|
Klariska Govindasamy, CSIR bursar, who has raked in several academic awards - including the title 'best chemical engineering final year student in the country'. |
CSIR bursar Klariska Govindasamy has been raking in the awards this year for her academic prowess. The latest feather in her cap is having been announced by the South African Institution of Chemical Engineers (SAIChE) as the winner of its Silver Medal Award for being one of the best chemical engineering final year students in the country.
Govindasamy completed her BTech Chemical Engineering degree in 2009 with an average mark of 82%. The following year, 2010, saw the awards starting to flow in. The first one came in March when she received the Dean's Award at her graduation ceremony at the Durban University of Technology. In October she was awarded a gold medal and Merit Award from the Institute of Professional Engineering Technologists (IPET). November brought with it the SAIChE Silver Medal, which will be bestowed on her at a ceremony later this month.
As a CSIR bursar, Govindasamy started working at the CSIR in March this year with the microfluidic research group. "I'll start studying towards my MTech degree next year and would like to base my studies on the work that I'm currently doing here at the CSIR," she says.
The SAIChE Silver Medal singled her out as one of the best chemical engineering final year student in the country, taking into account all BSc/BEng and BTech students at South African tertiary institutions accredited by SAIChE. The IPET gold medal and Merit Award are specifically given to the student with the highest cum laude results at BTech exit level at each of the Universities of Technology, with all engineering disciplines taken into account. IPET has also offered Klariska a year's free membership.
"Receiving awards like these are great, as it recognises the hard work you've put into your studies," says Govindasamy. "It's a big achievement and can open the doors to opportunities that can help you to further your career. It is also great that the CSIR is supportive of and acknowledges my achievements - I'm truly thankful for that."
Govindasamy describes her work at the CSIR as a very different experience than working in industry. "This is very interesting and more challenging," she says. "I am exposed to things that I have never even thought of before, but which the researchers here have been working on for five years already. For someone like me, who is driven by a challenge, this is a great place to be."
|
