Physicist Passionate Promoter for Women in STEM

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Proud graduate Ms Saarisha Govender, who earned her BSc Honours degree in Physics summa cum laude, is a passionate and driven student whose academic journey has been marked by curiosity, hard work and a deep commitment to scientific discovery.

Govender, who completed her undergraduate BSc degree at UKZN (also summa cum laude), chose to pursue her honours at the same institution mainly because of lecturers who had already left a lasting impression on her. ‘I was highly interested in the content of the modules offered in the honours programme,’ she said. ‘The deciding factor for me, however, was the lecturers involved. They had lectured me during my undergraduate degree and I felt I still had much to learn from them.’

Her fascination with physics dates back to childhood and a boundless curiosity about the natural world. ‘From photosynthesis to planets - I wanted to know it all,’ she explained. This curiosity paired naturally with her love for mathematics, and with the support of inspirational teachers and a family that valued education, a future in science became inevitable.

Govender was awarded the Zac Yacoob Scholarship in 2024 for being the best honours student at the University.

During her honours year, Govender was exposed to a range of advanced topics in both mathematics and physics. Among these, Quantum Mechanics (PHYS702) stood out as her favourite module. Covering the foundations of quantum theory - including its history, postulates and advanced topics such as perturbation theory - the module laid the groundwork for later studies in quantum computing. ‘I still use concepts from this module today as a master’s student,’ she said.

Her honours research project, titled: “Binary Classification of Pulsars using Quantum Kernel Methods”, explored the application of quantum machine learning (QML) in astronomical data analysis. Focusing on the HTRU2 dataset, Govender investigated how an ensemble of QML models could address the challenge of imbalanced datasets - specifically the underrepresentation of pulsars, which are highly magnetised, rapidly rotating neutron stars. By applying Quantum Kernel Methods and comparing different strategies for encoding classical data into quantum models, her research offers new insights into improving classification accuracy in such unbalanced datasets.

The relevance of her work extends beyond astronomy with potential applications in any field dealing with similar data challenges.

Now enrolled in a master’s programme in Physics, Govender continues to explore the field of QML, with her current research focusing on generalisation - understanding how well QML models perform when applied to unseen data.

Looking to the future, she intends to pursue a PhD and hopes to make meaningful contributions to the advancement of quantum machine learning.

Behind her academic success lies a strong support system. Govender credits her family for instilling in her a respect for education and the value of perseverance. ‘Watching my parents support our family taught me the value of hard work,’ she said.

Her grandfather’s solid support and her sister’s encouragement played a vital role in keeping her motivated. She also acknowledged the guidance of her supervisor, Professor Ilya Sinayskiy, as instrumental in shaping her academic journey. ‘I would not be the researcher I am today without his influence.’

Outside of her studies, Govender maintains a balanced lifestyle. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking nutritious meals, strength training and Pilates. Her creative hobbies include reading, crocheting, sketching and working on puzzles - all of which contribute to her mental well-being.

As a woman in STEM, Govender hopes her journey inspires others, especially young girls, to pursue careers in science with confidence. ‘We often underestimate the importance of representation in STEM fields,’ she said. ‘I hope my story encourages young girls to ask questions, think deeply, take up space and speak up - because there is a need for their voices in academia.’

Quoting Pakistani education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, she concluded: ‘We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.’

Words: Sally Frost

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini