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Kersch Naidoo was born in KwaZulu-Natal and had a bit of a nomadic childhood as he schooled at various towns such as Queenstown, Tongaat, La Mercy and the Lower South Coast. As a young boy, he was inquisitive and very passionate about the manufacture of items around him; leading to his eventual decision to become a chemical engineer.
He qualified as an engineer in 2004, with a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He further enrolled for a BEng (Hons) specialising in polymer science with the University of Pretoria (UP), which he completed in 2005. He is currently in his final year of an MEng in chemical engineering with UP.
When asked why he chose science as a career, Kersch said that an inquisitive mind and daily pursuit for new knowledge contributed to him developing an early passion for physics and mathematics at school; hence chemical engineering was an obvious choice.
Kersch started his career in engineering at the Mondi Papermill in Durban as a junior process engineer for six months, after specialising in pulp and paper science. He later joined CSIR Materials Sciences and Manufacturing as a junior materials scientist conducting mainly biomedical research on bio-artificial liver support systems and soft tissue augmentation devices. He also participated in various other research projects involving self-immobilised, micro- and nano-biocatalysts (SphereZymesTM); automated bioreactor systems (bio-artificial liver support systems and cellular proliferation devices); micro-fluidics for the manufacture of SphereZymesTM; enhanced precious minerals leaching and organ preservation solutions using artificial gas carrier technologies; smart materials design for use in soft tissue augmentation and automated cellular proliferation devices; and also covered polymeric emulsion encapsulation technologies.
He moved to CSIR Biosciences in 2009 and is currently involved in agro- and food-processing-related technologies such as microwave and extrusion processing; natural product processing and edible food coatings. Chemical engineering still remains his general passion, but now with a much greater focus on food and polymer engineering. In 2006, Kersch received a promising young researcher award from CSIR materials sciences and manufacturing and also scooped the Chemical Technology Innovation award from the South African Institute of Chemical Engineering and Crown Publications in 2008.
“I hope that I have inspired other young scientists and generated new knowledge for those in my research field. Some of my past patents were a bit unusual, but I hope that this positively influenced the thoughts of fellow researchers in my field. It truly amazes me how much is still left out there to be discovered. I hope to be able to contribute in whatever way I can in furthering our understanding of the unknown. In the inspiring words of Julius Caesar, “veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered),” says Kersch, who hopes to still accomplish that in his field.
Pearl S Buck once said, “The young do not know enough to be prudent and therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation.” This best describes Kersch’s character from childhood. South Africa needs young adults like him to further explore the unknown and endorse the CSIR as a leading science and technology research organisation in Africa.
CSIR Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Relations:
Josephine Moiloa, email: JMoiloa@csir.co.za
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