life and schooling?
TM:
I was born in Duthuni in Venda Limpopo Province. I went to primary school in my village Duthuni and matriculated at Mbilwi Secondary School.
LM:
Who were your earliest influencers in those formative years?
TM:
My grandmother, Vho-Tshianeo, was my big influencer. She was a natural engineer. My grandfather, Vhavenda, was a good story-teller. My parents were kind, and nurtured my ambitions. I also had fantastic teachers. In particular, my high school principals Professor Matamba and Mr Muloiwa were very inspirational. Of course, Mr Matamba was not a professor when he was our principal. He later went to UNISA to complete a PhD in Physics.
LM:
In your matriculation year, you entered and won the National Youth Science Olympiad and went to the UK to attend the London International Youth Science Fortnight, how important was this development in your life journey and why ?
TM:
This was a defining point in my life. I was introduced to the world in London. I was in the same room with West and East Germans representing two different countries a few weeks before the fall of the Berlin Wall. We visited to Imperial College in London and Cambridge University. Little, did I know that I will go and complete a PhD at Cambridge and go and work at Imperial College.
LM:
Did you always have an inquiring mind, what was your experience in the UK during this time ?
TM:
Yes, I was always curious. I remember taking a torch and pointing it at the sky, hoping to see the edge of the sky. In the UK, we learned about climate change, superconductivity and other technologies that were going to change the world. It was a significant exposure.
LM:
How and when did the love for science and engineering begin for you?
TM:
It began with the love of Maths. My father was a primary school maths teacher. So I read the books that he kept at the house. I remember studying logarithms when I was still in primary school. Naturally, mathematics is a conduit to science and technology.
LM:
One of the most remarkable things in your life is what has been achieved by your Grade 12 class over the years, tell us more about what that class has achieved? What was unique about your beloved Mbilwi Secondary school?
TM:
Well, my class was very motivated. From my class came Khathu Mamaila who became the Editor of City Press 15 years ago. Aluwani Ramabulana, who was one of the CEOs of Daimler Financial Services. Almost 80% of my classmates went on to achieve postgraduate qualifications. They continue to inspire me.
LM:
Why was your first degree experience overseas, and not local, how was that academic and life experience?
TM:
My London experience in high school made me decide to study overseas. In preparation for that, I went on to do A-Levels study at St John’s College in Johannesburg. I wanted to see and experience the world, and the USA was and is still a centre of technology. So I decided to go and study there.
LM:
Your academic studies took you to the University of Pretoria for your Masters in Mechanical Engineering and a PHD in Artificial Intelligence, University of Cambridge, later you became a post-doctoral research associate at the University London’s Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, where you worked on intelligence software. Describe for us the value of these academic foundations for your insights and perspectives?
TM:
The foundations gave me the tools to be able to think broadly, understand complex global issues, and be grounded locally but with an international outlook.
LM:
You have quite a wide and multi-disciplinary research interest, tell us more about them?
TM:
As an engineering student, I also took subjects such as economics, psychology, acting, and history. The multi-disciplinary nature of my undergraduate training is something I am introducing multi-disciplinary education at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
LM:
Publishing is very important for academics, how many books and papers have you published and what do they mean for you ?
TM:
I have published 16 books, and I have 2 that are in print. One of these books, which will be published in June, has a foreword written by Klaus Schwab, the Chairman of the World Economic Forum.
